About 70 years ago, William Demarest—modular coordinator of the American Institute of Architects—published several booklets, including Building Better from Modular Drawings: The Modular Method in Building Construction (1954), and the U.S. Directory of Modular Building Materials (1955). In both publications, he discussed the many benefits of this revolutionary way of building through text and plenty of illustrations.

Using “invisible 4” cubes as basic units of measure,” Demarest explained how joining two modules creates “a good size for a brick.” Some of the many benefits of this modular method include its simplicity and accuracy. Numbers don’t need to be written anywhere using the cubes, he claimed, and there was no need to add or subtract fractions. “Nothing could be simpler than the way the modular wall fits together,” he wrote.

Once an accurate grid was created, construction fell into place. Benefits of this grid method included its simplicity (since building product manufacturers, draftsmen, estimators, and contractors all use the same 4” module units), fewer errors, and pricing. “An estimate on a modular basis is more reliable,” he stated. “The estimator knows far more accurately what allowances he should make for waste.”

Demarest was not alone at the time in promoting the advantages of modular buildings, a new way of construction. Others, like the U.S. Housing and Home Finance Agency, Division of Housing Research, published Modular Coordination… What is It?… How Does it Work?… Will it Help Reduce Housing Costs? in 1949, with the agency also publishing The Modular Method in Dwelling Design in 1951.

Everything old is new again
Fast forward to 2025, and many of the same benefits of modular construction are being promoted—notably speed and cost-effectiveness. The world changed considerably since Demarest’s booklets came out soon after the second World War. To house North America’s growing population, massive subdivisions were created to keep up with population growth.

To keep up with demand, prefabricated homes became popular. Although not exactly the same thing as today’s modular homes, prefab and modular share similarities, the most notable being the amount of work done offsite in a factory ahead of construction. Modular, as the name suggests, refers to pre-assembled pieces or ‘modules’ manufactured and ready to be put together like building blocks. Many times, wiring and pipes for water and sewage are already installed, ready for hookup.

In the 1956 Directory edition, Demarest wrote: “Although the U.S. construction industry has made impressive progress in building technology since World War II, it is probable that even greater and faster progress could have been achieved through more industry-wide cooperation.”

Meeting population demands
Decades later, we hear the same issues about not just the lack of affordable housing, but available housing, period. Years ago, properties in the suburbs—compared to large cities—were often within financial reach; moving 30 to 60 miles or so from major urban areas meant you could buy a house for a fraction of the cost. This is no longer the case. Those days are fast disappearing, as suburban home prices rival those in any major metropolis.

Another challenge is a lack of skilled tradespeople like carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and painters. Add to that the world is re-examining the incredible amount of waste material produced with traditional construction methods and embracing recycled and eco-friendly products.

Mindful of reducing our global footprint while meeting client demand, more builders are using renewable or recycled materials in construction, for good reason. Some estimates state over 75 percent of conventional construction, renovation, and demolition (CRD) material goes to landfills. Some CRD waste, like plastic, can be recycled, but a disproportionate amount of bricks, shingles, drywall, and other materials remain in dumps. The sheer volume is enormous.

Market intelligence firm The Business Research Company stated the CRD business has gained so much ground recently that “it will grow from $204.48 billion USD in 2024 to $217.91 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.6 percent. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to shift towards sustainable practices, urban development boom, cost reduction goals, landfill space shortage, [and] resource scarcity concerns.”

Enter modular construction
Facing this flurry of challenges—including a lack of skilled trades, ever-increasing material costs, and environmental pressures—builders need to create homes as quickly, safely, and economically as possible. In 2022, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) projected the nation “needs about 3.5 million additional housing units by 2030 to restore affordability.” Unsurprisingly, the biggest gap is in population-dense provinces Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta.

Increased housing demand has led many cities across Canada and the United States to look at non-traditional construction methods, including prefab, container homes, and modular. While they use many of the same materials as houses built on site—like wood, steel/aluminum and concrete—modular structures boast many advantages for construction companies and their employees. Fabricating sections and entire modules in a clean, organized, and well-lit factory means workers don’t face weather challenges like scorching sun, rain, or snow. Unlike working on a traditional job site, there is little to no waste material being created. Sections arrive in modules, and assembling them on a concrete foundation can be done in a fraction of the time compared to cutting wood and other materials on site.

Indeed, one of the biggest issues facing construction companies is materials. In typical construction, wood, steel, drywall, wiring, plumbing products, and more need to be transported to job sites, then measured, cut, and installed. With modular construction, almost everything is made ahead of time. This not only increases efficiency but also sends more waste materials like plastic, metal, and even cardboard packaging to recycling, instead of landfill.

In his 2021 book, The Future of Modular Architecture, architect and educator David Wallance wrote about the demand for more housing, stating that cities are growing at a rate of 1.5 million people per week. “Virtually, every breath you take marks the need to add one urban dwelling unit somewhere on the face of the globe, most likely in a developing country,” he states.

“The world’s population is not only growing, it is urbanizing… rapidly.” More people now live in cities than rural areas, and the numbers keeps rising. “During the period between 2018 and 2050, urban populations have been projected to increase by 2.5 billion. 90 percent of this growth will be in Asia and Africa. It’s estimated that by 2025, there will be 440 million existing urban dwellings that are substandard, not fit for a healthy, dignified existence.”

Wallance raises a valid point when he adds that there is an urgent need not only for new housing, but also to replace older homes. “If replacement dwellings were to be built at the same pace that new urban households are formed, or 300,000 per week, it would take 28 years just to replace the existing substandard stock—assuming that the number of substandard units simply remains static. The arithmetic is simple, but staggering.”

Modular construction may not be right for every building project, but its many advantages—especially speed of assembly, reduced waste, and cost-competitiveness—make it one of the most viable solutions to keep up with much-needed housing supply not just in North America, but worldwide.

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All these years later, LEGO^®’s interlocking bricks remain popular with young and old alike. Over 220 million LEGO^® sets are sold worldwide every year—about seven sets per second. And although there are countless themed sets available today based on Disney characters, Marvel comics, video games like Minecraft, and Braille Bricks for the visually impaired, classic LEGO^® bricks remain as popular as ever.

The evolution of modular
Key reasons for LEGO^®’s enduring popularity are its simplicity, its durability, and the endless possibilities it offers. Feel like dedicating a weekend (or longer) to erecting a castle inspired by The Lord of the Rings? Absolutely. Want to build a simple house on a foundation? No problem.

Like LEGO^®, much of the success of modular construction comes from creating structures using prefabricated components. Although we think of modular buildings as being relatively new, the history of prefabricated structures goes back thousands of years. Moving from one place to another to hunt, nomadic tribes created huts out of branches and animal hides. Instead of leaving these shelters behind, nomads developed rudimentary systems which saw them dismantling these dwellings, taking the pieces with them, and rebuilding them elsewhere. This systemized building saved them not only the time spent recreating structures from scratch, but also the need to find wood and other materials.

As tools, techniques, and materials evolved, so did early modular building methods. Greeks and Romans made extremely precise stone blocks and, following exact measurements, these blocks were clamped together to create early modular structures.

In the book Components and Systems: Modular Construction – Design, Structure, New Technologies, the authors state, “The Romans can be credited with collecting, documenting and spreading a multitude of technical developments throughout the various regions of their empire. The Ten Books on Architecture by Vitruvius, from the first century B.C., established themselves as the foundation for the development of construction and contained instructions for modular building systems employing stone elements, which could be used to build temples in far-flung colonies.” Centuries later, Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages were built by skilled stonemasons using precise mathematical systems to create elaborate structures.

Years later, settlement of the North American Prairies in the 1860s saw the growth of transportable housing. Coinciding with advances in timber processing, these wooden structures were simple, yet effective. Around the same time in Europe, modular construction methods were used to create barracks and storage sheds which could be easily assembled, taken down, and moved as necessary. Manufacturing simple prefabricated sections led to construction methods still in use today.

