As it turns out, many of those asking these questions have been providing practical, well-researched solutions for decades. Connecting with one of Canada’s most respected pro-environmental icons, Herb Hammond, forest ecologist and co-author of the 2024 book, Nature-First Cities: Restoring Relationships with Ecosystems and with Each Other, yielded fresh insights. I asked him for insight into practical tools to support those in the construction industry in making the shift toward regenerative design and building.

In Hammond’s experience, developing a sufficient frame of reference to understand regenerative design and how to achieve it demands education and a reset of perspective. Beyond his most recent publication, he cites another important read in developing this understanding—Earth Democracy: Justice, Sustainability, and Peace by Vandana Shiva, PhD in quantum theory from the University of Western Ontario. In Hammond’s opinion, this book is so crucial to the greater mission of urban ecological regeneration and saving the planet at large that it ought to be a prescribed work in high schools.

“For those [who] have already passed high school, her book [should] be required to be part of [design and construction] professions and all other occupations, particularly the occupation of politics,” he says. “Along with the brilliance of ecological apartheid, another of her important observations is ‘In Nature’s economy, the currency is not money, it is life.’”

For designers and those in the construction industry who find themselves stuck in outdated world views and ways of doing things, Hammond counsels establishing a connection with nature. Walking in nature, he suggests observing the self-regulation and self-maintenance that underscore biological processes and their seasonal changes—that we should notice how interconnected, interdependent ecosystems seamlessly combine to form larger systems. “Note that ecosystems exist at the full range of spatial and temporal scales, and, thus, when we plan activities in ecosystems, we must consider and accommodate the full range of spatial and temporal scales,” he says.

Once the basic experience and understanding of whole, intact ecosystems become clear, the need for equally complete service systems and their mechanisms—to develop genuinely healthy cities that are good for people to be in and resilient to flux—becomes obvious. He also notes that nature’s services to accomplish many such tasks are far cheaper than man-made and engineered solutions that are not resilient to change and cost a fortune to maintain.

For those in the construction industry looking to make a difference but uncertain of where to start, he also has a few suggestions. “Start with restoration of the natural composition, structure, and function of ecosystems in locations that are amenable to nature. Where people see her advantages [as opposed] to technical engineering fixes,” he says. He also suggests testing concepts on private land that is preferably free and easily accessible. “This restoration will lead to nodes of restored ecosystems, which become anchors for a network of fragments of nature and restored ecosystems.” Within the larger ecological matrix, these nodes include and connect to what Hammond refers to as the natural water movement network, originating in the backyards of private homes, which serve to restore and balance the impact of urbanization.

Equally imperative is realizing that regenerative design and construction are impossible without the valuable and powerful voices of industry leaders. As part of the education process that must underpin such involvement, Hammond’s advice is to consider collaborating with “practical ecologists able to think in the range of spatial and temporal scales within which nature exists.” In this way, industry leaders gain access to the academic, practical, and intrinsic understanding necessary to work harmoniously within the frameworks of ecological complexity rather than against it.

“Start by learning about natural ecosystem composition, structure, and function; ecosystem diversity; and the breadth of benefits, [such as] services provided by intact, natural ecosystems. Then compare that with the breadth, cost, and equity of engineered technical services,” he says.

In Nature-First Cities: Restoring Relationships with Ecosystems and with Each Other, an outstanding collaboration between academics from various disciplines, the authors provide practical solutions for inviting nature into cities without “disowning” inhabitants. The authors’ motivation for writing it invites the industry to deeper contemplation on the whys alongside the how-to of regenerative design. “People in cities want nature nearby. But when developers and city planners seek to incorporate nature, they often settle for the wrong nature (homogenized green space), in the wrong location (isolated patches determined by economic considerations), and in the wrong amount (not enough),” they write.

The solution underscoring the book’s thesis is led by the science and practice of Nature-Directed Stewardship (NDS). As the creator of the NDS system, developed in collaboration with First Peoples over decades, Hammond suggests becoming a respectful part of the ecosystems we ultimately embody, making NDS a field of study that will hopefully find its way into all civil design courses and even high schools. Because, as mainstream designers, architects, and construction experts inch ever closer to reimagining the wild side of urban human spaces and their impact on our wellbeing on a more intrinsic, wholesale level, meaningful resources and thought leadership like NDS stand to make it possible for just about anyone in the construction industry to contribute positively to this new epoch in the evolution of space making.

The key, however, is to bring home the message that we, as a species, are not at the top of a pyramidal food chain, but rather an integral part of many complex systems. David Suzuki perhaps put it best at a recent Broken Promises rally in Nelson, British Columbia. “We’ve shifted from an eco-centric way of seeing the world to an anthropocentric way. We think that we’re at the top of the pyramid. [That] we’re at the top [and] everything [else] is down below us,” he said. Therefore, to take regenerative urban development from the fringes of design (as the World Economic Forum describes its current position) into the mainstream, universities and other tertiary institutions must embrace the subject, as some institutions in Canada and elsewhere in North America are doing.

As this exciting new era of regenerative urban design takes root, the Universities of Calgary and Vancouver appear to be the most active so far. Some cities are also working hard to bring about change. One outstanding example of an American city that has committed to integrating environmental wellness into its development is Dania Beach in Florida, through its Broward County Sea Turtle Conservation Program (BCSTCP). Along with the county, the city and its locals act as true stewards of the loggerhead, leatherback, and green turtles that nest along its beaches. Even though these efforts are perhaps not a pure example of regenerative design per se, the passion and commitment with which Dania Beach and its communities work to provide extensive lighting ordinances, raise public awareness, and monitor initiatives to protect these vulnerable species—all while actively finding ways of adjusting urban development plans and the local lifestyle to safely accommodate these wild animals—is nothing short of commendable and an example to other cities across the continent.

