www.constructionglobal.com March 2016
Construction in the cloud: delivering tomorrow’s urban environment
BEYOND BRICKS & MORTAR
Major Projects: Delivering complex developments
Sustainable, integrated projects are key to the success of Palm Hills Developments
EDITOR’S COMMENT
Harnessing technology W E L C O M E T O T H E March issue of
Construction Global. Our cover story this month features Palm Hills Developments, one of the leading real estate companies in Egypt. And we have an interview with Graeme Baxter, Turner & Townsend’s Head of Infrastructure in the Middle East, currently delivering a new terminal for Abu Dhabi International Airport. We also have two features looking at the role of technology in today’s construction projects, with a detailed look at how the industry can make use of cloud technology and the Internet of Things. Our second technology feature looks at social media – and gives some interesting examples of how different platforms can be used by construction firms. Let us know if – and how – you use social media within your organisation. We hope you enjoy the issue, and if you have anything to add, don’t hesitate to tweet @ConstructionGL
Lucy Dixon Managing Editor EMEA lucy.dixon@bizclikmedia.com
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CONTENTS
6
Features
TECHNOLOGY Construction in the cloud: delivering tomorrow’s urban environment
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MAJOR PROJECTS Delivering complex developments 4
February 2016
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TOP 8 ways construction companies can increase reach on social media
Company Profiles AFRICA 26 Palm Hills Developments
USA
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Superior Construction
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Palm HIlls Developments
38 Superior Construction 54 Walsh Construction - San Gabriel Trench Project 66 Helix Electric
AUSTRALIA 76 Woollam Constructions 86 Integrated Maintenance Group NZ
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Integrated Maintenance Group NZ
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Walsh Construction
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Woollam Constructions
Helix Electric
TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT
Construction in the tomorrow’s urban envi W ri t t e n by: D O M I N I C TH A S A R ATH A R , A u t o d e s k S t ra t e g i s t: C o n s t ru c t i o n , E n e rg y, N a t u ra l R e s o u rc e s
cloud: delivering ironment
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TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT THERE WAS A time when being a contractor in a big city was, if not an easy, at least a predictable way of making a corporate living. But times are changing. As residents increasingly choose to live in cities, our urban environments are becoming more densely populated, and in turn, more complex. That complexity is changing the nature of demand for construction services, as contractors and their clients are called upon more often to think beyond today’s emphasis on individual buildings and infrastructure assets, and move toward thinking in terms of interconnected systems. How might technology trends, in particular cloud computing, support the construction industry in ensuring our cities remain economically competitive and uphold the quality of life residents expect as urbanisation continues? Selecting the right projects to build (and bid on) Where and how should investment dollars be focused? It’s the perennial question, whether private or public project sponsor. And, more frequently, those sponsors are looking to the contracting community 8 M arch 2016
Gaming engines, such as Autodesk’s owners and stakeholders to access a understand the scale, feel and exper for advice and partnership as project complexity increases. For example, understanding whether to build a mass transit system to alleviate congestion between two city neighborhoods, or whether to invest in highways instead, is a common challenge. In the future, the answer to this will
S H E L L’ S C O N S T R U C T I O N V E H I C L E P E R F O R M A N C E D R I V E
s real-time engine Stingray, can help designers, and visualise a building model in real-time to fully rience of the building before construction starts lie in data, or rather the “big data,” as the cloud’s capacity to crunch large data-sets (asset design data, demographic data, economic data, transit data, etc.) will enable project teams to “start with the end goal.” By taking advantage of technologies like predictive analytics, generative design, and gaming engines, project
teams will be able to work backwards by simulating a vast array of project options, and from there, land on the best design that will deliver that will deliver the greatest possible outcome. Rise of the citizen builder Cloud technology is also playing a distinct role in bringing communities 9
TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT
The ‘I Make Rotterdam’ project in the Netherlands is a prime example of a crowd funded project and project sponsors closer together, which unlocks a few interesting opportunities. For instance, if you’re going to build a project in someone’s backyard, they will want to know what you’re planning and how you’re going to undertake the work. By supporting social and mobile computing, the cloud enables contractors and project sponsors to connect directly with both communities and the individual. 1 0 M arch 2016
“Greater surety in project pipelines will enable contractors to invest in talent and resources with confidence”
CONSTRUCTION IN THE CLOUD
The result of this will be a more democratic consultation process and closer engagement with residents when it comes to doing everything from scheduling the best time for site deliveries to sharing environmental impact studies. Take it a step further: project teams can also leverage the power of the crowd to help in the planning and design of a project, allowing teams to crowd-source answers to tough design challenges in dense urban environments. The power of cloud-powered crowdsourcing will also have a profound impact on funding projects in the future, as we see the rise of the ‘citizen builder’. With many municipal governments facing restrictions on capital expenditure, ensuring there is sufficient social and economic infrastructure to enable a city to remain competitive means exploring alternative ways of funding projects. Crowd funding is already well established in sectors like manufacturing, where the proverbial ‘two guys in a garage’ can raise finance for a new product. So why not scale up for buildings and infrastructure? Can you imagine a future where the end users of,
in particular social infrastructure, are both involved in the process of determining, as a community, which infrastructure to build, then jointly funding it via a large number of small contributions? This would create a new era of localism enabled by cloud technology. Wakening the city with the Internet of Things (IoT) In tomorrow’s cities, IoT sensor technology will provide a valuable feedback mechanism for asset performance and use, opening the door to new ways of creating and designing buildings and infrastructure. The net result is likely to be a much tighter alignment between supply and demand across many dimensions. For example feedback on occupancy levels, energy performance, water usage, passenger journeys and more, will garner more informed decisions during the building planning process for subsequent assets. Collectively, combining data taken from these devices with other data sources, like demographic and economic data, might enable contractors to improve forecasting future demand patterns for their 11
TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT services. Can you imagine how this might help mitigate the type of uncertainty that exists in today’s project pipelines? Greater surety in project pipelines will enable contractors to invest in talent and resources with confidence. In a broader sense, these IoT data sets will also contribute to satisfying citizens’ demand for the increasingly complex ‘Smart City’ as they will inform infrastructure requirements that support efficiency, profitability and quality of life. The city of Chicago is currently leveraging sensor technology to create a smart, connected city by using big data to drive upcoming construction and infrastructure initiatives. Using a network of 500 modular sensor boxes, called ‘nodes’, which will be installed across Chicago by the end of 2017, construction leaders will be able to utilise a litany of urban intelligence, including 24/7 data on traffic, air quality, weather, and noise to plan where to invest in construction projects, and how to plan these projects. “This is a Fitbit for the city that will allow us to collect a really wide array of environmental data , which will help us make better decisions 1 2 M arch 2016
about what types of infrastructure to invest in,” City of Chicago Chief Information Officer Brenna Berman told local business publication Crain’s Chicago Business. For example, environmental sensors, which will measure temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, light, noise, and vibration, will provide data the construction industry can use to in deciding the most efficient materials to use to ensure a building blocks out noise or will withstand highly humid conditions from the beginning. The cloud is the answer; what’s the question? The construction industry is at the early stage of its relationship with the cloud. How that journey will unfold as the industry rises to the challenge of delivering tomorrow’s urban environments is still clearly a work in progress. One thing is certain, though: the cloud’s ubiquitous ability to connect people, places and things, and it’s capacity to put vast amounts of processing power at the disposal of any company, on demand, offers a myriad of possibilities. Expect great things.