Making it big
Despite its many advantages—including consistency, precision, speed of construction, flexibility, lower costs, reduced waste, and design flexibility—there was a long-held stigma against factory-made prefabricated structures compared to stick-built buildings. Now, faced with an urgent need for housing, lack of skilled trades, and growing environmental concerns over traditional construction waste, this stigma is fast disappearing.

As technology has advanced, the ability to make larger and larger modular structures has expanded. From the United Kingdom to Japan to the United States, builders have used a variety of techniques and materials over the years, including wood and cast-iron substructures. To meet the need for structures in British colonies, everything from modest cottages to large hospital and warehouse buildings were manufactured in sections in England, disassembled, shipped to Australia, and re-assembled. Soon, wood and cast iron were joined by prefabricated concrete.

As production methods improved, the need for more modular buildings grew, and materials like cast iron and concrete were heavy. Their introduction led to the development of durable, lighter products, including lightweight concrete made with pumice sand and Portland cement, as well as steel.

Today, the modular possibilities are virtually limitless. According to the Modular Building Institute (MBI), modular construction sees buildings made off site in controlled plant conditions. The process involves using the same materials and codes as conventionally built facilities, “but in about half the time,” and “without compromise.”

Building traditional structures on site often leads to delays, cost overruns, and other issues. Carpenters, bricklayers, and other trades can be delayed; rain, snow, heat, frost, and wind cannot be controlled. It isn’t unusual for tools necessary to complete the job to break, go missing, or be stolen. Building material shipments can be slow or may arrive incomplete. Modular buildings, conversely, are made under controlled factory conditions with components transported to the site. This eliminates waiting and wondering when the next load of lumber or steel will arrive.

In today’s modular building facilities, technologies such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), 3D printing, and robotics are being incorporated to make manufacturing faster and more accurate. Thanks to this technology, improved manufacturing, and lighter, more durable building materials, modular structures are larger and longer lasting than ever. Examples include Japan’s Nakagin Capsule Tower. Built in 1970 and demolished in 2022, it was hailed as an example of sustainability and recyclability. The structure encompassed 140 stacked and rotated capsules, each measuring 13’ by 8.2’ (4 m by 2.5 m). Although small by Western standards, the modest space was considered ample for residents, and served as a mixed-use residential and office building.

Historically, modular construction has been used to create everything from hospitals to hotels. In Ukraine, the Revival project was created to fill the need to house over 176 students. The brainchild of ZIKZAK Architects—who stated, “The war is causing irreparable damage very quickly. Our task is to build Ukraine even faster because people want to return home now!”—the unique modular system’s design enables rapid construction. Modular boxes comprise “floor slabs, ceiling tiles, and longitudinal and transverse wall slabs,” says Archello of Revival. Materials used include mineral wool in an aluminum framework.

A practical approach
In 2023, global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company published Making modular construction fit, a piece on the pros and cons of modular construction. “The case for modular construction in the U.S. is clear,” reads the article. “Manufacturing building components in factories and assembling them on site offers solutions to many of the construction industry’s challenges, which include high material prices, disrupted supply chains, and shortages of skilled labor.”

With industrialized production methods, modular building enables companies to optimize material utilization while reducing waste. Since attaching modules together on site is considerably faster and uses less labour than traditional construction, McKinsey states modular building techniques “could allow home builders to accelerate end-to-end project timelines by 20 to 50 percent while reducing costs by up to 20 percent. Moreover, modular projects may be easier to execute on urban job sites since they require less space for the storage and preparation of materials.”

Still, with its many advantages, there remains some reluctance toward modular construction. This is especially apparent in North America, where about four percent of the United States’ housing was made using modular methods, a tiny figure compared to 15 percent (for homes) in Japan and 45 percent in Sweden, Norway, and Finland.

The solutions, according to McKinsey, include modular companies adopting best-in-class manufacturing capabilities, “including sophisticated digital design platforms and lean, efficient production lines.” Another way modular can compete is by optimizing construction materials specific for individual modules, which not only reduces the amount of wood, steel, and concrete being used, but lowers manufacturing time and costs, transportation, and on-site assembly.

Only time will tell where the possibilities presented by modular construction will take us. And that time can’t come soon enough. As our global need for housing, hospitals, schools, and other buildings grows, the presence of large modular structures is sure to increase.

The post From Bricks to Buildings<p class="company">The Modular Mindset</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

After nearly a century of advocating for worker safety and development, the Florida Transportation Builders Association is proud of its contribution to the state’s progress and prosperity. This team of five identifies, establishes, and maintains essential networking connections locally and across the United States. Putting its voice to good use and helping to improve standards across the board, the association is committed to making lasting change.

“Political advocacy is something anybody can do and everybody should do,” says FTBA President Dan Hurtado, who holds a master’s degree in structural engineering and was formerly chief engineer of the Florida Department of Transportation.

Since its founding in 1933, the association has guided its 540 member organizations in navigating industry challenges while shaping policies and promoting best practices. To achieve this, its efforts take various formats, such as collaborating with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to host its two-day annual construction symposium. Here, technical experts share information on current technological trends, the evolution of project delivery, and legal matters.

While the symposium covers heftier matters in a slightly more formal setting, the association’s four-day annual convention allows a moment of respite for its extensive community of suppliers, contractors, subcontractors, and others. Here, people gather and network while enjoying the chance to compare notes. “These gatherings are very important to us. We take a lot of pride in it that there are tens of thousands of people out there that we help support through [these events],” Hurtado continues.

These two annual gatherings are not the only opportunities members have to mingle. Various informal events across Florida punctuate FTBA’s calendar every year. Regular meetings address current industry issues involving transportation owners like the FDOT and others, while 10 technical committees bring stakeholders together, covering areas like traffic maintenance, lighting, and alternative contracting. In addition, they tackle challenges like safety, the state of pavements, and structural specifications, drawing on the expertise of a large variety of professionals.

Transportation construction contractors represent the majority of FTBA’s members. “Our contractors are building massive structures, hundreds of miles of roadway. They’re a sophisticated group, handling complex construction operations,” says Hurtado.

As a result, the association is a repository for vast amounts of technical expertise, from which members benefit. Beyond providing technical expertise, it also offers support in legal matters. “Whenever there are contract disputes between transportation owners and contractors, often FTBA will help bring issues to resolution,” Hurtado says. When it comes to contractual disputes, he counsels those in the industry to always consider the actual content of a contract and its meaning first and, following this, to consider what is fair and what would preserve the relationship between the client and the service provider before deciding on an optimal route of action.

Time has taught him that this sage advice is incredibly valuable. “Sometimes, folks can’t get past the first consideration of understanding the content of their contract,” he explains. As a result, conflict resolution guides the parties toward finding “win-win” outcomes. These solutions often preserve the relationships that are crucial to successful projects.

FTBA also engages in political advocacy, engaging with transportation-positive candidates who appreciate that planning and executing such large, expensive projects may take decades to complete. This aspect of its work means that FTBA, as an organization, holds a long-term view of transportation infrastructure development. “Transportation is a multi-year effort. Because of this, FTBA’s political advocacy focuses on the long-term outcomes rather than short-term victories,” says Hurtado.

Following these efforts, the association plays a vital role in educating officials on the realities of the industry, its processes, and the benefits for the state of maintaining a well-funded, well-run transportation system. Within this context, one of the main points it emphasizes is that navigating transportation funding cannot be adjusted in the blink of an eye, but is rather a process of patience, endurance, and attention to the fine print.

As Florida’s state gas tax—which, according to Hurtado, generates billions annually—funds the state’s transportation trust fund, which funds FDOT’s work program, FTBA is responsible for ensuring that that money is indeed directed to the designated areas as planned, rather than diverted. Here, transparency, advocacy, and education lead the way to help keep everyone informed and focused as to its purpose.

