Summer 2009
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FEMO CONSTRUCTION LTD. Concrete Results
THE MAGAZINE FOR CONSTRUCTION EXECUTIVES
Femo Construction Ltd.
Concrete Results Produced by Cathleen Sachs & Written by Shelley Seyler
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Canadian Executive Journal
High-rise construction always starts from the ground up: the crew excavates, establishes the foundation and builds from there upwards and onwards. Emilio Dalla Zanna knew this when he established a small wood framing company at the age of 20. While most people his age were looking for direction, Dalla
Summer Edition 2009
Tall Crane Equipment has been in business since April 1, 1980. We started with a few people and some used cranes from Wajax. Today we have grown to a fleet of over 100 machines. We offer complete as well as customer owned equipment. We have a service division with 5 electricians. Our crane division has many years of experience erecting and dismantling both our rental cranes and customer owned machines. We are also a licensed Elevator Contractor in B.C. and a distributor for Baoda construction elevators. Our shop has skilled mechanics to mechanically maintain our equipment before it comes to your job. We also sell new and used construction hoists. Tall Crane maintains almost all of theindustrial elevators at the various shipping terminals in BC as well as many at industrial sites around the province.
1091 248 St, Aldergrove, BC V4W 2B8
(604) 856-0098 Zanna knew what he wanted—to establish his own construction company, starting from the ground up. Dalla Zanna established Femo Construction Ltd. in 1991. At the start, the company employed a crew of 20 carpenters and labourers and focused on wood framing for townhomes and low-rise apartment buildings. But over the years, the company has changed its focus to concrete construction, primarily for multi-dwelling and mixed-use construction projects. For these types of projects, Femo’s concrete construction services include detailed excavation layout; design supply, installation and stripping of all concrete formwork including footings, foundation walls, columns, stairs, suspended slabs, building curbs, upstands, column pedestals and piers;
installation, erection and operation of overhead outside tower cranes; and placing and finishing of all vertical and horizontal concrete work. As a result of its change in focus to concrete highrise construction, the company needed to modify its practices, starting with recruiting people who know how to move a project from conception to completion in a timely manner. Today, Femo employs anywhere from 150 to 200 plus carpenters, cement finishers, operating engineers and project managers, depending on the number of projects in the works. In order to retain employees in an industry known for a lot of transient workers, Femo
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Atlas Scaffold has been renting Formwork Shoring in British Columbia since 1979. We inventory a full range of frames and trusses including flying accessories for Fly-Tables. Drop by our South Burnaby location for all your budgeting needs.
Affordable solutions for all your projects.
(604) 430-6777 Toll Free (877) 431-7233 7460 Lowland Dr, Burnaby, BC , V5J5A4
for 10 to 15 years, proving that we are doing a good job of creating a favourable working environment,” said Dalla Zanna, Femo Construction’s President. Femo Constructions ability to complete large fast paced projects on time and budget is a testimonial to our products. Over the last decade Vancouver has become one of the most spectacular cities in the world, with your fingerprints on most of it. Atlas Scaffolding would like to express our sincerest gratitude to Femo Construction for all their loyalty over the years. Glad we could be there to enjoy the ride.
offers employees wages that are typically above industry standard, medical and dental benefits, and job security. “Most of Femo’s employees have been with the company
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Having the right people for the job is essential for Femo’s continued success in the demanding construction industry and was never more evident than on one of its most recent and most challenging project: Olympic Village located in Vancouver, British Columbia. Femo was responsible for six of the buildings on the site and followed a rigorous and hectic schedule to complete the project ahead of time. “Throughout the project, the number-one concern was the schedule,” explained Robert Evans, one of Femo’s Project Managers. “We started at 6:00 a.m. and commonly worked until 8:00 or 9:00 p.m., pouring up to five concrete slabs in our six-day work week and usually 100 plus meters of wall forms daily. That’s five floors in six days. It’s hard to get more productive than that.”
We are proud to be a part of all Femo
Construction projects big and small.