CONSTRUCTION IN THE CLOUD
Artists’ rendering of Array of Things nodes mounted on city streetlight poles. The AoT is an urbansensing instrument, measuring data on cities’ environment, infrastructure, and activity in order to scientifically investigate solutions to urban challenges ranging from air quality to urban flooding
About the Author Dominic Thasarathar is Autodesk’s primary thought-leader and evangelist for the global Construction and Natural Resources industries. His focus is the strategic role Information and Technology can play in helping companies across those ecosystems respond to changing markets and achieve competitive advantage. A Chartered Electrical Engineer and Technology Executive, Dominic joined Autodesk in 2011 from a career spanning two decades in international construction and capital projects – including management roles with CH2M Hill (Chief Information Officer, CLM Delivery Partner), Bechtel (AsiaPacific Manager of Project Systems) and Laing O’Rourke (Project Lifecycle Systems Manager). 13
MAJOR PROJECTS
Delivering comple
Turner & Townsend is supporting the delivery of a new, sta Construction Global talks to Graeme Baxter who is leading th W r i t t e n b y: A N G I D O Y
ex developments
ate-of-the-art terminal in Abu Dhabi International Airport. the team supporting the 7 million square metre project
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MAJOR PROJECTS SINCE 2015, GRAEME Baxter has been Head of Infrastructure for Turner & Townsend Middle East, based in Abu Dhabi. Describing his role, he says: “As a Chartered Quantity Surveyor, I help clients manage their capital assets which could be anything from buildings through to an airport runway. I support the clients to look after these projects by keeping them on-programme and within budget which makes the client feel more in control. As a business, Turner & Townsend has a strong track record of providing end-to-end services to help the clients manage their capital programmes from budgets, to scheduling, managing changes and managing risks, so they can make informed decisions.” Baxter was Turner & Townsend’s Country Manager for Qatar for six years, handing over the reins in 2015 to take up his latest role. When he started in Qatar, he had a single member of staff on his team; the Qatar office now employs over 100 people, which illustrates the huge growth of construction in the region. One of the flagship projects that Baxter was involved with in Qatar was the Lusail City Project, a new development 15 kilometres north 16
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of Doha. The project covers 38 square kilometres subdivided into 19 districts, which will provide 50,000 homes in the form of town houses, villas and apartments. Other districts include retail, commercial, civic and office space, golf, entertainment, hospitality, and medical facilities – all served by a light railway. Turner & Townsend was commissioned to provide cost management services to the project, enabling the client to make timely, informed decisions on budgeting and project scheduling. Baxter’s new project is equally impressive, ambitious, and complex. He is leading Turner & Townsend’s team supporting the delivery of a major development a state-of-the-art terminal at Abu Dhabi International Airport. The Midfield Terminal Complex (MTC) is part of Abu Dhabi Airport’s multi billion-dollar expansion programme to support its aim to become the world’s leading airport operator. The complex covers 700,000 square metres and has 20,000 people involved in its construction, a vast project by anybody’s standards. Once completed, the terminal will be capable
DELIVERING COMPLEX DEVELOPMENTS
“The Midfield Terminal Complex is part of Abu Dhabi Airport’s multi billion-dollar expansion programme to support its aim to become the world’s leading airport operator”
of handling 8,500 passengers per hour. Turner & Townsend has gained aviation experience around the world which, coupled with its world class comprehensive cost management tools, means that the vast amounts of data generated by the project can be analysed and understood, and effective, timely decisions made. Robust project risk management and efficient change control are Turner & Townsend hallmarks and 17
MAJOR PROJECTS
“It is a good time to invest now and get a project delivered at a good price, ready to benefit as new markets develop” Baxter attributes these as critical success factors in any project, but especially large and complex developments such as the Midfield Terminal Complex and Lusail City. But what does the future hold for development projects in the Middle East against the backdrop of currently falling oil prices? “The price of oil has dropped by two thirds and I have certainly seen a paradigm shift. The market has changed; it 18
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has toughened,” says Baxter. “In many ways our services will be needed more than ever. We help clients to keep their projects on schedule and on budget, we help them to manage project costs and find savings, these are critical factors at any time, but certainly in times when assets need to provide a return on investment and projects need to be delivered within budget and to time. Whilst the market place is
DELIVERING COMPLEX DEVELOPMENTS
toughening, I have noticed contractors’ prices softening, so it is a good time to invest now and to get a project delivered at a good price, ready to benefit as new markets develop. “The paradigm shift in the Middle East extends to developing the economy, moving away from dependence on oil and looking to further develop tourism, entertainment and renewable energy. Two years ago no one in the region was talking about
renewable energy; now it is a regular topic of conversation and interest. The government wants to see a solar panel on the roof of every building in the UAE. It is a genuine aspiration. It’s a natural resource that they have in abundance. There is also great interest in wind power and we are already providing services to support such commissions, including Abu Dhabi’s Masdar Energy project.”
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TOP 8
Eight ways construction companies can increase reach on social media
Marketing your business on any social network is about so much more than simply posting content Written by: Jess Shanahan
I’M SURE WE can all agree that social media is an important part of the marketing mix, but so many businesses are using it without thinking about maximising its effectiveness. It’s important that you consider engaging with users and leveraging your reach in order to connect with new people and potential clients. 21
TOP 8 I’M SURE WE can all agree that social media is an important part of the marketing mix, but so many businesses are using it without thinking about maximising its effectiveness. It’s important that you consider engaging with users and leveraging your reach in order to connect with new people and potential clients.
include a relevant image as users will be more likely to see it in their feed and pay attention to what you’ve got to say.
VIDEO
IMAGES Images are important across all forms of social media simply because they draw the eye better than any text post, no matter how well worded it is. Whether you’re giving an insight into employee culture on Twitter or are commenting on the skills shortage on LinkedIn, 22
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Video content is another great way to engage users and encourage sharing. If there’s something you’d normally share as a long article, consider making it into a video. This could be a virtual tour of your latest project, an interview with your CEO, or a detailed look at the latest technology you’re using to save your clients money. Time-poor social media users will appreciate being able to simply watch a video rather than read a lengthy article and, like images, these will stand out in a stream.
E I G H T W AY S T O I N C R E A S E R E A C H O N S O C I A L M E D I A
SHOW YOUR EXPERTISE Social media is just as much about brand-building as it is about generating new sales. It’s a great way to build trust through carefully-crafted content that shows people you are experts in your industry. Keep the content short and to-the-point but do link through to more in-depth pieces too. Once your followers trust you, they’ll be more likely to engage with your content.
about your company, or a video. The general tag of #construction can work well but you can use more niche hashtags too.