Moreover, the association concerns itself with the quality of workforce recruitment and development. Providing a range of courses and upskilling opportunities, it also promotes the industry to young people looking to create well-paid futures without incurring massive student debt. Part of this mission includes a team with heavy equipment simulators that give kids an exhilarating chance to feel what driving cranes, bulldozers, and other construction vehicles is like. Naturally, this school-based event is always a hit.

As part of these efforts, the association ensures students who are passionate about the industry have the funding they need for education. FTBA has provided over two million dollars in scholarships, providing over 500 students with access to college and trade school educations. The scholarships provided “are something we are very proud of,” Hurtado adds with a smile. The number of lives the association has changed and improved directly and indirectly through these continued efforts is nothing short of remarkable.

Other programs include the FTBA commercial driver’s license training program that supports people in the industry in qualifying as heavy-vehicle drivers. FTBA also creates opportunities for employers to further develop promising younger staff through its Emerging Leaders Academy.

Florida is home to around 24 million people, hosting an estimated 143 million visitors every year whose spending reaches hundreds of millions of dollars. One economic driver is that Florida is the country’s leader in small business startups, leading the association to constantly remind its members that remaining up-to-date and engaged with industry developments and state-wide growth is imperative to continued prosperity.

That means that the state relies on strong transportation infrastructure to earn its annual gross domestic product of 1.47 trillion dollars, which, if it was an independent, self-governed nation, would put it 13th on the global earnings scale, perched between Australia and Mexico—a tremendous achievement for the people of this productive place. “If there is anything FTBA is proud of, it is our role in promoting a healthy and vibrant state economy,” Hurtado says.

Being such a busy place, traffic management is crucial to keeping everyone safe and the state functioning as it should. Whereas the historic approach saw more roads built to accommodate more traffic, the modern ethos leverages technology to regulate traffic in smarter ways—as far as possible.

In addition, the association takes it upon itself to explore new technologies, and it is common for vendors to team up with FTBA to further develop, refine, or qualify their products. In this way, it helps secure continuous evolution on the product and construction front in this bustling state.

But it is not just road user safety this team is concerned with; highway worker safety is another top priority, as is paying respects to those who have lost their lives serving the state. The association is currently creating a memorial “to highway workers who have lost their lives in service to the state [which] will be displayed at an FDOT roadside park,” highlighting the association’s commitment to raising awareness.

Looking ahead, FTBA looks forward to expanding its influence locally and nationally. Beyond that, continuing to secure a well-trained, efficient future workforce for Florida is one of its greatest goals. To this end, its approach includes continuing to recruit students, veterans, and employees looking to make a change to create better lives for themselves by joining the transportation construction field.

Hurtado’s message to prospective employees is one of welcome and promise. “A career in road and bridge construction is challenging and rewarding, demanding and honest, exciting and fulfilling. It is a promising career that keeps every promise that it makes. Dirty hands earn clean money.”

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Embracing a daily goal to deliver the highest caliber precast goods in Florida and beyond, HHI has built a rock-solid reputation for manufacturing superior products while assisting contractors and guaranteeing safe highways throughout Florida.

Driven by its skilled employees and a strong sense of integrity, the company’s projects—including MSE retaining walls, top walls, sound walls, K-Walls, and light-pole bases—exceed the rigorous demands of an industry that prides itself on quality.

“I grew up in the industry,” says Flores. “My dad has two plants in Texas, so it’s a family business over there, and I’ve worked in different aspects of the company throughout the years.”

And even though she chose to attend law school, Flores’ father never pressured her to come work with him, she says. “He wanted me to pursue what I wanted, and I wanted to be a lawyer.”

From law to infrastructure
Following graduation, she practiced law for 14 years before HHI was “even a thought,” she says, although the Florida construction market was booming at the time and needed an additional precaster.

“I was approached by my father’s partner—who is now also my partner here—about the possibility of opening a plant in Florida,” she says. “I jumped right in. I took the opportunity and put in all of my life savings. We started immediately because there was an immediate need.”

Both her business background and law degree have helped “in so many aspects,” Flores says. “You think differently. You think about risk, about management, about labor law. I had a pretty good starting point, but I had a lot of guidance from my dad and my partner—collectively probably 80 years of experience—and they were great teachers when I needed it.”

Flores’ partner, who has numerous contacts in Florida, put HHI in touch with Cemex Inc., leading to HHI leasing one of their properties in Florida. “It’s how we got started and it’s been instrumental in helping us grow,” says Flores, adding that it’s “been a whirlwind from start to finish. It’s surprising because normally I’ll stop, I’ll sit, I’ll go home, I’ll think about things: is this something I want to invest my money into and be a part of and operate? This time I didn’t think about it.”

Does she have any regrets? “I’m not sorry in any way whatsoever. I’m really happy with that decision, because I love it,” she tells us. And it’s clear, 11 years later, that she made the right decision. “We’re doing well,” she says. “Opening up any kind of company is stressful and time-consuming. You pour your blood, sweat, and tears into it, which is what I did.”

By that December, Flores had moved to Florida, learning to navigate labor costs during a very stressful period. And while there were already jobs in place and contracts to fulfill for customers, there were still a lot of unknowns to calculate.

“Navigating through that for the first couple of years was difficult,” says Flores. She adds that it was 2019 when HHI got a grasp on total costs as far as what numbers should be, what needed to be included, what needed to be changed, and how to improve. “It took a good five years for us to get a handle and an accurate reading on everything, because sometimes you don’t know until you’re at full volume.”

And just when the business began to thrive, COVID-19 changed everything. “We had to navigate through that as well. We had material price increases all over the place. Our costs went through the roof. There were several increases per year on everything. We never knew what markets were going to do. We had to adjust our quotes weekly.”

Like father, like daughter
Navigating that period was a huge challenge, but HHI weathered those storms successfully, and the company is now proudly on the other side. But success for Flores also means acknowledging her father.

“My father is a big part of it. He’s my teacher,” she says. “I’ve had guidance throughout from my dad. He made it clear in the beginning, ‘If you ever need anything, if you have any questions, I’m a phone call away. You can always call me.’”

Flores took that suggestion to heart. “He’s an instrumental part of my knowledge, of me learning how to do this, how to operate this company. I take that and I run with it. All the knowledge that he can provide, I’ll take it.”

Leading by example
Additionally, while being a woman-owned and run company can be a challenge in a traditionally male-dominated industry, her leadership encourages more women to take the opportunity to explore a new path. “I love it,” says Flores. “I love that this is a woman-owned company. I love running it; it’s so important. We can do anything if given the chance.”

While she’s had moments where she gets “a side eye,” or hears rumblings that people don’t think she’s knowledgeable enough, since the beginning she’s worked hard to gain the respect of colleagues and feels HHI has earned its reputation as a solid company by doing good work within Florida. “I’m proud of the company, and my employees are proud of it,” she says. “They’re always very supportive of me, and that’s all that matters. We have a lot of women who work here, both outside and inside. My General Manager is a woman, and she’s in charge of a lot of these men. I’m proud of that.”

Flores adds that she likes to hire women who are eager to embrace new opportunities. “It is a male-dominated industry,” she says, “but I’m of the mindset that women can do it just as good as a man, and so I hire and build my team with women and men. I’m proud of us,” she says. “We’ve come through a lot. We’ve made it 11 years. Was it flawless? No. Did we make mistakes? Absolutely. But if we do make mistakes, I demand to know why that mistake was made and learn from that. I think that contributes to us being able to grow and be more successful every time.”

A challenge met
That commitment and care from employees hit a more personal note for Flores when she was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago. While cancer-free today, that was a staggering obstacle for her and a challenge for the entire company.