Albeit slow, industry changes are becoming evident. In the world of architecture, the green wall concept is morphing from a futuristic design statement to an increasingly common feature. Interior design has seen many avant garde homes and even offices, like Google’s in Dublin, which features enough greenery to make it reminiscent of the Amazon on a massive corporate terrarium scale. Now that the world has awakened and biophilia is evolving into a recognized subject as regenerative urban design, the concept of smart cities appears to be reverting to the original definition of the word in the wake of technology failing human well-being.

Firmly rooted in social cohesion, regenerative urban design also stands to play an integral role in reestablishing the equilibrium that we lost during the brutalist post-World War design eras, which are ultimately the sources of social decay in many communities. By actively listening to the needs of communities and considering questions like those posed by Mahmoud Keshavarz on the obscured racialization of humanitarian design, civil designers aiming to establish social ownership of functional natural integration projects are more likely to achieve successful, sustainable outcomes in the long run when they become aware of the unconscious bias often involved in designing for multicultural societies.

Hammond agrees that it is helpful to remind ourselves of our unconscious biases. “The ecological, social, and economic benefits that flow from [the regenerative] process will convince virtually anyone that cities and urban areas that protect and restore nature work for everyone. One important caveat to this statement is that this process must be rooted in equity, where all benefit,” he says.

And so, the final takeaway is simple. While regenerative design may be a shiny new buzzword, the reality is that achieving it will take a commitment to changing how we think about establishing nature within urban settings. Successfully creating connected, thriving ecosystems within the urban landscape demands closer collaboration between landscapers, architectural and interior designers, and even nature conservators and the preservers of traditional knowledge of the land—as we see in the range of academic schools of thought that brought Nature-First Cities to life.

As Herb Hammond says in this timely book, “Nature belongs where we are, and we belong in nature. From that premise flows an invitation that enhances cities, restores our relationship with nature, and rebuilds our relationships with each other.” While these ideas may appear foreign to us now, his team’s research shows that combining nature with higher density through regenerative design is the secret to success. “Most importantly, [regenerative urbanization] needs to be built on reciprocity. We’re given a gift. We have an obligation to give back,” he adds.

The post Building With Nature<p class="company">Urban Renewal through Regenerative Design and Construction</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

This a significant segment of construction workers—and this is not only about the numbers, critical as they are; it is also about the loss of knowledge that leaves with a generation that retires.

At the same time this sliver tsunami is happening, there is also another seismic change taking place. The industry itself is shifting from almost exclusively manual work to more digitally connected work, including drone surveying and other autonomous machinery. Change brings challenge and opportunity, and that is why it is pivotal for the construction industry to make a connection with Gen Z workers and future generations whose lives revolve around digital tech pretty much as soon as they can walk. But attracting a new generation of workers takes a concerted effort.

An important place to start is by understanding the economic and workplace forces that are shaping choices for these generations.

One of the primary changes is the cost of pursuing an education continues to go up. In the past 10-plus years, tuition has risen as much as 30 percent, CNBC reports. These costs are leading young people to take a hard look at what education means, and more are considering vocational training as a way to gain the experience that will translate into direct career opportunities. The construction industry is in a prime position to bridge the skills that many are looking for.

Combine that with the potential impact AI will make as it continues to mature and changes the landscape for traditional desk jobs. There is a very real opportunity to attract a younger crowd that could have a long-term impact on the industry. To do that means getting into schools to reach out to kids, as well as focusing on influencers, parents, and guidance counsellors to move past the old, outdated view of construction.

By making vocational training more ubiquitous, kids will be more open to the opportunities in the industry that are available to them. Initiatives like sponsoring builders’ clubs and hosting onsite tours can show kids what construction looks like and dispel some of the outdated views of the industry. It is also a way to showcase the modern, technology-driven aspects of the sector and emphasize the career security that comes with the field through ongoing labor demand. Mentorships and tuition reimbursement for training can be motivating for young people as well.

Further, there is an opportunity for the industry to reach young people who may otherwise not have options through the college system. The Ohio Construction Academy, for example, is a community school (or charter school) that is funded by the Ohio Department of Education. The academy offers students in Grades 9 to 12, or from the ages of 14 to 22, who live in the local community and do not possess a high school diploma or the equivalent, the opportunity to gain carpentry and electrical training. While enrolled, students spend part of the day working on their academic requirements to receive a diploma and the rest of each day is spent building their skills in a workshop adjacent to the classroom areas.

Like many good ideas, this academy was born from necessity. The central Ohio chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors saw the coming skilled trades shortfall and opened the academy to get ahead of it. “We decided to take a hands-on approach,” Barton Hacker, Chapter President and CEO, told a local news service. The academy is connected to an adult apprenticeship program that the Associated Builders and Contractors already managed.

A public-private partnership approach like this can create opportunities not only for the construction industry, but for youth who are looking for a career path.

Further north, in Canada, the government of Ontario launched what is called a Specialist High Skills Major where students can work toward a high school diploma but also focus their education on a particular economic sector like construction, mining, or agriculture. When they complete the program, they have a high school education and valuable training in their field of interest.

All of this can be very compelling to a young person coming out of high school who doesn’t want to take on excessive debt for education (while the prospects for long-term careers may be less certain than before). Vocational experience can lead to making good money quickly or even while learning. And career progression can move faster because of ongoing demand, with many individuals moving swiftly from a trade worker to a foreperson or project manager.

It is not only younger workers that will keep the construction industry going. There is also a huge, untapped pool of potential workers out there: women. Construction is often considered too heavily male-dominated to attract women to the industry, with men accounting for about 89 percent of the construction workforce in the U.S. The truth is that many women who might otherwise be interested in the field can be put off by accounts of harassment, an environment that is not conducive to family responsibilities, or even the reality that finding basic PPE to fit can be a challenge.