CREATE CONTENT WITH USERS IN MIND
USE RELEVANT HASHTAGS Using the right hashtags can help other people interested in that topic to find your content. This is especially important when you’re linking to your website, an article
Take time to think about what your customers and followers would want to see. Will they be interested in the latest developments in the industry or would they be more interested in how those developments can save them money? The aim of this is to create the kind of content (article, video or photo) that users will want to share as that way you’ll be reaching their audiences too. 23
TOP 8
EXPERIMENT
There’s a certain element o media as it all depends on you want to reach. Experim different times of the day to engagement (likes, shares,
POST AT THE RIGHT TIME There’s a lot of conflicting information out there as to the best times to post across the different social networks. For most, in the morning and around lunchtime normally works best; however, the best thing to do is to check when your specific audience is active as it varies from industry to industry. Followerwonk is a tool that lets you analyse your Twitter following to see at which times they are most active. It also gives you further information on the topics they’re interested in and how often they tweet. 24
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E I G H T W AY S T O I N C R E A S E R E A C H O N S O C I A L M E D I A
of trial and error to social n your business and who ment with different posts at to see which get the most , retweets, comments etc.)
USE ANALYTICS Both Twitter and Facebook have fantastic built-in analytics that will let you know how your posts are performing. Twitter’s analytics will tell you how much reach you’ve achieved month-by-month and will show you which tweets garnered the most engagement. This will give you a good idea of what’s working and what you should continue. Facebook’s Insights will give you similar information showing the post reach and the engagement each one has achieved. A successful social media presence is one that brings in new leads but also gets your brand to new audiences. Reach is a metric you should keep an eye on when it comes to measuring how well each social network is working for you. 25
Beyond and m
Written by: Alice Young Pr
d bricks mortar
roduced by: Richard Deane
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PA L M H I L L S D E V E L O P M E N T S
Sustainable, integrated projects are key to the success of Palm Hills Developments
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ounded in 2005, Palm Hills Developments quickly became one of Egypt’s leading real estate companies. CEO Engineer Mohamed Sultan says that the company’s ethos runs through every stage of its work, starting with land acquisition. “While keeping in mind that prospective clients have delegated us to fulfill their aspiration by developing their dream homes, not by just building houses. Such a philosophy sits in sync with our vision, which extends beyond bricks and mortar to creating a well-integrated livable experience,” he says. To realise Palm Hills Developments’ vision, the company carefully selects the best business partners and service providers. Sultan says: “On the construction front, we’ve always been joining forces with the blue-chips of
AFRICA
the industry who clearly manifest profound understanding of the local market need gaps, and simultaneously project world-class standards.� Taking integrated development to a whole new level coloured by eco-friendliness and sustainability is equally important to Palm Hills Developments, as Sultan explains: “We are always seeking to apply the latest cutting edge technologies, methodologies and techniques across all business fronts. We’re currently in the process of exploring and piloting a new construction technique, which is meant to represent a quantum leap, providing innovative solutions that will further enhance final product neatness, aesthetics and speedy development and, moreover, will enable architects to have more room for design novelty. Most importantly,
1000+ Number of jobs to be supported by Palm Hills Development
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PA L M H I L L S D E V E L O P M E N T such new approaches are centric around green and sustainable development.� Palm Hills Developments has taken solid steps towards full Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and is working on several community projects focussed on developing integrated, self-sustaining communities. These will provide the infrastructure and resources needed to create a better standard of life for needy villages in Upper Egypt and the Delta region. Sultan
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explains: “We always develop in the context of our community, driven by representing a socially responsible corporate citizen. Our business supports 100 feeder industries, creating 200,000 job opportunities. We’ve also signed a joint cooperation agreement with the Industrial Training Council (ITC) of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Small and Medium Enterprises, to provide vocational training for youths with the aim of qualifying them to join
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PA L M H I L L S D E V E L O P M E N T S various productive sectors in the labour market.” Aside from its CSR activities, Sultan believes that the quality of its developments is what sets it apart from others. He adds: “Eleven projects from our portfolio have been delivered, inclusive of eight phases of Palm Hills October, Bamboo Extension, Hacienda White, and The Village. The company has currently 12 active projects - five in the East, five in the West, and two on the North Coast - all due for completion between 2016 and 2018.” Sharing its real estate knowledge and experience is the focus of a project that Palm Hills Developments has recently decided to get
Address: 35 Abou Bakr El-Sedeek St. Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt Web: www.redconcon.com Email: info@redconcon.com
AFRICA
involved in. Sultan says: “Capitalising on our leadership within the real-estate sector, we’ve decided to export such expertise via partnering with the government and the private sector in a continuous attempt to support housing provision. We’ve partnered with NUCA (New Urban Communities Authority) to co-develop 500 feddans in New Cairo. The project sales are expected to take place towards the end of 2016. We’ve partnered with Madinet Nasr Housing to co-develop 100 feddans of Capital Gardens in New Cairo extension within Sarai development, along Cairo Suez road and within close proximity from the new administrative capital. Capital Gardens was launched last December and has achieved tremendous results - almost 100 percent of the first tranche was sold out during the first week of launch, reinstating demand in the Egyptian real-estate marketplace. Such a project is a clear testament to our dynamic and adaptive approach while casting our net wider targeting the upper middle income segment.”
‘A key pillar behind such stellar results is what we pride ourselves in: being the employer of choice in Egypt, deploying the best talent pool across all specialties, and keeping them constantly engaged’
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PA L M H I L L S D E V E L O P M E N T S Palm Hills Developments is actively exploring new markets, says Sultan. “We’re planning to expand our land bank by venturing into new markets behind the frontiers, specifically Africa where we’re still exploring and researching. In addition, we’ve just secured a new land plot to complement our second home projects portfolio of 135 feddans in Ras El Hekma. Via our flagship North Coast projects, we’re opting to support the government plan in transforming Egypt’s North Coast into a whole year-round destination.” It has certainly been a successful time for the
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AFRICA
company, as the financial results highlight – it achieved record results in 2015, delivering 1,573 units with gross sales exceeding 6 billion Egyptian pounds. Sultan says: “A key pillar behind such stellar results is what we pride ourselves in: being the employer of choice in Egypt, deploying the best talent pool across all specialisties and keeping them constantly engaged.” Palm Hills Developments prides itself on its people, describing them as its ‘most vital resource’ and the ‘driving force’ that enables it to achieve its vision and turn it into a reality success story.
Palm Hills Development HQ is based in Cairo
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Growing
FLORIDA’S ROADWAYS Pete Kelley, President at Superior Construction, discusses major projects and services in expanding Florida’s beltways
Written by: Sasha Orman Produced by: Tom Venturo
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SUPERIOR CONSTRUCTION SOUTHEAST
MainLine at Ramp A-1 looking NE
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nfrastructure is in Pete Kelley’s blood. “My father built roads and bridges throughout his entire career so I had a good exposure to it while growing up,” he explains. Kelley continued that tradition, with an education in civil engineering and a long career in highway construction. Kelley has been a part of the Superior Construction family since 40
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1993. Today, he serves as President of Superior Construction Southeast, and along with fourth-generation principal Nick Largura is currently overseeing the company’s growth strategy within the Southeast U.S. region and developing its reputation as a leading design-build contractor. As a full service contractor specializing in heavy industrial construction, Superior Construction
USA
provides its clients with a range of construction services including earthwork, drainage, pile driving, bridge construction, and concrete paving, even working alongside clients on project development to provide budgetary cost estimates and constructability reviews. Through these services, the company plays a vital role in making bridges and roadways
safer and more efficient for Florida’s commuter and business communities. I M PROV ING FLOR I DA INFRASTRUCTURE For decades, Superior Construction has been doing its part to expand Florida’s transportation infrastructure through high profile projects like the completion of SR w w w. s u p e r i o r s e . c o m
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James D. Hinson Electrical Contracting Company, Inc. has extensive experience in Electrical Construction projects throughout the State of Florida and Southern Georgia, including: Hospitals, Water Treatment Plants, Sewage Treatment Plants, Lift Stations, Churches, Banks, Professional Offices, Multi Story Buildings, Jails, Detention Facilities, Air Port Terminals, Runway and Taxiway Lighting, Bascule Bridges, Roadway Lighting, Computerized Traffic Signalization Systems, Fire Alarm Systems, Communication Systems, CCTV Systems, and Intelligent Transportation Systems.