“It was a concern for everyone,” she says, noting that HHI swiftly rallied around her. “Along with my own family, my HHI family gave me a big bear hug and didn’t let me worry about anything.”

They worked hard through all of it, she adds. While Flores would put in four or five hours before needing to rest while going through chemo treatments, her team filled in the gaps. “Sometimes it’s harder for the people you’re around every day because they see you going through that,” she says. “They were such a big support, and they traveled through that journey with me every step of the way.”

The entire company also made her smile, laugh, and took care of her throughout, even participating in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Orlando, bringing their own families as well. “That was so special for me. I just cried because I couldn’t believe the support I was receiving. They wanted to show up and do that with me. It meant so much to me, and I love them back. We’re a family in every sense of the word.”

Work is important, she stresses, especially when you’re sick and need a distraction from what’s going on in your life. And while her own family and doctor were amazingly strong and supportive throughout treatment, continuing to work helped keep Flores from “falling into despair and depression,” she shares. “That’s all I wanted to do; I didn’t want to go anywhere. I wanted to stay here with my people and continue to do what we sought out to do,” she says. “I’m so happy I did, because they’re a big part of why I recovered and why I’m cancer-free.”

And her people at HHI carried her through the entire experience, she adds. “They didn’t let me worry about anything, and it made the journey that much easier.”

Time to grow
Now able to truly look ahead with hope and resilience, Flores says HHI is focused on expansion and increasing both its revenue and its footprint to support growth.

“That’s something we’re actively working on, along with expanding production lines to accomplish those goals,” she says. She also aims to employ more people to produce the company’s product for the state of Florida.

“Every day that we’re here is an accomplishment, and I’m proud of that,” says Flores. “We’ve weathered the storm on several fronts—whether it’s having so much work that we have to navigate through, having very low work and trying to navigate through that, or dealing with COVID and material price increases and figuring out our costs through the beginning years. Every single thing is an accomplishment for us, and we’re still here.”

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While few of us likely give the importance of this crucial civil function a second thought, rendering concrete matrices that maintain their integrity for generations takes practice, skill, and expertise. Based in Lilburn, Georgia, Blount-Sanford Contracting pours concrete barrier walls on road and highway projects nearly every day of the year, primarily serving state DOTs as well as county governments across the American southeast. Crews are currently working in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida on a daily basis.

Extensive expertise
Blount-Sanford Contracting’s extensive offering includes reinforced and non-reinforced median and side barriers on highways, as well as barriers, parapets, and sidewalks on bridges that prevent traffic from spilling over the sides into other lanes or bodies of water. Moreover, the company supplies flared, vertical, and tapered back bridge rails. The team also provides additional textures and treatments to concrete to enhance the aesthetics of its installations.

The team uses sophisticated machinery to execute its projects. To ensure consistency over long distances, a mobile paver machine is fed with pre-prepared wall slip, rendering in situ slip-form work. This is finished by field workers following on foot as the machine progresses at two to three miles per hour—painstaking work performed in every kind of weather. “We take a lot of pride in the quality of work that we do. All of our employees have a lot of pride, and they know that their name is attached to the work,” says James D. (Jimmy) Greeson, President.

Initially founded as a concrete drain structure operation by Sandy Sanford in collaboration with Blount Construction in 1968, curbs, gutters, and mold-less concrete formwork followed. Sanford later bought his partner out, maintaining the firm’s good name for rendering strong and attractive concrete structures that end users can trust.

A valued team
Working across such a vast and diverse region means that field staff must cope with extreme temperatures, especially heat. To ensure their overall safety, the company provides its people with the appropriate PPE and hydration. Employing around 70 individuals—most of whom are out on the road performing this crucial work for up to 11 hours a day—safety is considered paramount across all levels of the company. Since they’re so well cared for, “the folks we have enjoy what they do and do a great job,” says Greeson.

Thanks in part to its robust benefits and remuneration, Blount-Sanford Contracting attracts and maintains a solid stable of hardworking people underpinning its reputation for quality concrete work. Benefits include a 401(k) with company matching; life, dental, and health insurance; a range of bonuses; paid holidays and vacation; and opportunities to work their way up in the company. Always ‘on the grow,’ the company is currently seeking more laborers, concrete finishers, and slip-form machine operators to round out its team.

Along with its range of capabilities, the scope of the company’s projects also varies. With one truckload of concrete rendering nine cubic yards, the team can execute projects ranging from 16 to 300 yards per day. “The project types we do range in size due to whatever the departments of transportation are bidding—the type of work they release,” Greeson explains. Arriving at the company in 2015, Greeson celebrates his first decade with the firm this year—10 years which have seen many proud moments.

Pristine projects
The team is currently collaborating on a large bridge project alongside Archer Western Construction and Traylor Brothers, an impressive structure that promises to become what has been called “the biggest bridge ever constructed in Florida.” Replacing the Howard Frankland Bridge on Interstate I-275, the replacement structure will cross Old Tampa Bay, linking St. Petersburg and Tampa, just as its predecessor did. Blount-Sanford Contracting is also collaborating with Lane Construction on an expansive interstate project on the outskirts of Charlotte, as well as some projects with Blythe Construction.

In an industry where Blount-Sanford performs such a niche role amidst so many other major project elements, coordination and scheduling of contractors is crucial. To improve workflow and mitigate bottlenecks, its area managers are well-versed in creating efficient systems. Greeson is full of praise for their sterling efforts. “We have four area managers who control the different areas and do the scheduling. They do a wonderful job,” he enthuses.

The approach seems to be key to the company’s longstanding success. With its local DOTs releasing consistent streams of work, Blount-Sanford Contracting is pleased and grateful to have established a steady revenue stream. And—while he admits it is a lot of hard work—for Greeson, the team’s resilience and commitment are a good match for the demands that come with such regular projects.

Such projects include ongoing work on Interstate I-85, which passes through Atlanta heading to South Carolina, where the team has completed multiple 6 to 12-mile sections over nearly half a decade—specifically a 27-mile stretch of work starting near Gaffney, South Carolina, heading toward the North Carolina border, which remains in progress. Blount-Sanford also recently completed work on the beautiful—and enormous—Pensacola Bridge project in Florida. “The bridge crosses Pensacola Bay and is absolutely gorgeous,” shares Gleeson. They put lights on it and light it up at night—that was beautiful work as well.”

Embracing innovation
What set the firm’s work apart on the Pensacola project—beyond outstanding workmanship—is a specialized stamp used to press patterns into concrete. Here, the team employed a wave-patterned print that adds a lovely artistic touch to road elements that would otherwise be notoriously bland. “That is something special that we partnered up for with a company called Slipstone,” says Greeson. While Slipstone holds the patent for the stamp drums, Blount-Sanford performs the stamping in the field. The collaboration is proving to be mutually beneficial while bringing a novel addition to the civil construction market.

Such innovation is something customers value tremendously—and they are not shy to say so. One customer notes, “Their staff is always professional and dependable. Their crews have the knowledge and resources to provide a final product that can be measured against the highest quality standards. In addition to their typical services, they have also provided [us] with technical advice for innovations that either reduced construction costs or durations.”

Another client, who has worked with the firm since the ’90s, had this to say: “Blount-Sanford has ALWAYS performed their contract obligations, doing exceptional work in a timely and professional manner. I will always consider Blount-Sanford when they quote work on a project, no matter the size.” It is this level of customer satisfaction that secures the company’s bright future.

For Greeson, the road ahead is clearly defined. Continuing to lead with dependability and consistency, the company’s aim is to remain the top barrier provider to every customer on its books. To achieve this, Blount-Sanford Contracting Company continues to trust its people to provide signature trustworthy service and friendly customer care that has made the firm the go-to industry legend it is today. “Our success is just based on our people. We have the best people in the business by far,” Greeson says with a smile.