If the industry is serious about bringing in the next generation of workers, it needs to take an intentional approach to stomping out instances of harassment and providing mentorship opportunities to pair newly hired women with experienced workers who can take them through how to best work in a male-dominated environment.

In an opinion piece for the St. Louis Business Journal, Elizabeth Zucker, president of the St. Louis Business Unit, Clayco, talks about the value that women can bring to the construction industry: “Despite the urgent need for talent, women hold just 11 percent of construction jobs, with even fewer women holding leadership roles in both the C-suite and the field,” Zucker writes. “The unfortunate reality is that many women who pursue a career in the construction industry aren’t always put in positions to succeed and advance. A recent study from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research found that more than four in 10 women working in construction have seriously considered leaving their jobs because of discrimination, harassment, and being held to a different standard than their male coworkers.”

Zucker goes on to offer some ways to make the industry a better option for women. One of the most powerful ways to challenge stereotypes and break down barriers is seeing representation in jobs and careers that young people might not normally be exposed to. For example, the Clayco NOW (Network of Women) program supports a host of initiatives geared toward developing the next generation of female construction workers and leaders. Young girls in particular need exposure to the idea that the construction industry and skilled trades are a viable career path and need role models and mentors so they can see what success looks like. “If we want to close the labor gap and attract the next generation of construction workers, we must open the door wider and make women part of the solution,” writes Zucker.

Whether it is attracting women or young people in general, the construction industry needs to take a multifaceted approach to creating a healthy talent pipeline of workers before the impact of the silver tsunami is really felt. That means partnering with schools, using digital innovations to attract more people, and being intentional about mentorship programs to show students where a career in construction can take them. It will also likely take some soul searching to ensure that the work environment is an open one. Otherwise, coming back from a tidal wave could be extremely difficult.

The post Building the Workforce<p class="company">Attracting the Tech Generation</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

View Homes is a unique, award-winning home building company based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with a multi-state presence, a flair for aesthetics, and a reputation for customer support. This firm offers a wide array of new homes to prospective buyers in different communities in a variety of styles, sizes, and price points.

In operation for over 30 years, View Homes works with a series of franchise partners and brands including Horizon View Homes, Aspen View Homes, and Desert View Homes. Through these partners, the company provides affordable luxury across New Mexico, Texas, Iowa, South Dakota, and Colorado. But what sets the company apart isn’t just how many homes it builds; it’s how it builds them. At the heart of its philosophy is a simple belief: “build high-quality, forward-thinking homes in places people want to live, [and] you’ll have happy customers for life.” This insight guides everything View Homes does.

Indeed, View Homes doesn’t chase trends; instead, it learns from people, with a design process that begins with understanding how buyers want to live. That means creating floorplans and communities that feel intuitive and welcoming, spaces that blend timeless style with practical features people truly appreciate. Standard offerings often include upgrades that other builders might charge extra for, so homeowners get added value as a baseline.

The company pairs its construction expertise with “best-in-class customer service,” a commitment to guiding buyers from first look through closing and beyond. This commitment is designed to exceed expectations at every step, a promise that has contributed to the company’s growth and reputation and been recognized by the broader industry with a series of awards, including the NRS Award in Customer Satisfaction, two consecutive “Builder of the Year” awards, and the Better Business Bureau Torch Award, the organization’s highest honor for ethics and business practices.

The company’s transparent, service-first approach is exemplified by its easy-to-navigate website, launched in 2023. Since a home is one of the biggest investments a family will make, View Homes takes that responsibility seriously, making it easy at every step for prospective buyers to find what they’re looking for. As Valerie Varney, View Homes National Vice President of Marketing, puts it, “We wanted a site that reflects the innovative approach we take when building our homes. Not only does our new site offer a fresh modern look, but the ease of use and new customization elements allow for a more intuitive and responsive user experience. It’s never been simpler to find the View home that perfectly suits your family’s needs,” she says.

The “Find Your Home” tab offers a wealth of information about a range of properties and neighborhoods, while Community Overviews note key details such as local schools, parks, nearby Interstates, military bases, retail offerings, and more—all important details for people looking for a place to settle and put down roots. Potential buyers can also enjoy digital walkthroughs of the company’s home designs to gain a better feel for the interiors, exteriors, and overall space, and can access advice for first-time homebuyers, tips for accessing financing, and more.

View Homes’ website also showcases its Thoughtful Home Collection, an “unparalleled collection of homes [that] represents decades of experience and research, resulting in our most technologically advanced residences to date,” says the company.

This collection consists of attractive houses with high-tech touches and user-friendly features, representing “the ultimate in modern living.” Each Thoughtful Home comes with a top-end HVAC system, a fully finished garage with heating/cooling and epoxy floors, a water treatment system, a touchless faucet and soft close kitchen cabinets, “Whole House” connectivity and a Wi-fi network on each floor, three garage lifestyle options (a murphy bar, a fitness area, or a work bench), and an Amazon drop box on the front porch.

The Thoughtful Home Collection is currently offered at Callan Village in Waco, Texas, and at The View at Desert Springs in El Paso, Texas.

To be sure, View Homes has built a robust marketplace presence with its family of brands, each reflecting the unique character of its region while maintaining the company’s core values of quality and customer focus. The company also offers a Local Builder Program, inviting experienced homebuilders and construction professionals to bring View Homes’ models and values to new markets. This program taps into shared technology, design resources, and operational support to help partners succeed under the View Homes umbrella.

Ultimately, View Homes does more than just sell homes; it builds neighborhoods and strengthens entire communities. The company values compassion, excellence, honesty, and collaboration, and these principles inform all aspects of the business, from material selection to sales, marketing, and post-purchase service. Support for clients doesn’t end once the homeowners receive the key to their property; rather, View Homes provides warranties along with support for customers experiencing after-hours emergencies, who can contact the company for intervention.