Hinson Electric is Proud to be a Partner working with Superior Construction Company on the SR 9B project.
www.hinsonfl.com
James D. Hinson Electrical Contracting Company, Inc. 11609 Columbia Park Drive West Jacksonville, Florida 32258
(904)262-3805 Ph (904)268-3253 Fax dhinson@hinsonfl.com
USA
9B, a project Kelley calls “the Holy Grail of transportation” for the rapidly growing Northwest St. Johns County, and the long awaited $68 million 23rd St. Interchange project. “This is a signature infrastructure project for the 3rd District of the Florida Department of Transportation. Due to funding challenges and ROW negotiations, this project was delayed from construction for over a decade, and is now a critical transportation component for the US 98 corridor in the Florida panhandle,” explains Kelley. While the logistical and financial challenges of this multi-
SUPPLIER PROFILE
phase project once presented setbacks, the development underway today reflects Panama City’s strong economic growth by creating a more streamlined transportation system through the vital port city. The project will replace a current at-grade railroad / US 98 crossing with an elevated roadway and ramp system to create free flow conditions for both east and west bound traffic, plus a dedicated spur to provide uninterrupted rail service for the Port of Panama City. These upgrades stand to benefit many within the area.
JAMES D. HINSON ELECTRICAL CONTRACTING COMPANY, INC
James D. Hinson Electrical Contracting Company, Inc. is a second generation family owned Certified Electrical Contractor. The business was started by James & Shirley Hinson in 1986 with three of their four children working full time and one part time helping from time to time. In 2010 both James and Shirley retired and passed the reins onto their children James Daniel Hinson, Robert Doyle Hinson, and Jamey Jo McCoy. The company has extensive experience in Electrical Construction projects throughout the State of Florida and Southern Georgia, including: Hospitals, Water Treatment Plants, Sewage Treatment Plants, Lift Stations, Churches, Banks, Professional Offices, Multi Story Buildings, Jails, Detention Facilities, Air Port Terminals, Runway and Taxiway Lighting, Bascule Bridges, Roadway Lighting, Computerized Traffic Signalization Systems, Fire Alarm Systems, Communication Systems, CCTV Systems, and Intelligent Transportation Systems. Hinson Electric is Proud to be a Partner working with Superior Construction Company on the SR 9B project. Website: www.hinsonfl.com
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Florida’s Oldest “Surviving”
Structural Steel Fabricator Ph: 813.677.7184
Interchange State Road 9A and J. Turner Butler Boulevard, in Jacksonville, Florida, for Superior Construction, Co
5127 Bloomingdale Ave., Tampa, FL 33619 Email: info@tampasteelerecting.com
Margaret McDermott Bridge, in Dallas, Texas, for Pegasus Link Constructors
Tampa Steel Erecting Company, family owned and founded in 1945, is an AISC certified Major Bridge fabricator. Located on 35 acres, the 220,000 square foot plant has built bridges erected from Maine to Texas.
www.TampaSteelErecting.com
The Value of Experience The Reinforced Earth Company (RECo) has completed over 45,000 Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) precast retaining wall structures in the US, building a reputation for engineering excellence, architectural creativity, and an unyielding focus on quality. With over 45 years of experience, RECo brings structural, geotechnical and economic value to projects.
• BRIDGES • HIGHWAYS & ROADS • RAILWAY STRUCTURES • INDUSTRIAL & MINING • WATERWAYS & DAMS • PROTECTIVE STRUCTURES • COMMERCIAL & PUBLIC FACILITIES • PRECAST FASCIA & TOPOUTS
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Wekiva 429
“Commuters will see a substantial reduction or the entire elimination of delays triggered by railroad switchyard operations,” Kelley says. “Local businesses will benefit from frontage road access, modernized signals and ITS infrastructure, increased pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, and improved internal access corridors.” MOVING INTO NEW MARKETS Another critical project that Superior Construction is currently
overseeing is the Central Florida Expressway Authority’s $46.6 million SR429/Wekiva Parkway Phase 1B project, encompassing eight bridges and 2.2 million cubic yards of embankment. In addition to decreasing congestion and giving commuters a direct connection between I-4 and Florida’s Turnpike, the project also expands Superior Construction’s geographical reach. “This is the first major project we have worked on in the Central Florida market,” says Kelley. “Because of this, the structure of w w w. s u p e r i o r s e . c o m
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SUPERIOR CONSTRUCTION SOUTHEAST
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our organization in that market has been built from scratch and began months prior to the project actually bidding with the hire of a new area manager, Erik Johnson. Erik’s knowledge of the Central Florida market was instrumental in our successful pursuit of this project. We then assembled a management team of experienced professionals that had worked together in the 46
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past. This familiarity among key team members has allowed the project to get off to a very good start.� FOCUSING ON SAFET Y Safety is an important focus for any construction project, and Superior Construction remains committed to going above and beyond in order to create the best possible conditions
Veritas Steel is a leader in the bridge fabrication industry with extensive experience in fabricating complex bridge structures. With modern facilities and experienced personnel, Veritas Steel has the expertise and capacity to fabricate components for all types of bridge structures.
For more information please call or visit our website:
715-835-2800
www.VeritasSteel.com
Statewide Material specializes in production & supply of large aggregate, both limestone & granite. We produce, supply and deliver a variety of coarse, fine aggregates and road base, including DOT-certified, USACE-approved, as well as commercial grade materials. Our services include sales, production, testing & certification, rail transportation & logistics, unloading rail cars & transporting materials to job sites. Our project partners / customers include USACE, US Navy, US Fish & Wildlife, Dept. of the Interior, FDOT, SFWMD, Ports and Municipalities throughout the Southeast, and of course, Superior Construction.
1525 White Drive, Titusville, FL 32780 Fax: 321-268-2414 Email: sales@swmagg.com
“Congratulations to Superior on the Bay County Project!” - CDS Manufacturing Inc.
CDS Inc: Providing Precast and Prestressed products to the infrastructure industry.
106 Charles Hayes Sr. Drive, Gretna, FL 32332 Phone: 850-875-4661 | Fax: 850-875-4660 Email: ClaytonS@cdsmanufacturing.net
QUALITY PROFILES FROM START TO FINISH
Hazen
Grooving and Grinding, Inc.