The post Safety by Design<p class="company">Blount-Sanford Contracting Company</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

Today, Ray Hoffman’s son Nick works as a project manager, having worked his way up through the business. Nick Hoffman says that many of B&H’s people have been with the company for decades and have family members of their own working alongside them, which they take a great amount of joy in. “A lot of people don’t like to mix family and business, but it works for us,” he says.

Hoffman, along with current company president Mike Wichmann, purchased the business outright in 2021 as 50/50 co-owners, following Ray’s passing due to complications from COVID-19. Wichmann had shadowed and developed a relationship with Ray, which made the move to an even partnership make even more sense. Hoffman describes the present-day business as one that continues to thrive by offering the very best to its loyal clients.

Indeed, B&H Construction has made its name in commercial and residential construction projects. In recent years, the company has concerned itself with creating affordable housing for Nevada in areas across the state, including units for the Section 3 program, which invests federal money into distressed communities across the country.

The company’s non-profit work started about a decade ago; ever since, the home-building sector in the area has expanded greatly with even more money pouring into it. “We’ve solidified ourselves as a good contractor in the space,” Hoffman says. B&H has built many apartment buildings over this stretch, including housing for seniors, disabled veterans, and those in the community most in need of affordable housing.

One of the team’s biggest projects to date has been Visions Park, comprising 100 units of affordable and accessible housing for individuals who are blind, commissioned by the Blind Center of Nevada. The project is unique to Las Vegas and, indeed, to Nevada, in that most construction projects in and around the city need to meet a minimum threshold of five percent accessibility and two percent accessibility for hearing and/or visually impaired people. However, all units in Visions Park are accessible to that end, and the company is excited to be part of communities that go beyond minimum accessibility requirements. The Blind Center of Nevada hosted a hard hat walkthrough of the build in mid-June of this year, and Visions Park is slated to open in the second quarter of 2026.

A robust roster of contractors is a must for any construction outfit, and Wichmann says that since B&H has been around for over 30 years, it has been able to carefully tailor its subcontracting partners. Typically, the contractors B&H works with are responsive individuals with a track record of quality craftsmanship—in short, people who are fully involved and invested in their jobs. The company relies on these contractors heavily for specific aspects of the work, such as plumbing or electrical. Giving a wide array of subcontractors a fair chance to bid on a project and partner with the company has been integral to the team’s success, Wichmann says, and has seen the company build a lineup that remains reliable.

As with so many construction firms today, a strong workforce is all-important to ensuring success on operations. To this end, the company has always looked for motivated people who are willing to go the extra mile. Hoffman says that working here is more than just a job, and the best part of the work is completing projects and seeing how much the tenants enjoy moving into their new living space.

Everyone takes a lot of pride in the finished product, he says—and in the fact that it is not just about making money but about moving people into their new homes. He notes that 90 percent of the company’s projects over the past five years have been connected to affordable housing, whether for the state government or for non-profits in Nevada. This sector occupies most of the firm’s workforce and continues to grow, meaning that the future for B&H is very bright.

Another value that is always kept top of mind at B&H is measured growth. Wichmann explains that, in construction, there are many opportunities that allow for specific company growth, but it was the wish of founder Ray Hoffman to be involved in the daily oversight of the company’s projects so their needs could be met by him personally. While the opportunity for more revenue exists, Wichmann believes that B&H would lose the personal engagement it has with its clients and developers as a result. Keeping with the approach of personal communication and staying fully involved allows the business to remain proactive and true to its top priority. “We’re blessed to have these customers,” he says. “They trust us to deliver, and we do.”

Of course, affordable housing has become a hot issue in North America today, which has kept B&H very busy and promises to for the foreseeable future. Wichmann asserts that Las Vegas’ housing market is underserved by a rate of about 90,000 affordable housing units, a deficit that he says likely cannot be corrected in a short amount of time. Over the past year, the affordable housing community was able to put between 2500 and 3000 units into the Las Vegas valley, an amount that just is not sustainable as the cost of living and median home price continue to rise. Land availability within Las Vegas also remains a challenge, as it is not enough to simply build more units for people to live in; they must be constructed with an intelligent use of the available land.

As 2025 moves into its second half, the company will remain focused on affordable housing, especially since Las Vegas continues to grow in both population and number of buildings. There are no signs of that growth slowing down, Hoffman says, so B&H plans to stay in its lane with two projects slated to complete construction this year. A 32-unit apartment building for the Nevada Rural Housing Authority is slated for completion in December, while Eastern Land, phase two of a 60-unit apartment building for Neighborhood Housing Services of Southern Nevada (NHSSN), will be completed in October.

Another affordable housing rehabilitation project, comprising 100 units, will take the business through summer of 2026, as will the upcoming Visions Park. The company also has negotiations ongoing with several developers, including newcomers to the client roster, to provide preliminary estimates for new developments that may shake out in the next year. Affordable housing projects are keeping B&H Construction busy for the foreseeable future, and the company is ready to take on more challenges to keep providing quality living units and buildings for people in the Nevada area who are most in need of shelter.

The post This Family Business is Bringing Affordable Housing to Nevada<p class="company">B&H Construction</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

Who we are and what we do
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., NALHFA is the national organization that brings together local government agencies and private-sector partners dedicated to the development, financing, and preservation of affordable housing. Through legislative and regulatory advocacy, education, and collaboration, we provide a vital platform for knowledge sharing, thought leadership, and innovation within the affordable housing sector.

Our mission is simple yet powerful: to support local housing finance agencies in their efforts to provide affordable housing in their communities. We do this by advocating for sound federal housing policy, offering high-quality professional development and education opportunities, and fostering a strong network of practitioners who share best practices, challenges, and innovative solutions.

Who our members are
NALHFA’s members are on the front lines of affordable housing. They include local HFAs, housing departments, community development agencies, bond issuers, and nonprofit developers that use tools such as tax-exempt bonds, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), and other public finance instruments to support the development of multifamily and single-family housing.

These agencies play a critical role in translating federal and state policy into local action. Whether they are providing mortgage assistance to first-time homebuyers, issuing bonds to finance multifamily housing, or managing rehabilitation programs for existing properties, NALHFA members are tackling housing challenges with a hands-on, community-based approach.

Our affiliate members—ranging from banks and law firms to financial advisors and syndicators—contribute industry expertise and support, forming strong public-private partnerships that are essential to the success of affordable housing finance.

Advocacy priorities
NALHFA’s advocacy agenda is centered around protecting and enhancing the federal tools that empower local housing efforts. Our top priorities include:
• Preserving and expanding the LIHTC program, the nation’s most successful tool for developing affordable rental housing.
• Protecting tax-exempt private activity bonds, which are crucial for financing both rental and homeownership housing.
• Supporting down payment assistance initiatives to help low- and moderate-income families access homeownership.
• Increasing funding for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program and Community Development Block Grants, vital resources for local governments.
• Promoting reforms to streamline the federal housing finance system, ensuring that local HFAs maintain access to secondary mortgage markets.

Through regular engagement with Congress, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and other federal agencies, NALHFA ensures that the needs of local housing finance agencies are heard and addressed.

Legislative wins for the organization
NALHFA has a long track record of successful advocacy that has resulted in meaningful policy outcomes. In recent years, we have:
• Secured a permanent four percent floor on LIHTC allocations for bond-financed properties, improving financial predictability and deal viability.
• Protected the tax-exempt status of private activity bonds during major federal tax reform debates, preserving this critical financing tool.
• Advocated for increased allocations to affordable housing and community development programs in annual federal budgets.
• Successfully advocated for the indefinite extension of the Federal Financing Bank Risk-Share program, ensuring local HFAs can continue to leverage this critical financing tool to expand affordable housing in their communities.

These victories were made possible through sustained advocacy efforts, coalition-building, and member engagement. NALHFA continues to work tirelessly to shape federal policy that empowers local leaders to respond to their community’s unique housing needs.

