< Previousideas, passion, goals, determination, and hard work,” he added in his announcement. Hard work and determination would certainly be needed for this new company, as its first project was massive, with the completed facility to cover about fifty acres at the cost of at least $110 million, as estimated by Area Development magazine in an April 2015 article.Steimle and his team at M3 Construction tackled the project, and by June 2015, ground was broken on the facility. The company acted as the construction manager for the first phase of the project, a 300,000-square-foot manufacturing space for warehouse and what is known in the paper business as ‘tissue converting.’ When paper products are made, wood pulp is boiled, bleached, sieved, compressed, and dried to form a con-tinuous sheet of paper called a web which is rolled into large ‘parent’ rolls. These parent rolls are unrolled, processed, and cut, transforming them into other products in a process called converting. Consumer paper goods such as napkins and toilet tissue would be made in the completed facility.“Relationship building has been a recurrent theme in Michael Steimle’s life, and it was one such relationship that led to the formation of his company.”“Ideas, goals, and passions are just dreams without action and the tools needed to accomplish them,” Steimle stated on his LinkedIn in September of that year. “This is where people come in. The relationship with the customer is most important, and I cannot express how fortunate I feel to have the customer I do in this adventure.” And an adventure it was. The Carolinas experienced historic flooding with some areas receiving over twenty-five inches of rain in the early part of October 2015. “The current site condi-tions are less than ideal,” Steimle went on to note wryly that fall, “but what I observed this week leaves me confident we will hit our mark. What I heard on site was tools operating, aerial lifts running, discussions on how to get around obstacles. What was absent was complaining, doubting, hiding from the rain, and excuses for missing targets.”“The team we’ve assembled so far has already succeeded in my book. We have experienced months of 100+ temperatures, hurricanes, and the wettest ‘dry months’ this area has seen. What are a few of the most powerful tools that have allowed us to push past this? Optimism, honesty, creativity, collabora-tion, dedication, and teamwork demonstrated by the owners, superintendents, sub-contractors, city employees, county employees, state employees, vendors, and M3 Construction employees,” he continued.“I want to form partnerships with the people I employ,” Steimle said in a January 2017 interview with Construction Today. “For me, that’s really the most satisfying part – building a company while building a state-of-the-art industrial facility. Building more than a place for our employees to work … building a culture based on tenacity.”OCTOBER 201830 Since the soil conditions on the site were amenable, the company used sheet pile in constructing foundations. Although more costly as a construction technique, the method hastened the building schedule enough that it ended up paying for itself.Now that Steimle’s new company had proven itself, it was on to the second phase of the industrial campus, a 115,000-square-foot heavy industrial manufacturing facility. M3 Construction, Inc. would act as general contractor for the construction of this recycled pulp and paper mill. By the following spring, progress on the site was beginning to show. “If you are in the industry you can’t deny that when the steel goes up, everything changes. It marks a new beginning, that we are rising up out of the dirt and carving out our piece of the sky. There is no getting past it, all the schedules and spreadsheets don’t tell you what steel standing vertical means,” Steimle marveled on LinkedIn in May of 2016. “We are moving forward at full speed and refuse to let barriers stand in our way or slow our pace. I am immensely proud of this entire group and am continually pleased to see the progress.”However, the weather was no kinder that year, and the firm had to deal with the effects of both Tropical Storm Bonnie in the spring and Hurricane Matthew in October of 2016. Safety under such conditions was obviously a priority, and weekly safety meeting were taken seriously. As well as coping with torrential rains and seas of mud, construction of the plant in Barnwell “Construction of the plant in Barnwell County involved much intricate and convoluted organization of equipment orders and trades scheduling.”County involved much intricate and convoluted organization of equipment orders and trades scheduling.By June of 2017, commissioning of the plant was complete, and production had begun, creating 134 jobs for the county. Orchids Paper Products held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new plant, and M3 Construction, Inc. had proudly completed its first project. “I am overwhelmed with pride in my family for supporting me, my client for seeing that M3 Construction is a strong and unique partner, and for my employees and part-nering subcontractors without whom none of this would have been such a success,” Steimle said on LinkedIn at the time.M3 Construction’s abilities – having handled all site works including buildings and utilities as well as valuable start-up and commissioning assistance – are applicable to a variety of industry sectors including oil and gas, power generation, and chemical manufacturing.In the end, it comes back to relationships. The company aimed to treat the Orchids Paper Products Company as a valued partner rather than a client and to, as Steimle said, “over-deliver and allow our customers to realize that no one is more fit for their work than us.” 