Established since 1988, we are a Florida corporation specializing in Bridge Deck Grooving and Grinding.
Concrete Paving, Barrier Wall, Curb, Sidewalk, Headwalls, Demolition, Maintenance Work, Pier Protection Slipform
Contact Emel Hazen - President PO Box 238, Ft. Ogden, FL 34267 Phone: (941) 380-9828 | Fax: (941) 575-4564 Email: customerservice@hazengg.com
Concrete Profiles Inc. 3124 Leon Road Jacksonville, Fl 32246
Office: 904-642-0055 Fax: 904-996-0296 Cell: 904-424-1768
www.concreteprofiles.com
USA
SR 9B
for its employees and contractors. “The safety and health of our employees, plus all other individuals on or near our projects, has always been a main focus for Superior,” says Kelley. “This focused commitment is present in everything we do, and is stated simply in the long time company slogan: ‘Superior in Safety, Quality, and Service since 1938.’” Superior Construction maintains a comprehensive safety program to
help employees navigate common workplace hazards, with focused training in such subjects as: • OSHA 10 Hour conducted annually. • Annual Spanish training course for Hispanic employees, including OSHA 10 Hour in Spanish. • ATSSA Florida Advanced Work Zone Traffic Control Supervisors • CSX Roadway Worker Protection Training • Certification Courses for w w w. s u p e r i o r s e . c o m
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Aerial Lift, Telehandler, and Crane Operators Key to the success of this program is strong commitment and backing from management, from monthly and quarterly supervisor meetings to routine inspections by field managers that identify areas of improvement. The safety focus also extends beyond employees to everyone involved in the building process.
“Subcontractors are introduced to the safety program via a thorough on-boarding process,” Kelley notes. “Prior to arriving on site, we invite our subcontractors in for a review of our safety program. Our project team discusses their scope of work, their schedule and all associated risks. This communication provides the groundwork for a collaborative team effort with a focus on safety.”
SR 9B
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SUPERIOR CONSTRUCTION SOUTHEAST
SR 9B
T H E P E O P L E T H AT MAKE THE SUPERIOR DIFFERENCE “It can be a worn out cliché, but this industry is truly all about the people,” says Kelley. Superior Construction understands that good knowledgeable people can make the difference in a project’s success, and works hard to ensure that its employees are recognized 52
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and valued. This philosophy is has always been embraced by company ownership in every generation. “Superior has always looked out for its employees, in good times and bad,” Kelley explains. “When the global economic recession hit and our backlog began to dwindle, we made a very critical decision to continue employing numerous key individuals that had been
USA
Company Information NAME
Superior Construction Southeast INDUSTRY
Heavy Civil/Transportation HEADQUARTERS
Jacksonville, FL - USA FOUNDED
1938 EMPLOYEES
450 BUDGET
instrumental in the growth of the firm over the years. While not the most fiscally sound decision, this did allow us to rebound quickly when the market started to come back around.” This care and concern also extends to the company’s subcontractors and suppliers. “We see these firms as key business partners and extensions of our own work force,” says Kelley. “They need to be successful in order for us to be successful.”
$150M
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IN THE TRENCHES Walsh Construction’s San Gabriel Trench grade separation project promises to improve the city’s safety and infrastructure Written by: Eric Harding Produced by: Tom Venturo
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WA L S H C O N S T R U C T I O N
THE PROJECT In 2012, ACE selected Chicagobased Walsh Construction to build the San Gabriel Trench (SGT) Project, which is part of the ACE program. The $172.6 million, 2.2-mile-long grade separation project involves constructing a concrete-walled railroad trench 30 feet deep and 6 feet wide through the City of San Gabriel, into which a 1.4-mile section of Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) track will be lowered. It also involves grade separations at four crossings, over which precast girder roadway bridges will be built. According to ACE, the project will reduce locomotive horn and crossing bell noise, and eliminate an estimated 1,744 hours of vehicle delay each day at the four crossings. The busiest crossing is San Gabriel Boulevard, which carries approximately 35,310 vehicles per day and operates at 118 percent of capacity in peak hours. Add in street-bridge crossings at Ramona Street, Mission Road Bridge and Del Mar Avenue, and capacity jumps to an estimated 90,000 56
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SGT Del Mar Invert and Struts
vehicles each day. “When the job is completed, the train will be down in the trench and the street crossings will go over the train unimpeded without any safety issues crossing the track,� Walsh Project Manager Jeff Jones said.
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SAFET Y FIRST Deep excavations that involved moving 575,000 cubic yards of dirt and work near live UPRR tracks placed safety at the top of this project’s “key challenges” list. Relocating sewers and
trench drains required shoring excavations more than 40 feet deep, and the Rubio shoofly bridge required excavating within 12 feet of live track. During shoring excavation, crews encountered poor/undocumented soil conditions w w w. w a l s h g ro u p . c o m
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WA L S H C O N S T R U C T I O N
and man-sized boulders that could have undermined support of the live track. Walsh addressed these challenges by collaborating extensively with UPRR and permitting agencies, consulting with OSHA, and using “tracking time” to stop trains until UPRR flaggers indicated the track was safe to pass. Internally, Walsh’s safety orientations for its own as well as subcontractor staff, daily safety meetings, safety stand downs,
near-miss investigations and training, site-safety planning, and numerous other tools has allowed this project to achieve and maintain an exceptional safety rating. “It starts with bringing on people that you know have the right attitude toward safety,” Jones said. “We put safety first in everything we do.” THE FIRST OF ITS KIND To ensure UPRR operations continued during construction,
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CIDH Cap
Walsh constructed a shoofly—a short, temporary railroad track that allowed trains to circumvent the construction site. Traditionally, sheet piles are used to stabilize a trench during construction. In this instance, however, Walsh proposed to UPRR an alternative solution that used deep soil mixing (DSM) to simultaneously serve as the foundation for the shoofly and the track shoring. In an unprecedented decision, UPRR approved this method as it not only eliminated the need for sheet piling, it eliminated
“It starts with bringing on people that you know have the right attitude toward safety. We put that first in about everything we do.” – Jeff Jones, Walsh Construction senior project manager
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C O M PA N Y N A M E
Mission Rd CIDH
the potential vibration issues caused by driving sheet piles. This work, completed by Malcolm Drilling, was especially important near the historic San Gabriel Mission, and near homes and businesses along the corridor. “The DSM allowed us to start excavation for the trench without having to wait to press sheets right next to the new shoofly track,� Jones said. 60
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To grade the trench bottom, Walsh uses GPS grade control on its bulldozers. The project initially used aerial photos to check its progress, but has since switched to using a drone equipped with a 4K highresolution camera to provide video and photos. There was also a major sewer relocation process, led by Bubalo Construction, at each of the four main crossings. At Del Mar Avenue
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in particular, Walsh initially intended to use a traditional jack and bore pit underneath the trench as part of the relocation process; however, given jacking pits would significantly impact traffic, Bubalo and Walsh proposed a directional drill that was ultimately approved. “A directional drill is much smaller than a jack and bore pit,” Jones said. “Bubalo actually directionally drilled the sewer section about 60 feet deep at Del Mar Avenue. It was an extensive amount of work.”