Why join as members
Membership in NALHFA offers unparalleled access to advocacy, education, and networking tailored to the needs of housing finance professionals. By joining NALHFA, agencies and partners gain:
• A powerful voice in Washington, ensuring that local perspectives are considered in national housing policy.
• Access to a nationwide network of peers facing similar challenges and opportunities.
• Insight into federal legislative and regulatory developments, with timely updates and expert analysis.
• Discounted registration for events and training programs.
• Opportunities to shape the future of affordable housing, through committee participation and thought leadership.

Whether you’re a small city housing department or a large bond issuer, NALHFA membership connects you to the resources and relationships that matter most.

Educational opportunities: NALHFA University and the Leadership Excellence Institute
NALHFA is deeply committed to building the capacity of housing finance professionals through innovative educational programming.

NALHFA University, our cornerstone training platform, offers a comprehensive suite of webinars and courses tailored to professionals at all experience levels. Topics include bond financing, LIHTC compliance, project underwriting, and emerging issues in housing finance. These sessions are led by industry experts and are designed to provide practical knowledge that participants can immediately apply in their work.

In addition, the NALHFA Leadership Excellence Institute (LEI) is an exclusive professional development program for mid-level managers in the affordable housing field. Combining in-person and virtual cohort sessions with executive coaching, e-learning modules, and leadership assessments, LEI equips participants with the tools to lead teams, drive organizational change, and grow within their careers. The program fosters a community of rising leaders committed to excellence in affordable housing finance.

NALHFA’s Annual Conference
NALHFA brings members together every Spring at its Annual Conference, the premier event for local housing finance professionals. This multi-day gathering features expert panels, peer-to-peer learning, federal policy updates, and dynamic keynote speakers. Attendees gain fresh insights, learn about successful projects across the country, and leave inspired to elevate their work.

The conference also serves as a celebration of excellence. NALHFA’s Awards of Excellence recognize outstanding member projects that demonstrate innovation, impact, and community benefit. From transformative housing developments to cutting-edge financing strategies, these awards showcase what is possible when local agencies are empowered to lead.

Whether you’re new to the field or a seasoned practitioner, the NALHFA Annual Conference is the place to recharge your passion, reconnect with peers, and reimagine what affordable housing can achieve.

Key takeaways
In a time of historic housing challenges and unprecedented attacks on federal programs and resources that make affordable housing possible, NALHFA stands as a beacon of leadership, innovation, and collaboration. Our members are the builders of communities, the problem-solvers on the ground, and the champions of housing equity. Through strong advocacy, cutting-edge education, and a vibrant professional network, NALHFA continues to empower local housing finance agencies to create lasting change.

If you believe in the power of local solutions to national housing issues, there is no better time to become part of the NALHFA community.

Join us. Learn with us. Lead with us.

The post Empowering Local Housing Finance Agencies to Build Stronger Communities<p class="company">National Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies (NALHFA)</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

There is a rare and uncanny sense of joy amongst the team members of Thos. Somerville Co., based in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Committed to maintaining organizational health by cultivating a sense of positive chemistry among its people, the company’s leadership comprises genuine people who hold sincerity in high regard. As a result of dreaming big, working hard, and excellent customer support, the business has enjoyed substantial growth over the past year or so.

Following the opening of a new branch in Seaford, Delaware, the company was ranked 53^rd by Supply House Times on its Premier 150 Distributor list in 2025 in response to its outstanding service. As its name continues reaching new customers throughout this region, Thos. Somerville Co. also serves customers from Southern Virginia to Central New Jersey and as far west as Martinsburg with speed, efficiency, and extraordinary attention to detail.

By making its mission fully grasping its customers’ goals and needs, this team of 357 endeavors to support them in bridging the gap between where they are and where they want to be in the best way possible.

“We don’t use a one-size-fits-all approach—we’re doing many different things to make sure all of our customers are as happy as they can be,” says President Doug Riley of the company’s efforts to meet and exceed its customers’ needs.

As a service leader with a true heart for the well-being of every individual on his team, Riley sat down with each member of his staff to learn more about them—whether they were satisfied at work, what they liked about the company, and what they would like to see change. In turn, they asked customers the same questions. The exercise included questions on how the company could help its customers improve their profitability, how it could make the supply process easier for them, and, of course, what their pain points were.

Today, Thos. Somerville Co. continues asking these questions. To provide the best service possible, the company maintains inventory for customers while investing heavily both in technological infrastructure and in its people. As such, it has a robust technology department and top-quality training facility where in-house educators are qualified to certify contractors that fulfil specific course requirements.

Always looking for ways to improve and evolve means that the company is perpetually improving its own systems—a trait which proved invaluable with the advent of recent changes in legislation of HVAC refrigerants. With the federal government’s move toward phasing out production of R-410A refrigerants starting in 2025 due to their negative environmental impact, the company has its hands full with retraining its industry professionals on the new products while adapting to accommodate new systems. Due to the number of models and range of coolants available, the process is fraught with complications.

But the team has successfully navigated these challenges. “Our strategy through the whole process was to stay with the old refrigerant for as long as we possibly could. That plan was well orchestrated and worked out well for everyone,” says Ray Mikell, Executive Vice President. To enable easy replacement, new versions of old models are being released onto the market, and as per the law, the company continues to stock parts for older models.

Mikell and Riley are full of praise for the team that gives this outstanding firm meaning. “I think that what sets Somerville apart from other distributors is our people,” Mikell says. Perhaps the best part is that, in a lovely episode of We Supply America, Dirk Beveridge interviews staff on why they enjoy working here, and the feeling is mutual, with team members attesting to the value of being genuinely cared about, appreciated, acknowledged, and seen.

With this much reciprocal respect in the company, one is bound to understand why its doors have remained open and its operation has thrived for this long. “I have the best managers in the world. We have a nice family here,” Billy Eccles, Counter Sales, told Beveridge.

Another plus for staff members is that their ideas are heard and considered. As a result, the company’s high level of appreciation is reflected in the impressive tenures of its staff, an aspect of the business that’s more important than many people realize. “Our folks have generational relationships; in many cases, we’re working with the grandsons and great-grandsons of our original customers. It’s really something special, and it all comes back to the relationships our people have built and continue to grow. And it doesn’t stop with our customers—our employees are our greatest recruiters, recommending other family members and friends. That’s what makes the difference,” Mikell continues. Longevity is woven into Thos. Somerville Co.’s very fabric.

One of its longest-serving team members, Driver Willard Johnson, has been with the firm for 51 years, and in honor of his sterling example in the workplace, the company decided to name its annual driver’s award after him last year. Now, the Willard Johnson Safe Driving Award will go to the company’s best-in-class drivers of the year, every year.

Mikell could not be prouder. “I feel honored to have these individuals in our company and be able to work alongside of them. I genuinely look at them as family,” he adds, pointing out that Thos. Somerville Co.’s success is entirely determined by the outstanding quality of its people. One of the most important aspects of such long tenures being commonplace here is that knowledge is passed down from one generation to the next—a precious asset in itself.

Although the company has enjoyed incredible success, turning the corner toward two centuries in business, its current trajectory was not always the case. After hitting a rough patch in 2017 following a software conversion, the results of this attempted upgrade brought the company to its knees in 2019. “One of our board members was telling shareholders that it might be time to abandon the company,” Riley—who was never prepared to call it quits—told Beveridge.

The following year, just as business started improving, COVID-19 hit. The team’s solution was to return to and actively develop its core strengths. In the process, it recovered its momentum and hasn’t looked back since.