31CONSTRUCTION IN FOCUS OCTOBER 201832Although Hendriks Construction, based in Edmonton, is a thoroughly modern company, offering general contracting, construction management and design-build services, it harkens back to the time in the corporate community when business was conducted on a handshake, and a man’s good name was his best reference.HENDRIKS CONSTRUCTION33CONSTRUCTION IN FOCUS Hendricks Construction was founded in 1975 by A. J. (Al) Hendriks Senior who is quoted on the company website as saying: “My name to me is worth every-thing. This is a tough business, and to defend our name is something we work hard at. Our first priority is looking after our clients.” Today, those values remain paramount. The company, with forty year-round employees and additional seasonal labour, is led by a management team that includes his three sons John, Written by Margaret Patricia EatonPerry, Allen, and daughter Angie. “They’re not just superinten-dents,” according to the site. “They all learned from scratch, and they know what’s involved. They know how to take a project from ground zero and work up from there.”Their experience and proficiency extend far beyond their super-visory roles as they bring to the job site expertise in excavation, demolition, framing, finish carpentry, surveying, and concrete work, making them truly versatile. Hendriks offers three distinct services. In the role of construction manager, the company acts on behalf of the owner in the role of agent, while the owner contracts directly with trades and suppli-ers. It works with the owner and consultants as part of the overall team, from design development, pre-construction, through to construction and completion. Whe working as a general contractor, the owner delivers a scope of work and construc-tion documents that allow Hendriks to provide a cost estimate and full construction management activities. As design-build-ers, Hendriks can streamline project delivery through a single contract between the owner and the design-build team.The design-build role provides services that transform “the relationship between designers and builders into an alliance, which fosters collaboration and teamwork.” Since there is unity from the outset of every design-build project, “an integrated team readily works to successfully complete a project faster and more cost effectively.”The company is an active participant in the Certificate of Recognition (COR) program sponsored by the Alberta Construction Association and follows and enforces all Occupational Health & Safety codes and regulations. The goal, according to the company, is to “make safe practices and safety consciousness a foregone conclusion for every worker on every site, every day.”When the company was founded in 1975, the population of Edmonton, Alberta’s provincial capital, stood at 451,635 (munic-ipal census). But, by 2016, the population had tripled, reaching 1,321,426 (Statistics Canada), and it has continued to grow. It is “As design-builders, Hendriks can streamline project delivery through a single contract between the owner and the design-build team.”OCTOBER 201834now the sixth-largest city in Canada by population and the largest census municipal area at 9,426.73 square kilometers (3,639.68 square miles). Within it are five cities: Edmonton, Fort Saskatchewan, Leduc, St. Albert, and Spruce Grove; the special municipality of Strathcona County; three First Nations reserva-tions; and eleven towns. Among the towns is Beaumont where General Manager Perry Hendriks has lived with his family since 1982 and served as town councillor from 1991 to 2007. He was re-elected in 2013 and 2017. (Beaumont.ab.ca) There is a time-worn adage that in real estate location is every-thing. However, in the construction industry it is all about timing. In 1975, as eastern Canadians migrated west seeking employment and as businesses realized the strategic impor-tance of Edmonton as the gateway to the North, there was a need for industrial and institutional complexes, multi-family residences, commercial and retail centres, schools, places of worship, recreational facilities, seniors’ residences, hotels, and motels. Hendriks was ready for them then and continues to keep pace with the growing metropolitan population. The company lists over 140 completed construction projects which are integral to the community, and the range is quite 35CONSTRUCTION IN FOCUS astounding. There is the Castledowns Electrical Substation and Terr-El Oilfield Welding & Repair Ltd.; there is a health centre, a youth centre, and office buildings; there are churches of all denominations, a synagogue renovation, and a convent; a Marriott Hotel and Holiday Inns; seven shopping malls; schools; a golf club, YMCA with aquatic centre and the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village; luxury townhouses and apartments as well as retirement residences, youth and women’s shelters, and affordable housing. All of these attest to the versatility of the company and the types of projects it is prepared to undertake. An industry leader for forty-three years, Hendriks “takes pride in our ability to design and deliver well thought out, innovative buildings and projects,” while never losing sight of its original goals, “to provide exceptional value and efficient solutions.” The company also prides itself on having the experience to deliver projects on time and within budget and is committed “to delivering sustainable projects that generate economic prosper-ity, protect our environment, and give back to our communities.” “Alberta has been a good place to do business, and we support our community in various ways,” Hendriks Sr. has been quoted as saying. “I think you have to get involved wherever you can.” This is true as well for management and employees who volunteer OCTOBER 201836at their churches, assist their children’s schools and sports teams, and participate regularly with charity fundraising efforts. Employees participate in the Hockey Helps the Homeless tour-naments. Since 2007, the company has been a sponsor and attended the Mac & Cheese Luncheon, organized by the Inner City Agencies Foundation that raises funds for non-profit orga-nizations in the City of Edmonton, and puts together teams to participate in the Habitat for Humanity ‘Frame Game.’ This involves eight teams of volunteer builders from various compa-nies – Hendriks entered two teams – competing against each other to have their half of a duplex framed and ready for the roof to go on. It is a day that brings families one step closer to realizing their dream and a community service of which Hendriks is proud.“An industry leader for forty-three years, Hendriks ‘takes pride in our ability to design and deliver well thought out, innovative buildings and projects.’”According to the website, Hendriks “continues to push the envelope of customer service. It is no secret that the company has worked diligently to provide exceptional results for groups with limited resources.” As proof, it offers testimonials from sat-isfied customers. Here are three of many:“Now that the project is nearly complete, it seemed appropri-ate to write expressing our great appreciation at the excellent service you have provided. Your capacity to cope with the complexities and built a high-quality building is appreciated. We would also like to thank you for your openness to working closely with us and making changes as we went along. Your attention to our very constrained budget was particularly helpful.” -Irma Kerr, Facility Committee for the Boyle McCauley Health Centre. “The Building Committee of Ellerslie Road Baptist Church would recommend the firm of A. J. Hendriks Construction Management (now known as Hendriks Construction Ltd.) for any project of this nature as we have been very satisfied with the quality and value received in our building project.” -Stan Nelson, Building Committee Chairman, Ellerslie Road Baptist Church.“We are even now more impressed by your conscientious after-sales service to us. You are still helping us to fine-tune some details of building operation and with some new projects. We appreciate your project management skills. You deserve a medal!” -Dr. David Riske & Dr. Tami Shandro. 37CONSTRUCTION IN FOCUS Full-service general contractor Pro-Can Construction Group specializes in public and institutional work. It provides construction management services including pre-construction, post-construction, de-construction, and budgeting.OCTOBER 201838Pro-Can typically operates in the five- to twenty-mil-lion-dollar project range and can complete projects within stipulated price or construction management contracts. Pro-Can Construction performs some of its work in-house; however, ninety percent of the construction is sub-contracted out to specialized firms.The firm was originally established as a residential contract-ing company in 1985 by Ben Perez and Tony Alonso. The focus shifted to commercial building in 1986, and by the 1990s, it transitioned into institutional construction. Ben’s son Leo Perez and Tony’s niece Sara Pou joined the business in the early 2000s and became minority partners in 2007. They both moved up to become majority partners in 2009 when Ben and Tony retired. The head office is located in Burnaby, British Columbia, imme-diately to the east of Vancouver. Pro-Can employs thirty five full-time employees year-round, and the majority of them are relatively young – between the ages of thirty and forty – which makes for a fun, casual atmosphere around the office and on the job sites. Professionalism always comes first; however, no one at Pro-Can Construction wears a suit to work. “We have a ‘work hard, play hard’ mentality around here. Construction is such a stressful business that if one does not know how to detach and decompress, you won’t survive long-term,” says Leo Perez, president of Pro-Can Construction.Written by Jen HockenThe staff have very heavy workloads, and for that reason, the company instils the importance of spending quality time away from work with family and friends. Leo and Sara are both known to be workaholics, and they attract like-minded people, which while good for business, can also increase the risk of staff burnout. The company encourages exercise and leisure to keep its employees healthy and happy. As part of this, it organizes annual teambuilding events such as go-karting or paintball for the entire team to enjoy together. The firm has maintained its family-oriented culture even through recent growth. There are a number of family members working together at Pro-Can, and many assume that Leo and Sara are also related. “Considering a big group of us are in our thirties and starting young families, the importance of family is definitely felt throughout the company’s culture. In a nutshell, I would say we have a family-orientated culture that is as relaxed as possible in what is a very stressful and fast-paced industry,” says Leo. Pro-Can has doubled its size in the last two years, and that growth has come with some considerable challenges and growing pains. Most of the struggle has revolved around hiring the right people and managing costs on bigger projects, which can be quite intimidating. “When the projects and subsequent volume increases, the risk increases. Essentially, a zero is added “The company is projected to hit twenty million dollars in sales this year, and it aims to be consistent and manageable before considering any more rapid growth.”Hazelgrove Elementary SchoolHazelgrove Elementary School39CONSTRUCTION IN FOCUS Next >