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TA K I N G C A R E O F THE COMMUNIT Y Walsh does more than build projects. The company takes great pride in building relationships in and with the communities in which they work that will continue to grow long after a project is complete. Recognizing how construction can impact a community, Walsh took multiple steps to minimize disruptions on the San Gabriel Trench project. In addition to choosing the DSM method for the w w w. w a l s h g ro u p . c o m
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C O M PA N Y N A M E
Old Mission
shoofly construction because it eliminated vibration impacts to the historic San Gabriel Mission, Walsh installed monitors at that location to track noise and vibration on a daily basis. Additionally, Walsh collaborates with archaeologists and Native American monitors who observe all excavations near a Native American burial site to ensure historical artifacts are protected. To minimize the impact on local 62
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roads from excavated material being hauled out and materials being hauled in, Walsh is milling, overlaying and replacing local roads, as well as improving sidewalks and ADA ramps as a significant component of the project. The project’s extensive excavation has generated approximately 650,000 cubic yards of dirt. Rather than haul the dirt to a landfill, Walsh looks for ways to repurpose it,
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Trench Invert
such as donating more than 300 truckloads of fill to a local youth group in the process of constructing an athletic park complex. Despite on-going fund-raising efforts, the organized lacked the budget for dirt import, which could have placed the project’s completion date in jeopardy. “Without the dirt we couldn’t have done the project,” Kare Youth League Director of Development David Carson said. “It was vital, as
the site of the park was originally sand and rock, and you can’t plant grass on that.” To support those dedicated to helping others in the San Gabriel area, Walsh also donates annually to local charities, including the La Casa De San Gabriel Community Center, whose mission is to educate, encourage and support area families and adult community members in need; and the Asian Youth Center, which serves the w w w. w a l s h g ro u p . c o m
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Rubio Wash
social service and educational needs of youth and families, with a focus on Asian immigrants. Finally, according to ACE, the project has created more than 6,000 full-time jobs, with the majority of the workforce comprised of local employees. “We have built a good team from people we’ve worked with in the past in the area, and built from there,” Jones said. 64
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THE END IS IN SIGHT Currently, Walsh is excavating down and building the trench invert, has started the facing wall using onesided forms, and has installed more than 150 36-inch pipe struts to complete excavation. In the next six months, Walsh will be building Phase I of the trench, having completed the majority of the secant wall, secant wall cap beams and tiebacks that reinforce retaining
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Company Information NAME
Walsh Construction INDUSTRY
Construction HEADQUARTERS
Concord, CA FOUNDED
1898 EMPLOYEES
6,057 PROJECT BUDGET
walls for stability. Completing this work by August 2016 will allow UPRR to place its track in the trench, and begin running trains 30 days later. “You’ll see the biggest change in the next six months,” Jones said. “The at-grade track, currently on the shoofly, will be down in the trench.” Walsh will then demo and recycle the shoofly track and its steel girders, construct the ends of the trench and begin the project’s rehabilitation phase.
$172.6 million (Contract Value)
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Helix Electric:
COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE
As experts in every aspect of electrical design and constructio is thoroughly committed to a philosophy of ultimate client sati Written by: Robert Spence Produced by: Tom Venturo
E
on, Helix Electric isfaction
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H E L I X E L E C T R I C O F N E VA D A
H
elix Electric of Nevada transcends your typical contractor. Founded in 2001, the family-owned company has grown into an award-winning full-service electrical contractor specializing in design-build and complex electrical projects throughout Nevada and neighboring states. With a massive reputation for workmanship and innovation in a diverse range of industries, Helix Electric is committed to bringing solutions to its clients – no matter how large or complex the project. Under the leadership of Victor Fuchs, President of Helix Electric of Nevada, the company has become one of the largest non-union electrical contractors in Nevada, while also establishing itself as one of the largest solar installers in the country -- working on some of the largest solar rooftop projects in the states. INDUSTRY LEADER From preconstruction and engineering, to project management, prefabrication and workplace safety, Helix Electric 68
March 2016
handles it all. Since 2001, the company has been comprised of three major groups that encompass all facets of construction: services, technical experts and customer relationships. According to Fuchs, one group
USA
handles all major projects such as schools, hospitals and military work, including all renewable energy projects that involve solar power plants. The second group consists of special projects involving private, high density and commercial work,
while the last group is a service group that handles 24/7 customer service. “We have world-class technical experts who maintain vital, longterm relationships and a high level of credibility with the general w w w. h e l i x e l e c t r i c . c o m
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contractors, utility and power user customers that we serve,” said Victor Fuchs. “We have a strong reputation and extensive network of customer relationships and have consistently provided new, cutting-edge product innovations.” Not surprisingly, the company has become a household name in the state of Nevada, particularly Las Vegas. Helix Electric is essentially involved in the construction of nearly every high-rise and mid-rise 70
March 2016
residential building in the city of Las Vegas, with over 2,500 completed units per year on average and has established solid relationships along the way. “Bank of Nevada has been a strong strategic partner of ours for more than 15 years,” said Victor. “They handle all our banking needs and have served us extremely well over the years. Rachelle Crupi, our Executive Vice President, is awesome. Anything we need, she’s always there for us.”
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E M PLOY E R O F C H O I C E In hindsight, Helix Electric was founded on the basic principles of creating a team-oriented and employee driven corporate culture. Today, with over 400 employees, the company is the largest non-union electric contractor in Nevada. “The people we have working here motivate me every day in what I do,” said Fuchs. “Some employees have mentioned to me that Helix Electric has been the reason they were able to raise their families and put their kids through college. That means so much to me because I consider everyone who works here a part of my family.” As an industry leader, Helix
Electric strives to consistently attract and retain the industry’s top performers, actively recruiting talent at college campuses across the United States. The hard work is paying off. The company has won several significant awards from the Association Builders and Contractors (ABC) in recent years, including one of its employees being named a finalist for ABC’s Young Professional Program, which aims to shape the future of the industry by supporting the growth of professional under the age of 40 who are employed by the association’s member companies. In addition to providing a
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desirable workplace, Helix Electric is committed to providing the safest workplace as well. Helix Electric employees receive safety training twice weekly and are subjected to unannounced safety inspections designed to eliminate unsafe conditions normally found on a jobsite. M A J O R P L AY E R IN SOLAR Helix Electric is the second largest EPC contractor in the country, and 72
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their portfolio of past and present projects proves their status as a major player in the solar industry. The company was chosen last year by retail giant IKEA for the development, design and installation of a customized solar power system atop its Las Vegas store. According to IKEA, the store’s solar array will consist of a 1.14 MW system, built with 3,620 panels, and will produce approximately 1,750,000 kWh of electricity
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annually for the store, the equivalent of reducing 1,207 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) – equal to the emissions of 254 cars or providing electricity for 166 homes yearly. The project would create the largest single-use rooftop solar array by a retailer in the State of Nevada. Several projects undertaken by Helix Electric have won a number of awards, including its work on Downtown Container Park, Allegiant Air Corporate Office, Galleria at Sunset, Peace Palace – TI Shell, Asurion Montecito Pointe and UNLV MPE Photovoltaic Array System,
just to name a few. We are also proud of our numerous Safety Awards. Fuchs mentioned the company is engaged in the construction of a unique project called “Autonomy House,” which was selected among only 20 worldwide to compete in the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2013 Solar Decathlon. The proposed home, which was designed by students and professors at University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), will be 100 percent energy neutral—harnessing the desert sun for power, filtering rain and
H E L I X E L E C T R I C O F N E VA D A
ABC Eagle Award - Asurion
gray water for everyday use, and sequestering carbon in the landscaping. ACCOL ADES AND PL AN S FOR THE FUTURE If winning awards equates to success, 2015 was a good year for Helix Electric. The company was awarded with 74
March 2016
a prestigious National Excellence in Construction Eagle Award and two Pyramid Awards at the National Awards Ceremony in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, recognizing the year’s most innovative and high-quality construction projects – presented by the Association of Builders and Contractors. The Asurion at Montecito Place received
USA
Company Information INDUSTRY
Electrical Contractor HEADQUARTERS
Las Vegas, Nevada United States FOUNDED
2001 ABOUT
Victor Fuchs, President of Helix Electric of Nevada
the Eagle award, the highest recognition given by the ABC. “These awards are truly monumental for us and a testament to our service and success,� Fuchs said. Moving forward, the company will continue its expansion across the southwest, possibly opening new offices in the neighboring states, as well as explore new markets.