Reestablishing itself as the leader it is today meant returning to base camp: studying the values that gave the company such longevity in the first place. It all came down to the quality of relationships. “When you have that mentality of getting the business versus the order, you take a much more long-term approach,” says Riley. “You want to make sure you’re solving problems, not just going in with the lowest price.” So the company adjusted its bootstraps, secured its footing, and prepared for its next ascent, ensuring that its customers are well cared for, its shareholders are profiting, and its staff are happy in long-term careers where they feel appreciated.

Thos. Somerville Co.’s team reciprocates in the best ways possible. “People here care about each other, so they’re going to make sure that they’re helping each other get their jobs done and they’re doing it in a really good fashion,” Riley says. For this reason, the company’s leadership continues to promote from within. “This way, you get four or five people who all get a promotion—that’s fantastic. You have a team of happy employees because their potential is being fulfilled.”

By keeping its collective gaze on the horizon and its business moving forward with product diversification and other opportunities for evolution, this legendary team continues meeting the future with courage and determination. With 21 trade locations, six retail stores, and a Central Distribution Center, growing the company’s prospects further will mean expanding its footprint through acquisition and purchasing more land. Armed with a solid succession plan and a long line of trusted professionals ready to continue its proud legacy, Thos. Somerville Co. will no doubt remain a noteworthy part of America’s industrial history for generations to come.

The post A Family Legacy for Over 160 Years<p class="company">Thos. Somerville Co.</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

“What’s kept us going for 50 years and helped us be successful is the strength of our mill relationships overseas. A large portion of what we sell is imported from mills around the world, so these relationships are integral in our staying power and future growth. We also sell product made in Canada and the U.S., albeit a smaller portion compared to imported products, but we see that expanding in the coming years,” states company co-owner and president, Ross McLaren.

Canusa works with over 100 mills based in over 20 countries, primarily in Asia. The company also maintains 16 warehouses located in Canada and the United States and has two offices based in China.

In addition to its mill network, Canusa’s commitment to customer service has helped the firm survive and thrive over the decades, says Dempsey Goedbloed, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Some of our values are reliability, accountability and transparency. With these values in mind, we are able to provide our customer base with an outstanding service,” she says. “We are on the forefront of things so if there are things happening in the world, we will inform [our clients] and come up with a plan together.”

Full-time teams at Canusa handle the complicated logistics and compliance issues that stem from having an international supplier base. All mills used by the company have been carefully vetted to ensure they meet quality benchmarks and compliance regulations, and overseas staff scrutinize all products before they’re transported across the Ocean. “Virtually every panel that ships into Canada or the U.S. is inspected by our team,” says McLaren.

Canusa uses tracking technology to follow shipments while an in-house computer system at head office keeps tabs on all aspects of quality control. Once shipments arrive in North America, logistics staff oversee the timely delivery of wood panels to Canusa’s warehouses, and from there to distributors and customers. Needless to say, scheduling is something of an artform for this team.

“The material we’re buying overseas could take three, four, five months to get into Canada and the U.S. We have to project those dates in advance to our customers and it’s our job to be as accurate as we possibly can,” McLaren explains.

Orders can be customized as per client request (the team excels as “coming up with tailored solutions to certain specifications,” says Goedbloed). The company also embraces sustainability, both out of environmental concern and as a way of bolstering its long-term prospects. Working with partners that follow sustainable practices emphasizing forest renewal is a way to safeguard future timber supplies.

The business began in 1975 when MacMillan Bloedel of Canada and Montague Meyer International and Jardine Matheson of the United Kingdom teamed up to form a joint venture. Initially called MacMillan Jardine North America, the fledgling company established its headquarters in Vancouver (“the gateway to Asia,” as McLaren describes it). The company purchased wood-based products primarily from Southeast Asia then shipped them across Canada and the West Coast of the United States, primarily Washington State and Oregon.

Maintaining quality standards in the days before email, text, pdfs, and digital photos and videos—much less overseas staff members—was quite a challenge, recalls McLaren. In the early years of the business, “they didn’t have graders outside of the offices… So, anyone sitting in Vancouver had to fly to the Philippines or Indonesia to look at the material, do quality control, make the decision on what to buy, bring it back, then get feedback from customers and potentially do it all over again,” he says.

The business adopted its current name amid ownership changes in the early 1980s. After much trial and experimentation with different product lines, the company decided to focus on plywood. This proved to be a profitable move, and Canusa’s operations expanded, particularly in China. An overseas office was opened in Suzhou, China in 2006. A decade later, McLaren and Jeevan Manhas (who is currently CEO) assumed ownership and forged ahead. A second China office opened in the city of Dalian in 2023.

While wood-based panels remain central to the business, Canusa “can cover multiple levels of customers—the low-end, mid-end, high-end. We have products for everyone and for many applications and industries,” states Goedbloed.

The company employs approximately 50 people at present, 28 of whom work in North America. Anyone who wants to join the team needs to be competent, energetic, and a proper fit. “We’re looking for people who are excited to be here and want to work hard and are interested in this industry, because there are a lot of opportunities,” McLaren shares.

In addition to career advancement, there is still quite a bit of travel involved in the plywood market (despite modern communications technology, co-owners McLaren and Manhas continue to fly around the world for business purposes). It’s also important to understand the economies and cultures of other nations as well as global trade issues.

The current staff features a “blend of experience and youthful enthusiasm… We’ve got a fantastic group of people and a sales [team] that works very hard and travels frequently to see their customers,” McLaren says.

The company promotes itself through regular attendance at trade shows. These include the International Woodworking Fair (IWF) and conferences organized by the North American Building Material Distribution Association (NBMDA), Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers (AWFS), and International Wood Products Association (IWPA). Trade shows are Canusa’s “main source of incoming leads,” says Goedbloed.

Of course, operating an international business in the wood sector comes with its own set of challenges. On May 22 of this year, the Coalition for Fair Trade in Hardwood Plywood filed anti-dumping duty (ADD) and countervailing duty (CVD) petitions regarding plywood imports from China, Vietnam, and Indonesia. The petitions were filed with the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) and International Trade Commission (ITC). An advocacy group representing American plywood manufacturers, the Coalition claims that Asian nations are engaging in unfair trading practices within the United States. DOC and ITC investigators are going to be examining the issue.

Fortunately, Canusa is flexible and able to pivot in response to such developments. “We’re having to adjust our supply chain quickly and dramatically, and this is where our overseas teams show their value even more. Their network of mill relationships around the world… is absolutely invaluable,” says McLaren. “They are traveling around the world—mainly in Asia but not exclusively—to find alternative products that meet our [expectations] and our customers’ expectations.”

He adds, “We’ve been through this two times before in the U.S. on Chinese plywood, and after each time we came out stronger with new product offerings, and we expect to do the same this time.”

McLaren is referring to a pair of similar legal challenges involving Chinese plywood exports to the U.S. These previous battles, which occurred in 2013 and 2017, helped kickstart product development at Canusa. Following the 2017 case, the company introduced Premcore Plus, a high-end, lightweight alternative wood panel from Indonesia prized for its clean edge (a product called Premcore had been available in Canada since 2004). Premcore Plus was followed two years later by Kingcore, a premium imported wood panel made to meet domestic plywood benchmarks.

The goal for all three products was “to meet or surpass U.S. plywood quality levels. The feedback we get from our customers that use it on a regular basis, based on quality points such as thickness, tolerance, core quality, and flatness, was that our quality does surpass certain domestic-made plywood products,” recounts McLaren.

So far, the company has not been impacted by the latest round of tariffs within North America “because wood products are excluded from reciprocal tariffs,” he says. That said, American regulators will be investigating wood product derivatives to determine the impact, if any, that trade in these goods has on U.S. national security.

Looking ahead, Goedbloed says, “in the future, maybe we’ll have an e-commerce system where customers can buy online and check inventory.” The company has also pondered the possibility of becoming more vertically integrated, and offering manufactured wood-based wares such as cabinets, tables, desks, and more in addition to panels. For the time being, however, there are no plans to add brand-new services or products; instead, Canusa staff are focused on expanding the company’s market reach.