View Homes represents a hybrid model in the homebuilding space: a company with enough scale to operate across multiple states and brands, but with a commitment to craftsmanship and customer feedback more commonly seen with regional or boutique builders. From first-time buyers to people upgrading into their forever homes, View Homes focuses on the human side of homebuilding, delivering places where families can grow, thrive, and make memories. The company’s ongoing evolution—including dynamic online tools—reflects a company that listens to its customers and adapts without losing sight of its foundational values.

As the firm continues to grow, its mission remains the same: to provide great properties at decent prices, paired with excellent customer service during all aspects of the homebuying experience.

The post Creating Happy Customers for Life<p class="company">View Homes</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

As the company marks its 20^th anniversary, Steelwrist’s evolution offers a clear case study in how disciplined product development, vertically integrated engineering, and market patience can reshape adoption curves in construction equipment. Steelwrist’s story began the way many industrial success stories do: small, focused, and engineering-driven. Founded in Sweden two decades ago, the company started with a narrow mission to develop robust, efficient tiltrotators that improved excavator productivity without compromising machine performance.

That focus has remained intact as the company scaled globally. “This company technically started out of a garage like some other big businesses, and now we’re in multiple entities around the world, with a massive facility in Rosersberg, Sweden, which is our main corporate headquarters,” says Peter Gaj, President of Steelwrist for North America and Vice President of Steelwrist Global.

Today, Steelwrist operates in more than 20 countries, with Sweden still anchoring product development, engineering, and casting expertise. Rather than outsourcing core systems, the company made a deliberate decision to build an in-house ecosystem. Steelwrist acquired SVAB, its control system and joystick manufacturer, and a bucket and attachment manufacturer, bringing hydraulics and electronics under one roof. That integration is not a branding exercise; it is operational leverage. Engineering teams work directly across product lines, enabling faster iteration and fewer compromises between mechanical, hydraulic, and digital systems.

Steelwrist formally launched its North American entity at the end of 2017, beginning operations in 2018 with a single employee and a small facility in Berlin, Connecticut. At the time, tiltrotators were well established in Europe but still unfamiliar to most U.S. and Canadian contractors. The company anticipated slow adoption and planned accordingly. “Europe is often ahead of North America when it comes to technology… Tiltrotators are very big in Europe. Now they’re starting to gain traction here, and we’re starting to see double-digit gains each year,” says Gaj.

The comparison mirrors earlier adoption cycles for machine control and 3D GPS systems. What was standard in Europe for years eventually gained traction in North America once contractors saw consistent productivity and fuel-efficiency gains. Steelwrist used that time to educate dealers and refine its product lineup for North American jobsite realities. Landscaping contractors were among the first to see value, followed by utility, site work, and now demolition and mid-size machine segments.

By late 2024, the growth curve justified a major leap, and Steelwrist moved from its original 15,000-square-foot facility into a 90,000-square-foot building in Newington, Connecticut, expanding both warehousing and assembly operations. But the most consequential step in Steelwrist’s North American strategy is manufacturing. In February 2026, the company will officially inaugurate a new manufacturing operation at its Connecticut facility, dedicated to producing equipment specifically for the U.S. market, a move that addresses one of the biggest friction points in heavy equipment purchasing: lead time.

“This U.S. market doesn’t accept a 12 to 13-week delivery time; they just go to the next person in line,” says Gaj. Previously, equipment built in Sweden required weeks of production followed by ocean transit. While acceptable in some markets, that timeline clashed with North American contractors accustomed to near-immediate availability.

Localized manufacturing changes that equation. Faster delivery improves customer satisfaction and allows Steelwrist to scale without relying solely on transatlantic logistics. Over time, the company expects the Connecticut operation to expand in capacity, with long-term plans that include a future West Coast presence as demand grows.

At the core of Steelwrist’s product performance is its use of steel cast components rather than traditional fabricated steel assemblies. The distinction matters, particularly at the end of an excavator stick where every kilogram affects breakout force, stability, and fuel consumption. “When you start putting couplers and tiltrotators on the end of a stick, you’re adding weight, and that impacts breakout force and digging performance. Steel casting lets us reduce weight while maintaining strength,” Gaj explains.

Steelwrist’s steel cast components retain weldability, ensuring serviceability in the field. The reduced mass improves machine balance and minimizes the cascading performance losses that occur when attachments grow heavier. This design philosophy supports the “sandwich” configuration many contractors prefer—a quick coupler on top, a tiltrotator in the middle, and a second coupler below, without overloading the excavator.

One of Steelwrist’s most anticipated recent developments is the SQ40 fully automatic quick coupler, designed for smaller excavators in the important four to six ton segment. Its release completes Steelwrist’s fully automatic coupling range from SQ40 through SQ90. The SQ system allows operators to change hydraulic attachments without leaving the cab. Hydraulic connections engage automatically, eliminating manual hose handling, reducing oil spills, and significantly cutting changeover time. “What the SQ system does is save time, save cost, and eliminate the need for someone on the ground changing hoses. It’s safer and more efficient,” Gaj explains.

In demolition, the impact is even more pronounced. Contractors traditionally bring multiple machines to a site, each dedicated to a single attachment, because switching tools manually is slow and labor-intensive. With SQ couplers, a single machine can cycle between breakers, pulverisers, and grapples in seconds. Steelwrist has assigned dedicated resources to the demolition segment, recognizing that equipment utilization, not just purchase price, drives contractor economics.

As attachment systems become more advanced, control complexity can become a barrier, and this is where Steelwrist’s QuantumConnect platform comes in. This system replaces previous control architectures with a simplified plug-and-play setup that reduces installation time by nearly half. Remote diagnostics allow technicians to access fault codes, troubleshoot, and perform over-the-air system updates without physically visiting the machine. “With QuantumConnect, we’ve eliminated close to 50 percent of the parts and install times drop dramatically; it’s simpler, faster, and smarter,” Gaj says.