The history of Helix Electric bears the markings of hard work, teamwork, determination and resiliency. Since 2001, these founding principles have helped our company achieve extraordinary results and have lent power to a compelling truth: When people work cooperatively toward common goals with integrity and attention to quality and detail, very special things can happen
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A business
BUILT TO LAST Woollam Constructions Managing Director Craig Percival discusses the company’s history, values, and approach toward growth for the long haul Written by: Sasha Orman Produced by: Vince Kielty
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WOOLLAM CONSTRUCTIONS
2
015 was a strong year for Woollam Constructions, a year marked by growth in territories and in leadership. But such success does not happen overnight—it is hardwon, built steadily on a foundation of innovative quality work and long-lasting relationships with contractors and clients alike. Through this approach, Woollam has developed its reputation as a leader in commercial construction. Changing leadership for changing times Woollam Constructions values longevity in its relationships, both outside of and within the company. Craig Percival knows this well— he joined Woollam 26 years ago, starting in onsite labor before working up the ranks to build a career in management. In March 2015 Percival was appointed to the role of Managing Director, when MD of 15 years George Bogiatzis moved into the role of Company Director and Chairman. “I’m very fortunate with my career path in early stages at Woollam— and I’m proud to say there weren’t 78
March 2016
Director George Bogiatz Grafton resid
any free rides with founder Keith Woollam. He really did expect you to start from the bottom and understand every part of the building process,” explains Percival, noting that those expectations and years of work have prepared him for the role. “My apprenticeship in terms of taking on this role has been long,
AUSTRALIA
zis and NSW Manager Ben Cummins discuss construction of a new dential aged care facility with client The Whiddon Group
and it’s not something I feel like I’ve walked into as a whole new world,” he adds. “Whilst George was in the Managing Director role, we worked together and shared a lot of the duties. Through working closely with George, we’ve been able to build the right culture of leadership, personal development, and mentoring to take on the role.”
Investing in business by investing in people Percival’s story is not an anomaly: as a rule, Woollam Constructions is committed to investing in its people and promoting growth on a personal level as well as a business-wide level. Over the years the company has developed new ways to encourage that growth,
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Committed to superior quality and results.
Cemento Concrete Services has the experience and resources to provide residential, commercial, industrial and civil concreting services throughout South East Queensland. We pride ourselves on achieving the best results for our clients – from commercial buildings, to suspended slabs, house slabs, warehouse and industrial concrete flooring, that is durable and fit for purpose. Cemento has earned a reputation for being reliable and committed to achieving high quality concreting to design and specification. We provide honest, expert, personal advice that offers solutions to difficult problems, cost effective outcomes, strength, durability and striking results.
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most recently with the launch of a new leadership program in partnership with the University of Queensland. “When you look back at legacies you’ve created within the business, something I’m proud of and want to be a part of Woollam well into the future is training—not just to make them better at the building process, but more personal development and giving them confidence as people to be put into different environments,” says Percival. While he acknowledges that this confidence can sometimes introduce risk that employees may move on, at Woollam the priority is concentrating on making its people the best they can possibly be—while making Woollam the best working environment it can be to inspire those confident people to stay on.
SUPPLIER PROFILE
Managing Director Craig Percival with Director George Bogiatzis
CEMENTO CONCRETE SERVICES
Founded by Peter Zocaro, Cemento Concrete Services opened its doors for business in 2010. Based in Brisbane, our teams undertake a variety of concreting projects for domestic clients, residential builders, architects, and landscape designers, commercial and civil contractors. An experienced commercial and residential concreter, Peter leads Cemento with the proven capabilities to manage up to 40+ men across multiple sites. To secure a high level of quality in concreting and ensure design and strength specifications are always met, skilled and experienced trades people are hired for every project, with workmanship guided by Australian Standards and Best Trade Practice. Cemento strives to establish long-term relationships based on respect and trust, with our clients and suppliers. Peter brings his valuable, expert advice to each job and is focused on ensuring that every client receives the same level of commitment and high quality workmanship from himself and the Cemento team. Website: www.cementoconcrete.com.au
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WOOLLAM CONSTRUCTIONS Empowering the nex t generation In recognizing the importance of training and leadership, Woollam Constructions also understands the importance of inspiring and encouraging the next generation of builders. To this end, the company developed the Woollam’s Young Builders Alliance (WYBA) program. Through WYBA, apprentices and university students in cadetships gain real world experience working on building projects across sectors
ranging from aged care and health to commercial and industrial. In addition to hands-on experience, Percival explains that the program also acts as a welcome support network to start building connections between young people with futures at Woollam. In this way, the program is working now to preserve Woollam’s positive company culture well into the future. “Obviously in our industry, and at our company, there are different career paths—you’ll
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CONSTRUCTION
Woollam Constructions Hummingbird House site team helping to create the ‘Hummingbird House Family Tree’ auction artwork which sold for $8,500. Proceeds go directly to Queensland’s only children’s hospice Hummingbird House
have one starting in a carpentry apprenticeship, and at the same time a student going to university and doing a building cadetship,” he says. “Both of them can have big futures, and each is as important as the other. The WYBA program is a good opportunity for these people to get together and form their own generation of Woollam people, understanding that as a company it’s not just the guys doing the
university course that are going to solely be our future, and it’s not just the tradespeople. It’s a combination of both and a way of starting that connection very early on.” A measured approach to the future and grow th Perspective is an important part of any successful business. For Woollam Constructions, decades of perspective allow the company
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WOOLLAM CONSTRUCTIONS
to make smart decisions for its future, whether it’s building relationships with suppliers or building a presence in a new location for strategic growth. This way of thinking inspired Woollam’s 2015 expansion into Townsville, a complement to the company’s nearby Mackay and Rockhampton offices and a logical next step in its long-term growth. “Regionally that’s where we have done most of our work over the years, and it’s been our breeding ground for senior management and site management positions— we still employ apprentices, and those apprentices become our leaders,” says Percival. It was true for him, and for employees like Mark Swanson who started his apprenticeship 44 years ago and has stayed with Woollam his entire career. As regions change, this growth into new areas provides these same long-term career opportunities for the next generation of Woollam employees. The Woollam dif fer ence “Woollam Constructions has been 84
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“In a lot of ways we’re a tr ourselves on being innova in the sect – Manag
The recently completed $34.5 Redevelopment U
around for 132 years,” says Percival. “In a lot of ways we’re a traditional older company, but we pride ourselves on being innovative and wanting to be market leaders in the sectors that we focus on.” That innovation has not gone unnoticed—in 2015 the company was awarded its fourth Commercial Builder of the Year award from the
AUSTRALIA
raditional older company, but we pride ative and wanting to be market leaders tors that we focus on.�
Company Information INDUSTRY
Early Contractor Involvement Construction
ing Director Craig Percival
HEADQUARTERS
Brisbane, Queensland Australia FOUNDED
1884 EMPLOYEES
130
5 million Karratha Airport Terminal Building Upgrade in Western Australia
Master Builders Association, while employee Ben Cummins was named 2015 QUT Young Constructor of the Year. Woollam also gained recognition as exclusive business partner to Leading Age Services Australia Queensland (LASAQ), making it contractor of choice for Queensland’s aged care industry. With the success of the year past, Woollam can look forward to a century and more of continued growth ahead.