“Right now, growth is top of mind for everyone here. We talk about it constantly. The next five years are all about growth for Canusa, whether it’s expanding market share in areas we are already selling or gaining more market share in places where we’re not active yet,” says McLaren.

That said, growth for growth’s sake is not in the cards. The aim is to expand while still maintaining Canusa Wood’s sterling reputation for quality and service. “Our goal is to not necessarily be the biggest importer of panel products in Canada and the U.S., but to be the best at what we do compared to our competition,” says McLaren.

The post Leading the Way for Half a Century<p class="company">Canusa Wood</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

With over 150,000 homeowners served and more than 450 full-time employees, Comfort Windows & Doors delivers custom-made windows, doors, roofing, siding, decks, sunrooms, enclosures, insulation, and bathroom remodels, all backed by service teams that support customers long after installation is complete.

Comfort’s origins lie in a simple but powerful insight that took root when Bill Putzer, along with co-founders Fritz and Laurie Gentile, recognized a critical flaw in the residential window industry: mass-produced windows couldn’t stand up to New York’s harsh climate. “We quickly realized that mass produced windows weren’t cutting it for New York winters. We needed something built by New Yorkers, for New York weather,” says Jordan Gentile, a second-generation company leader.

Since then, Comfort has remained committed to high-quality products and exceptional customer service—core values that have helped the team serve over 150,000 homeowners in nearly 47 years. And while windows and doors may be in the name, Comfort delivers much more—offering expert solutions in siding, sunrooms, decking, and roofing to fully transform your home from top to bottom.

Comfort took an important step early on by bringing manufacturing in-house, giving the team complete control over the quality, material selection, and energy efficiency standards that matter most to customers. This localized approach, designing products specifically made for the regional climate and manufacturing them on site, has become a competitive advantage for the business. It allows Comfort to move faster than national competitors and provide products that genuinely perform in upstate conditions. The result for homeowners is fewer delays, better communication, and more peace of mind. For the company, it means agility, especially in response to changing standards.

That agility proved essential in 2023, when the U.S. Department of Energy introduced stricter Energy Star 7 standards. Comfort was uniquely positioned to adapt immediately: the company quickly re-engineered its glass packages, upgraded all its products, and now holds the distinction of offering the most energy-efficient windows in New York State. Many of these products also qualify homeowners for federal tax credits, adding long-term value to their investment.

That level of control and agility applies to all stages of the business, since Comfort handles the entire home renovation process internally. Starting at the sale and moving through production, delivery, installation, and service, this vertical integration ensures that customers receive consistent quality, accountability, and fluency even after their project is complete. “Our windows are built here, installed here, and serviced here by our employees,” says Gentile. “If something goes wrong, we’re right there to make it right. That’s the Comfort promise.”

To keep this promise, the Comfort team has grown to over 450 employees across four branches. However, Comfort has prioritized internal advancement and career development over short-term hiring solutions, ensuring consistent quality and supporting team growth. Long-term employment is not just about benefits or pay, though Comfort is competitive in both; it’s about leadership that listens. Regional and departmental leaders meet regularly with field and factory workers to understand what they need, whether it’s better equipment, updated training, or work-life balance improvements.

Comfort’s current operations are concentrated in four major metro areas, each representing a strategic pillar of the company’s market presence. Syracuse serves as the flagship location, housing both the headquarters and manufacturing facility. In Rochester and Buffalo, rapid growth has been fueled by rising demand for energy-efficient products and dependable installations. Meanwhile, in Albany, Comfort has carved out a strong reputation in a competitive landscape by upholding high standards and ethical business practices, making it a top choice for discerning homeowners. When a homeowner works with Comfort on transforming their home, they know they are getting a reliable solution and quality products installed with skilled craftsmanship.

To ensure consistent service quality and support team growth, Comfort launched a companywide training program in Syracuse. There, new hires and veteran installers alike are brought up to speed with Comfort’s core standards, safety protocols, and customer service expectations. “Finding reliable, skilled tradespeople has been a challenge,” Jordan Gentile tells us. “So, we created our own training program to build from within, giving people tools and growth paths.” This program doesn’t just train; it mentors.

In an industry where labor shortages are acute, Comfort’s approach of investing in talent rather than chasing it externally is proving highly effective. Companywide training gives new and veteran installers alike the opportunity to not only become a better craftsman, but to use their skills at a company that cares for them and looks out for their best interest. That internal focus has resulted in impressive employee retention and even an emerging trend of second-generation team members. “We have second‑generation employees whose parents worked here. That’s a sign we’re doing something right,” shares Jason Passante, Corporate Marketing Director.

Unlike companies that sell out to private equity and vanish, Comfort remains privately owned and managed by the families who founded it. “We answer to our customers and team, not shareholders,” Gentile says. “We’re family-owned and here to stay.” Because Comfort is independent, the team can make long-term decisions without pressure from outside investors. That includes everything from hiring and product development to regional expansion and warranty terms.

The company has used this training approach to expand internally by scaling product lines that already enjoy high customer satisfaction. These include roofing, siding, deck enclosures, sunrooms, and bath renovations. Unlike window replacements, which are often a single-visit sale, these additional services let Comfort deepen relationships with customers over time.

The team’s commitment to ethics and integrity hasn’t gone unnoticed either. The company has received six Torch Awards for Marketplace Ethics from the Better Business Bureau—more than any other home improvement provider in its category. These awards recognize businesses that demonstrate the highest standards of honesty, transparency, and accountability. The company also consistently ranks on the Qualified Remodeler Top 500 list and has earned regional honors as a Top Workplace based on employee surveys. These recognitions aren’t just trophies; they reflect decades of trust, fairness, and follow-through.

Comfort isn’t the lowest bidder and that’s intentional. The company positions itself as a premium provider offering lifetime warranties, energy-efficient products, and unmatched service. Passante explains that many homeowners, especially first-time buyers, are drawn to low-price offers from popup contractors or out-of-state firms—but over time, Comfort’s reputation wins out. “We’re not a pickup-truck contractor,” Gentile adds. “We’re a family-owned business that stands behind every product we install.”

That reliability is especially critical in roofing, where poor workmanship can lead to expensive repairs. Comfort’s roofing systems include high-quality materials and a true lifetime warranty, backed both by the company and its manufacturing partners. This adds a layer of protection and assurance that most firms can’t offer. Homeowners also appreciate that Comfort handles its own service calls. If an issue arises, customers are not stuck chasing third-party installers or dealing with outsourced support. That accountability matters and it’s a major reason why referrals remain Comfort’s #1 source of new business.

Comfort also invests in sustainability. The company recycles manufacturing byproducts, adheres to green construction practices, and designs its windows and doors to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions for homeowners statewide.

As Comfort steps into its 47^th year, its leadership remains future-focused without sacrificing the principles that built the brand. Emerging technologies like smart home integration and AI-assisted design tools are also being evaluated, but Comfort is cautious: only innovations that enhance customer experience or product quality will be adopted. It’s not about chasing trends; it’s about leading where it matters.

“We want to grow, but we’ll only do it if we believe we can uphold the same promise our customers expect,” says Passante. “We’re not interested in just being the biggest; we want to be the best.”

Comfort Windows & Doors is proof that longevity in home improvement isn’t built overnight or undone by ambition. Instead, it’s forged through local expertise, employee investment, ethical leadership, and a refusal to compromise on product integrity. In a marketplace increasingly cluttered by aggressive roll-ups, private equity exits, and empty promises, Comfort stands as a refreshing alternative: a family-owned, community-rooted company that measures success in trust earned and trust maintained.

For homeowners seeking partners who live up to their word, install with care, and support solutions for the long term, Comfort Windows & Doors remains the home improvement company worth recommending for today, tomorrow, and generations to come.

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