The platform also introduces new A9 joysticks with enhanced ergonomics, programmable functions, haptic feedback, and heating for cold-weather operation. Combined with the Installmate app featuring machine-specific, step-by-step installation guidance, Steelwrist is shifting complexity away from dealers and contractors and embedding it into the system itself.

While landscaping initially drove North American adoption, Steelwrist now sees demand expanding into mid-size machines and heavier applications. Utility contractors and demolition firms increasingly recognize the productivity gains of tiltrotators paired with automatic couplers. And the numbers illustrate the opportunity. In Scandinavia, approximately 90 percent of new excavators ship with tiltrotators, while in North America, that figure remains near one percent. The gap represents potential, not saturation. “Tiltrotators have been around for 30 years in Europe. Here, it’s only been six, and the penetration rate shows how much room there is to grow,” Gaj notes.

In terms of sustainability, Steelwrist approaches it from an operational standpoint. The company’s position is straightforward: make machines more efficient, and environmental benefits follow naturally. By allowing excavators to work from a single position, tilting 45 degrees in either direction and rotating 360 degrees, tiltrotators reduce tracking and fuel consumption, with Steelwrist estimating efficiency gains of 20 to 40 percent depending on the application. That efficiency translates into reduced wear on components and longer machine life, outcomes that matter to contractors managing rising fuel and maintenance costs.

Beyond its products and facilities, Steelwrist attributes much of its growth to culture. The company operates around three core values: responsive, simple, and fast. “Those three values are the heart of the company, and they guide every decision we make,” says Gaj. The philosophy extends to decision-making authority. Sales and support teams are empowered to resolve issues without navigating layers of management, provided they act in the customer’s best interest. That trust accelerates problem-solving and reinforces accountability. As Steelwrist expands globally, maintaining that culture remains a priority, particularly as local teams take on greater responsibility.

As Steelwrist enters 2026, leadership continuity will play a critical role. Gaj will assume the role of President of Steelwrist North America on February 1 while also becoming Vice President of Steelwrist Global, overseeing operations across North and South America. The timing aligns with manufacturing expansion, new product releases, and increased market visibility at the upcoming CONEXPO-CON/AGG in Las Vegas.

From its Swedish roots to its growing North American footprint, Steelwrist’s trajectory reflects a company that values technical integrity and long-term commitment. At 20 years in, its next chapter is less about proving the technology and more about scaling it responsibly in a market finally ready to adopt it.

The post Engineering Efficiency Into the Excavator<p class="company">Steelwrist</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

John W. McDougall Co., Inc. (JWM) of Nashville, Tennessee is recognized for its outstanding architectural work and state-of-the-art processing facility. JWM is built to handle large fabrication and installation projects. Currently, the company is busy contributing to both the appearance and function of the burgeoning data centers that spread from Georgia to Virginia to Utah to Texas, and beyond.

As a company providing premium architecture and engineering products and service with outstanding customer care, reduced lead times and lean operations are standard practice. As a result, JWM is proud to have some of the country’s most respected OEMs, architects, and construction leaders among its clientele. “We’re a proudly American company that’s investing in its production facilities to be able to offer products throughout the country,” says Chris Ball, COO.

Growing to meet needs
In addition to JWM’s field operations and wholesale parts supply, longstanding vendor partnerships, including those involving custom resale lines, have positioned the company to make substantial internal investments. Just over two years ago, the company invested $10 million in a 27,000-square-foot powder coating facility offering eco-friendly, AAMA 2605-certified finishes. As of 2025, this powder coating facility is officially home to one of the largest batch oven setups in the United States.

These powder coated finishes provide superior durability and a cleaner, safer alternative to traditional solvent-based liquid coatings. This environmental awareness extends to the company’s preference for doing bus1iness with LEED-certified vendors and stocking recycled metal whenever possible.

In Burns, Tennessee, JWM’s facility is within easy reach of the company’s fabrication facility, and with the ability to operate three shifts on a seven-day work week, the company has the capacity to scale and meet all customer needs. This dedicated powder coating operation is fully integrated with JWM’s fabrication workflow, allowing clients to benefit from reduced handoffs, streamlined timelines, and a seamless, one-stop manufacturing process.

Employing cutting-edge technology that affords impressive custom fabrication, the company’s line of equipment includes a Trumpf 7000, sophisticated Trumpf punches, robotic welding capabilities, seven Trumpf press brakes, CNC routing tables, Trumpf flat and tube lasers, and much more, enabling the company to excel in terms of complex geometry, custom fabrication, speed, scale, precision.

JWM’s commitment to precision begins in its processing division, which achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification in 2019. This rigorous quality management system ensures that high-volume industrial services, such as rolling, leveling, and contract manufacturing of metal components, are executed to meet the most demanding industrial tolerances.

While processing provides the technical foundation, the architectural division focuses on specialized solutions, most notably custom parking garage screens. As bespoke metal façades become the new standard of modern architecture, JWM utilizes fabrication-led design assist to bridge the gap between aesthetic trends and structural realities. This approach allows the team to translate complex, geometric designs and images into high-performance perforated systems.

Turning these ambitious designs into reality requires a team that thrives on technical challenges. “What I really love about this team is that it’s driven by problem solvers,” says Ball. When JWM partners early in the project engineering, its design assist services consistently optimize material usage, create innovative custom panel systems, and streamline construction deadlines.

The team’s problem-solving capabilities are rigorously validated in private laboratories for challenging applications such as ensuring compliance with the stringent building codes of Florida and other hurricane-prone regions. Such high standards of execution have earned JWM the distinction of being one of only three approved American installers of advanced German Metawell® panel systems. This expertise extends across the company’s entire architectural portfolio—from design-assist and fabrication to final installation—and encompasses everything from ACM and perforated panels to sunshades and louvers.

