Summer 2009
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GORDON BARR LTD A Natural Part of the Landscape
THE MAGAZINE FOR CONSTRUCTION EXECUTIVES
Gordon Barr Ltd 60 Years Strong Walking through the city of Kingston, Gordon Barr’s presence has become a natural part of the landscape. With its bright red and white equipment that is adorned with the company logo, people see the Barr name everywhere.
A Natural Part of the Landscape Produced by Cathleen Sachs & Written by Shelley Seyler In the year 1949, Gordon and Ethel Barr had a dream: to provide excellent excavation, water, and sewer services to Kingston, Ontario. By 1950, the couple purchased the Old Chown Quarry on the outskirts of the city and ran the company until 1979 when they handed the reins to their three sons, Bert, Brian, and Brent. Having just celebrated its 60th anniversary, the story of Gordon Barr’s development and influence in its community is one filled with tales of hard work, exploring new directions, and a humanitarianism. In the late 1990’s Gordon Barr Ltd. expanded on its core business and entered into the land development market, by purchasing a parcel of land which is now known today as the Briceland Subdivision. A few years later in 2003, with the high demand of land and housing in the Kingston market, again Gordon Barr Ltd. branched into the home building market with its sister company know today as Barr Homes.
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Gordon Barr today operates with 60 employees and annual revenue of approximately $20 million. Serving the 100-mile radius around Kingston, Gordon Barr’s diversity allows the company to serve the commercial, residential, industrial, and institutional sectors. Along with excavating, and pipe work, Gordon Barr maintains drilling and blasting in house. The company turns to subcontractors for curbs, sidewalks, street lights, and electrical work. With only a few choices in the Kingston area, Gordon Barr delivers a personal touch by knowing each business partner on a personal level, while ensuring quality performance on every job. When asked about his company’s niche, President Bert Barr replies: “city streets, foundations, hospitals, marine; we do a lot of stuff that others don’t do.” From demolition to land development, environmental cleanup, pump stations, float services, highway construction and infrastructure grading, Gordon Barr services truly run the gamut. Barr homes, as the name reveals, works to provide some
of the best quality and affordable homes, going above and beyond code requirements on many aspects of each project.
million, Gordon Barr is providing new streets and a bridge over the Moir River.
Gordon Barr Ltd. staffs many employees that are Gold Seal Certified, a program with the Canadian Construction Association that recognizes a high level of education, experience, and competence.
Gordon Barr also offers a unique float service, hauling transformers, heavy bulldozers, and excavators.
Examples of Gordon Barr’s various project types perhaps tell the company’s story best. In 2007, Gordon Barr completed a project for the cereal giant, Kellogg’s, constructing a new plant in Belleville. As a design build project, the building required 180,000 tons of stone to be installed on site before construction of the building could begin. Gordon Barr’s team completed this aspect of the project in just four weeks.
Being so embedded in the community, Barr Homes feels a sense of responsibility to its residents. In some cases, this has meant that the company can be a pillar of support when tragedy strikes. Just before Christmas in 2007, the Weeks family lost their home, all worldly possessions, and beloved pets to an electrical fire. With no insurance to cover the costs, the family was left hopeless. With help from the local community, and subtrades, Barr Homes was able to construct the Weeks family a brand-new home, at no cost. This feat was not easy and wouldn’t have gotten off
The company is currently working on its biggest project to date for the city of Belleville. With a budget of approximately $17
Barr Homes Making a Difference
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the ground “without materials, donations and a lot of volunteered time,” says Bert. Barr Homes has also been actively involved with Habitat For Humanity Homes, providing affordable land and lot servicing, to help construct homes for those in need. Working with the younger generation is important for the industry and Barr Homes has a program with local high schools that introduces students to the residential sector of the market. Approximately 30 12th graders participate in this program each year, learning the process of home building from start to finish. While completing these projects, students earn academic credits and valuable experience. This program could not succeed without the type of mentoring that the staff from Barr Homes provides throughout the process.
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“They become good trades people and gain valuable experience. Many of these students have said to me how grateful they are for having this experience; they were so excited to say they helped in building a house from start to finish,” says Bert. This program is also a benefit to the community, providing more affordable housing each year for the last five years. It can also be a life-changing experience for the students, with 80 to 90 percent of its participants getting job offers in related fields that they would not have received otherwise.
On the Inside Gordon Barr employs some technological techniques to help it run efficiently. While in the field, supervisors are constantly connected with BlackBerries and laptops; field surveyors are equipped with GPS systems; and a seismic measuring system is
used to monitor heavy construction and site blasting. Due to the diversity of the Company, Gordon Barr Ltd. attracts many skilled and experienced people when looking for new employees. Kingston is a mainly non-union town but Gordon Barr’s field employees are union workers. These employees are guaranteed pensions which helps with the company’s retention. Training and promoting employees in house, Gordon Barr hired a coach to help facilitate better communication among its staff which has, in turn, improved the overall efficiency of the company.
Been Here Before Having survived the recessions of 1982 and 1992, Gordon Barr has weathered storms similar to the one sweeping the current economy. Somewhat insulated in its home of Kingston as compared to Toronto, the company historically does not experience the highs and lows to the same degree as other areas. In fact, this last year was the best in the company’s history “and the next couple years could be better yet,” exclaims Bert.
K. Mulrooney Trucking Ltd. has been a family-owned and operated business since 1953. The company began with one truck and today owns a combined fleet of over 135 trucks and equipment, making K. Mulrooney Trucking Ltd Kingston’s largest hauler. Specializing in hauling aggregates, equipment rental, excavation and site services. K. Mulrooney Trucking Ltd. is proud to be associated with G.Barr Ltd. and is committed to providing all customers with a high level of service and satisfaction.
With no other plans but to expand, the Barr name is guaranteed to continue rolling through the Kingston community, leaving top-notch projects in their wake.
COMPANY AT A GLANCE Established : 1949 Employees : 60 Annual Revenue : $20 Million
www.gordonbarr.ca
Congratulations. Wishing you many more years of success and growth.
613.547.3675
sousa@sousareadymix.com 1351 McAdoo’s Lane Glenburnie, Ontario KOH 1S0
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Summer 2009
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Gordon Barr Ltd 156 Duff Street Kingston, ON K7K 2L5 Canada