REVENUE
$120 million EXECUTIVES
Managing Director: Craig Percival Director and Chairman: George Bogiatzis
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ENGINEERING AN EXPANSION
Integrated Maintenance Group strategic capabilit Matthew Holland discusses growth and diversific Written by: Sasha Orman | Produced by: Vince Kielty
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I N T E G R AT E D M A I N T E N A N C E G R O U P N Z
S
ince 2003, Integrated Maintenance Group (IMG) has been building a name for itself as a premier New Zealand provider of innovative construction, fabrication and heavy industrial solutions. By building long-term relationships with a high profile clientele, IMG has had the drive and opportunity to develop skills and standards go above and beyond. “Because we’ve worked with some of the largest corporations in the New Zealand market, we have had to develop processes and systems in health and safety and quality that really puts us ahead of the market and ahead of
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our competition,” says Matthew Holland, Strategic Capability Manager for IMG. “We have good capabilities to offer the market. We bring professionalism and sophistication into some industries that need a shot in the arm for some of these processes.” To date, IMG has developed a reputation within the mineral processing and the pulp and paper industries. But as the company continues to grow, diversification becomes increasingly important. To this end, IMG is exploring the option of contributing its skill sets to new sectors including power generation, oil and gas, food and beverage, water and wastewater treatment, and more. A higher standard of quality and safety “Whether we’re working for the steel industry or in the pulp and paper industry, our clients have very exacting requirements regarding quality and health and safety,” says Holland. IMG meets those requirements by maintaining exacting standards of its own,
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NZ Steel - Project Atom
including ISO-9001 certification to ensure quality and tertiary status with the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC). As Holland explains, this focus on promoting and improving health and safety is an integral part of company culture at IMG. “The people in our business become culturally very aware of how safety needs to be
acted upon, and that becomes part of the way we operate in everyday life and everything we do,” he says. Moreover, IMG staff have found that health and safety is inexorably linked to a higher quality level of service. “You think about the process of the engineering project in a lot more detail, you become more familiar w w w. i m g . c o . n z
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with it, and so you deliver the project not only in a safer way, but also in a more tidy and more high quality way,” he adds. “So the more we think about safety, the better our delivery performance becomes as well.” Growing into new markets “We started out with 30 people when we started the business, and now we’re at about 150,” says Holland. “We started out with one office workshop, and now we have five throughout the North Island of New Zealand.” This significant
amount of expansion over the last two decades has brought IMG’s progress into different market sectors and different industries, through both organic growth and acquisition. “Bruce Bonner, our owner, is quite entrepreneurial,” says Holland. “His strategy has been to look for opportunities in the market to grow, and to find synergistic businesses that will blend in well with our core background capabilities. We’ve been able to acquire businesses, put good management behind them and bring them back online as efficient, profitable businesses.”
“We started out with 30 people when we started the business, and now we’re at about 150.” – Matthew Holland, Strategic Capability Manager for IMG w w w. i m g . c o . n z
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This process has allowed IMG to onboard several new civil and mechanical capabilities, including concrete formwork, scaffolding and rigging. These increased capabilities help IMG offer its clients more complete integrated solutions to meet their needs. A focus on training IMG’s continued growth has led to a focus on education and training to support the increasingly diverse range of skills that the company has to offer.
“We have a number of apprenticeship schemes to train new people coming on board,” says Holland. “We are bringing on quite a few new people, and we will put these young engineers through an apprenticeship so that they become qualified tradesmen, whether as welders or as fitters or as trade assistants.” IMG’s training prepares both new and existing staff for roles across a diverse range of capabilities and skill sets, providing a valuable education in an underserved field.
Geothermal Power Station Construction Team
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Providing you with reliable gas solutions. At BOC, we understand the challenges your business faces every day and we’re proud to play an important role in serving your gas needs across a vast range of industries. If we can help you increase productivity and improve efficiency while keeping your costs down, then we’re doing our job. Whether you’re talking about our fast and reliable gas supply, quality gas mixtures, patented gas processes, flexible supply options, large distribution network, world-class facilities, Customer Engineering Services or leading technical expertise — we’re there. You can count on our reputation and commitment to service and safety because your business is important to both of us. To find out more, contact us using the details below: BOC Limited Australia Riverside Corporate Park, 10 Julius Avenue North Ryde, NSW 2113 Australia ABN 95 000 029 729 | boc.com.au | 131 262
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BOC is a trading name of BOC Limited, a Member of The Linde Group. © BOC Limited 2016.
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“Training is critical for us to provide a talent pool for our customers in an environment which is sadly lacking in good engineering talent throughout New Zealand,” says Holland. “It’s a worldwide issue that there is a lack of engineers—so we’ve got to take the initiative, be proactive and do it ourselves.” Next steps According to Holland, IMG wants to become the leader in heavy 94
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Wiri Workshop Vessel Fabrication
industrial maintenance in New Zealand and the Pacific. “We want to become a project delivery organization with sophisticated project controls, quality systems, health and safety systems and—most importantly— sophisticated employees that are experienced in that type of industry,” he says. “That means that we need to start to move offshore into Australia, Papua New Guinea, and other areas outside of New
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Company Information NAME
Integrated Maintenance Group NZ INDUSTRY
Engineering solutions HEADQUARTERS
Takanini, North Island New Zealand E S TA B L I S H E D
2003 EMPLOYEES
Zealand to sustain that growth.” Ready to take it growth to the next level, IMG is examining the aspects of business it needs to enhance in order to extend its reach to new sectors and new regions. “We do have ambitious plans to become a better company in many regards,” Holland explains. “We’ve got to get a greater level of experience in the business, so recruitment and talent acquisition is incredibly important to fulfill that strategic growth.” With this focus and ambition, IMG is on its way to a wider reach and further success in the years to come.
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