80 years of resilience, innovation, and family
Founded by John W. McDougall in 1938, JWM has a proud history of being adaptable and resilient—and of working on some considerable projects. It was first established as a manufacturers’ representative agency before evolving into precision metal fabrication work. In the 1940s, during World War II, the firm pivoted toward heavy production and sheet metal work, notably providing 1,000 tons of ductwork for the Manhattan Project, the most stringently secret program of WWII and source of the first atomic bomb.

In a rather different vein, 1982 saw the company’s completion of Spaceship Earth, Disney World’s Epcot Park’s marquee attraction. JWM also worked on Disney’s Monorail and Contemporary Hotel, employing aluminum composite.

In 2001, Alec McDougall, the third generation, took over day-to-day operations of the company, continuing to strengthen JWM’s legacy by navigating modern challenges and supporting its further growth. Notable projects during this era include the FedEx Forum in Memphis and the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, each showcasing JWM’s evolving expertise.

And today, the company is proud to have on the team the fourth generation, Project Manager, Wylie McDougall, great-grandson of the founder, who will soon be joined by his brother, Roger, in learning the family business.

Employees—the best recruiters
To be sure, the family atmosphere extends beyond the McDougalls themselves; JWM works hard to create a culture in which all its people come to work with a sense of belonging. Building an enduring company means genuinely looking after its people, holding them accountable, and empowering them in the process, Ball explains. “When you don’t have a clear standard, and you don’t have transparency, holding people accountable becomes difficult,” he says. Setting the standard, together with ensuring that people have the opportunity to advance in their positions, fosters a hardworking, dedicated team of can-do people.

Indeed, management’s commitment to building a healthy work environment is paying off in the best way possible. By training staff in the finer details of recruitment, they are now taking up the task of finding the best cultural fits for the growing company. To achieve this, thought-leading training is provided by WELL BUILT Consulting of Baltimore, and is proving to be just the staffing solution the company had been hoping for. “They offer training on how happy employees can recruit just from being open in the marketplace. We’re always looking for good people,” Ball says.

Finding these good people means looking beyond stereotypes and collaborating with organizations like Nashville Rescue Mission, a life recovery program that helps people who have fallen on hard times and need help getting back on their feet.

“I’m proud of the growth and grit our team shows every day. I see team members pushing themselves and growing in every corner of the company,” Ball says. “The talent we have within this team is real, and as we stay focused on our goals and executing our vision, there really is no limit to what we can achieve.”

Prestige projects
This is evident in the range of prestigious projects and ongoing work seen in the company’s portfolio: the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Hub for Collaborative Medicine, completed in 2018, was a partnership with Flad Architects which saw the JWM team complete the exterior façade of an eight-story, 310,000-square-foot building that accommodates more than 1,400 physicians, nurse practitioners, researchers, and healthcare staff in a dedicated, central workplace. For this project, JWM provided 75,000 square feet of 4mm Aluminum Composite Material (ACM) panels, utilizing a coil-coated anodic clear finish to create a sleek and modern aesthetic.

The company has also been contributing to the ongoing modernization and expansion of Nashville International Airport (BNA), a landmark in the city’s southeastern corridor. JWM’s work here has comprised fabrication and installation across approximately 608,000 square feet, incorporating a variety of systems, including ACM 600 Series panels, perforated metal panels, Genesis system, insulated metal panels, ACM and stainless-steel column covers, limestone panels, and terracotta. This work has been in support of BNA Vision, the airport’s initial $1.4 billion renovation phase, which added a new international arrivals facility, a satellite concourse, and enhanced parking structures. With the airport moving into another billion-dollar initiative, the New Horizon phase, JWM’s focus “remains on quality and precision as we assist in transforming Concourse A, expanding gates in Concourse D, and advancing infrastructure upgrades,” says the firm.

And for the Google New Albany Data Center in New Albany, Ohio, completed in 2023, JWM provided both fabrication and installation services, utilizing its 600 Series Dry (Reveal) system. The company’s aluminum and phenolic panel installation delivered durability and precision, enhancing the center’s functionality and robust design, with work that included approximately 1,089 aluminum plate and phenolic panels, covering a total of 30,433 net square feet. The installation supports the data center’s rigorous operational and security environment, which allows this data center to operate under certifications including FedRAMP, HIPAA, and ISO 27001.

In fact, data centers remain a large source of work, with JWM fabricating and assembling fan bases as large as 30’ x 10’. To support data-center cooling systems, the company fabricates 24 massive floor and ceiling base units each week, each measuring 14’ x 13’, in addition to six 37’ x 11’ floor and ceiling bases and eight 10’ industrial radiator fan bases. Due to noise and aesthetic concerns for neighbors, JWM is also developing comprehensive acoustic solutions for these data centers in the form of visually appealing, noise-reducing louvers.

Eyes on the future
Certainly, the company’s breadth of expertise has led to its success in a wide range of fields. This is a company unafraid to take on the big projects, the showpieces that stand out from the pack. But while JWM has seen continued record growth over the past few years, as a longstanding family firm, balancing technical skill with family values remains of primary importance. At the end of the day, it is the continued evolution of the company’s culture that truly drives its performance and growth.

As John W. McDougall Co., Inc. looks ahead, its sights are firmly set on expansion, innovation, and leadership within the architectural metals and advanced fabrication space. The company’s continued investments in technology, vertically integrated capabilities, and scalable production position it to meet the varied demands of complex architectural projects nationwide. Underpinned by a strong foundation of nearly eight decades of experience—yet never afraid to evolve with the times—JWM is not simply responding to market growth; it is helping shape how America’s most visible and mission-critical structures are built, how they perform, and how they endure.

We look forward to seeing where the next 80 years take this dynamic and enduring company.

The post So Many Ways to Help America Look Its Best<p class="company">John W. McDougall Co., Inc.</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

Now under the RagnarTech, Inc. banner, Ragnarsson and his core team of professionals are forging yet another path forward, breaking new ground with that familiar commitment to continuous improvement and innovation that originated with Ragnarsson and now shapes this company’s DNA.