Bridge Machine has been an industry leader in service and innovation since 1980. Servicing the Construction, Mining, Material Handling, Marine, and Transportation Industry in all their industrial equipment repairs and manufacturing needs.
Design Fabrication Hydraulics Welding Machining Honing 1584 Kebet Way, Port Coquitlam, BC V3C 5M5
604.941.6855 P 604.941.6622 F www.bridge-machine.com onorio@bridge-machine.com
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Alex’s
SALES SERVICE REWINDING
LIFT TRUCK SERVICE INC
Every motor leaves with Guaranteed performance - a result of meticulous quality.
Staying small to serve you better
CONSTRUCTION FORKLIFT SALES & SERVICE Factory authorized parts dealer for
BC’s dealer for Pettibone, Genie & HYDEK
Pettibone, e, Genie, JLG, Gradall, rad dall, Lull & Skytrak ky ytrak Electric Motors Motor Controls Custom Panels AC / DC Drives Power Transmissions Pumps
YOUR ONE STOP SHOP FOR ALL YOUR FABRICATING NEEDS. (T) (F)
604 434 9528 604.434.8804
Unit B2, 19323-94th Ave Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, V4N 4S1
6960 WALTHAM AVENUE, BURNABY, BC V5J 4V5
As a result of its hard work and extended work days, Femo was able to finish the project three months ahead of schedule, even after experiencing delays that were beyond the company’s control. “It all comes down to good time management and scheduling resulting in quick project turnarounds, something we are known for in the industry,” said Dalla Zanna. “Femo moves 20-plus-storey high rises off the ground and onto completion at a very quick pace.” Being able to quickly finish a project gives land developers that work with Femo Construction a competitive advantage. Getting a job done quickly saves developers money since they get the project onto the market quickly and can reduce the amount of costs associated with carrying the project for a longer time.
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Canadian Executive Journal
Summer Edition 2009
Ph:
(604) 882-8762
Fax:
(604) 882-8764
Stator Sales & Service Ltd. is a complete
motor repair and rewind facility (since 1982) specializing in AC/DC motors up to 1000 HP and crane motors. We are committed to customer service whether it is in motor repair, rewind or new motor sales.
To general contractors throughout British Columbia, Femo is known as a trusted supplier of quality architectural
and engineered concrete formwork for multi-dwelling residential and mixed-use projects. Thanks to its timely delivery and quality work at competitive prices, the company has worked on projects for Polygon and Intracorp and many other developers within the province. “Our clients are very loyal to us and keep us pretty busy,” said Dalla Zanna. “They appreciate our dedication to delivering the most professional concrete construction services at the most cost-effective prices.” Femo is able to keep its construction prices competitive because it continually invests in maintaining and purchasing specialized equipment, including concrete pump trucks, a line pump and tower cranes. It also ensures that all operating engineers have the certifications and training to safely operate the equipment. For example, all crane operators in British Columbia are required to have or be working towards CraneSafe certification. To help
crane operators obtain certification, Femo asked its most experienced operators to develop an in-house training manual complete with crane terminology and operating best practices. Femo has also been involved with some LEED certified projects though this is not yet a huge movement in its market. The company does, however, implement green initiatives where possible, such as recycling left over concrete from its pump trucks, bent nails collected from the its prefabrication yard and surplus scrap metal. When asked about what the future holds for Femo Construction Ltd. given the current challenging economy, Dalla Zanna answered, “We have always evolved with the industry. We went from wood framing to concrete framework and we will continue to do this. We are successful at concrete construction because we have the experience and know how to get the job done quickly without sacrificing quality. As long as we are good at what we do, we will continue to do it, though we may not be as busy as the previous year,” conceded Dalla Zanna. From its experienced project managers to its fleet of concrete pumps and tower cranes, it’s evident that Femo has the experience, the people, and the equipment to tackle any large-scale concrete construction project that needs a company experienced with working from the ground up.
COMPANY AT A GLANCE Established : 1991 Employees : 200+
www.femoconstruction.com
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Summer 2009
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Femo Construction Ltd. #1-8555 Greenall Avenue Burnaby, BC V5J 3M8 Canada