RagnarTech engineers and manufactures practical equipment that improves safety, optimizes performance, and reduces operating costs, making the work easier on site, on the environment, and on the bottom line. RagnarTech also serves as the exclusive North American distributor for JAK-Metalli Oy tree shears and UFKES Greentec chippers.

The RagnarTech 9700 is an extremely productive grinder that supports land clearing, stumps, yard waste, wood debris, and regrind of a variety of materials, while the RagnarTech 9400 serves as an HZ shredder, grinder, and chipper that can support medium contaminated material, high volumes of wood, and other debris.

Designed for application, the equipment comes in a variety of configurations to precisely meet the user’s needs with the promise of elevated performance, quality, and unmatched factory-direct service, a value proposition that has confirmed RagnarTech as the kind of market pace-setter that continually pushes the bar higher for itself, the competition, and the industry.

Rooted in innovation
Born and raised on a farm in Sweden, Anders Ragnarsson’s upbringing helped shape his genius for innovation, using his own insight and expertise to design equipment that intimately addresses the user’s needs in unique ways. After arriving in the U.S. in the 1980s, Ragnarsson established a tree service company and was quickly confronted with the limitations of existing wood waste processing equipment, which laid the groundwork for the next 40 years.

Credited as “a great mind,” it was Ragnarsson’s innovative approach, the unmatched performance of his machines, and the integrity with which he conducted business that won the respect of the industry. “He thought he could make a better version,” says Vice President Nate Eskeland, and so he did, time and again throughout his career with different companies and different iterations of his innovation.

In 1995, Ragnarsson moved away from tree service and established CBI with the launch of a mobile wood grinder that addressed a performance gap in the market. It also happened to steal the attention of the many operators who desired that level of quality and throughput.

In 2016, the decision was made to sell the company that he had built from the ground up. “After 25 years of starting and growing CBI and having the reputation of building the best grinder on the market, they eventually sold it to a large public company called Terex back in 2016 and Ragnarsson had a non-compete there for many years,” explains Eskeland, who knew that Ragnarsson’s plan was always to get back into the market when the non-compete expired.

After years of corporate ownership, Eskeland noticed the market was ready for his return. “Over the years, all of our legacy customers that we sold these really high-quality machines to have been knocking on our door, saying, ‘When are you guys going to get back into the grinder market? We want something better than what they’re making now.’”

Naturally, Ragnarsson had been working on something, but rather than launching this equipment for himself, it was purchased by Tiger Cat, a world-class Canadian manufacturer of large forestry equipment. “So, he designed the CBI grinder and now Tiger Cat’s,” says Eskeland, which meant that Ragnarsson’s designs had a corner on the market. Of course, he didn’t stop there.

In 2019, the time had come for Ragnarsson to relaunch his own venture, which is how RagnarTech, Inc. came to be. Built upon that same quality, service, and innovation that the market came to expect, and supported by the industry’s best, he was going to pull it off on a smaller scale both in terms of the equipment and the operation.

Outperforming in every way
From its 25,000-square-foot facility in New Hampshire, RagnarTech supports operators around the globe who prioritize quality engineering and high-performance equipment that is built to last, minimizing downtime and optimizing throughput.

Just as Ragnarsson’s return to the market created a buzz among former customers, the same reaction took place among former employees of his, like Eskeland, who joined him at CBI in 2003 right out of high school, as well as the engineering manager and production manager who rejoined him at RagnarTech and re-formed the core of a quality team.

“We’ve all worked together for so many years, and we just know how to do things. You can make an argument that we have here the most experienced personnel in the grinding world, and it shows in our innovation,” says Eskeland, who assures us that when you call RagnarTech, you will speak to someone who knows what they are talking about when it comes to the company’s manufacturer-direct support.

Together, they “went back to building quality grinders again,” reengineering the designs using only the highest quality inputs like high-pressure plate from Scandinavia and the John Deere JD18, which Eskeland refers to as a “game changer.” For the better part of the previous two decades, Caterpillar’s diesel engine had been the standard, and while it is still available, RagnarTech and its customers have demonstrated the reason for the departure.

“We were building machines from 700 to 1200 horsepower, and there were basically three engine models that covered that horsepower range, and it was only ever Cat. However, with our new machines, the 9700 and 9400, John Deere came out with a new 18-liter 908-horsepower engine that has no DEF, EGR, or DPF while still meeting Tier 4 standards,” says Eskeland.

The ability of John Deere’s inline six, an 18-liter, 908-horsepower engine, to compete with Caterpillar’s C27, a 1050-horsepower V12, is a surprise to many, but what is most significant is the price tag, which is significantly less costly.

Eye-opening quality
A client who took delivery of a RagnarTech grinder early this summer quickly identified the performance advantages and cost savings associated with its operation compared to the legacy equipment they were running.

“They’ve got about 1000 hours on it, but in the first one or two months of running it, they got numbers that blew us away,” Eskeland shares. Not only was the new John Deere engine outperforming their other grinders with 1050 horsepower; the client was achieving eight-to-ten-minute trailer loads, saving two minutes on average.

Beyond performance, the equipment burns less fuel, using only 28 gallons of fuel compared to the previous 52-gallon amounts, for impressive cost savings and tangible environmental benefits. Additionally, not needing DEF, DPF, and EGRs results in lower overall maintenance costs.

“The numbers have blown them away… I won’t get into the design much, but it’s not just the engine—with our improved feeding system, it feeds more aggressively, which we attribute to better production than higher horsepower machines,” Eskeland says.

According to customer-reported data, even the components of the equipment are holding up better than the competition. The tips, which are used to grind down the material, performed for 350 hours before needing replacement, compared to 80 hours from competitors’ tip sets in comparable material.

One of the biggest industry challenges that Eskeland has experienced over his time in the sector is persistent quality issues due to premature part wear. Certainly, price is important, but when cost savings of this magnitude are being achieved, the upfront costs of quality are negligible. “It’s a little bit more expensive, but you know what? When you’re in the woods on a pipeline where you’re grinding for a billion or multi-billion dollar energy company that needs right-away work, when that machine goes down, saving a few bucks because you wanted to buy something where the steel wasn’t quite as good, that cost difference doesn’t matter at that point.”

The philosophy at RagnarTech is to “engineer in the quality,” and not apologize for being a little bit more expensive because the value of the equipment’s performance speaks for itself.

Only the beginning
With experience, expertise, and a culture of innovation that starts at the top and permeates the ranks, RagnarTech has only just begun making its impact on the market.

As it grows slowly and steadily, in both size and capacity, through the addition of strategically located parts and service hubs and a vetted distribution network, the company will continue to take on as much work as it can, though demand is likely to outpace supply for a while, especially as word has it that Ragnarsson once again has a springboard for his creativity and innovation.

“Not only does he know the equipment, but he is intimately involved in the industry and what people are doing and how they’re doing it and why they’re doing it—and that’s what really drives the innovation,” says Eskeland. “He’s made quite an impact on not only the wood processing industry but the recycling world. There aren’t a lot of people who’ve been owners or know anything about wood grinding that don’t know the name Anders Ragnarsson.”

The post Quality, Innovation, and a Runaway Reputation<p class="company">RagnarTech</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

New locations have been added as recently as fall of 2025, and growth has also occurred thanks to cooperative contracts in municipal and governmental sales, both of which have accelerated business operations. According to Thielbar, the company also has some new technological innovations with a broadening of technology and user interfaces. This is especially true as it pertains to safety in its spray patching and asphalt crack sealing product lines, the latter of which will see new technology in the first quarter of 2026.

The technology at the core of Cimline products lies in the interface of the machine control, which is used to eliminate variables for operator error and allows for better ergonomics and less physical exertion for the end user. Ultimately, these advantages make for a higher product rate as well as telematic reporting back to the home office. “We do want user feedback,” says Thielbar, especially from the end user and the dealer network.

For example, in its M4 crack sealer product, the team wanted to update a pre-existing product for greater job performance, safety, and ergonomics. To do this, it identified four high-use contractors of the specific size of machine being made, then reached out directly to identify areas for improvement. This process, says Thielbar, helps the company broaden its understanding and make sure it is detailing the right areas in its product suite.

The feedback received often applies to areas like use, melt rate, productivity, maintenance, upkeep, and various other issues. By merging this list with original company points, as well as keeping the dealer and end contractor informed of any changes, the engineering team can build the machine through computer-aided design programming. After obtaining final feedback from the advisory council, the pilot unit can be built, after which contractors and dealers are invited to the factory to put hands on the machine and be updated on manufacturing. Finally, the product is introduced to the marketplace.

Product success at this point is gauged based on orders received from participating contractors and dealers. This procedure was undertaken with the previously-mentioned M4 series as well as with the K-series Tack Kettles, and will be used in 2026 for the M1 and M2 melters, the best-selling product in the Cimline catalogue.

Another big driving factor in expanding innovation in technology is safety, especially for those who benefit from Cimline’s products. From road crews to agencies, state departments of transportation, and more, safety is the name of the game. For example, people repairing roadways often must do so in the middle of traffic, and safe procedure involves more than a simple lane closure or a traffic zone. If the company can reduce the number of people on the ground, shrink the footprint of the workspace, and limit overall disruption to traffic and timing—in turn improving operator safety—then it has done its job. Safety is “the main primary focus and directive for where we take our products,” Thielbar says.

He says that currently, the pavement maintenance industry is flat. Thankfully, this was incorporated into Cimline’s projections based on economic feedback from its pavement market as well as other various organizations and programs. There has been a slight decrease in job lettings for the fall season, as well as a tightening in advance of municipal budgets more quickly than in the past. There has also been a decrease in COVID spending as of July 2024, which previously funded about 50 percent of the company’s infrastructure spending through government programs.

Adding up these factors, Cimline goes back to its dealer networks to find out what their supply is, Thielbar explains. These networks are also in the midst of a flat cycle based on sales trends, so the big objective for growth lies not in the municipal or governmental markets but in contractor business, especially because of the cost of interest expense and the reduction in bid-letting in its category year over year. International Sales Manager Matt McCormick says that it has been a pleasant surprise that aspects like tariffs or the weak American dollar have not affected international sales to any noticeable degree.

Cimline’s dealer network is different from that of your typical pavement maintenance manufacturer in that it has both contractor and municipal sales, with the dealer network concentrated on asphalt and pavement maintenance. That focus is then used to educate and train the network and the industry overall. Dealers in the network are up-to-date on the latest training and resources, and are specialists in the asphalt pavement/pavement maintenance industry. This is “not just your average equipment sales company on the end of the street,” says Thielbar.

McCormick points out that growth continues, sales-wise, for Cimline across the globe. Thus far, the biggest market for international growth has been in Latin America, and the company has been fortunate to have developed relationships with quality distributors in markets like Chile, Mexico, Paraguay, and Colombia. Unit sales in Australia have also increased in the past three to four years, and several countries in Europe and Africa also have active representation. It is Cimline’s job to support these distributors in the best way possible with the resources available, wherever the team sees the potential and is able to respond and support its dealers, says McCormick.

A silver lining of being a company in the pavement maintenance arena, Thielbar tells us, is that its swings up and down are not as extreme as those of a mainline equipment supplier. This is generally because of the infrastructure in place that needs to be maintained, and maintenance dollars do not get shifted away as quickly as new construction or replacement dollars do, which will help stabilize the company’s overall market view into the new year. Meanwhile, manufacturing continues to rise and fluctuate consistently, especially thanks to ongoing trends like market tariffs on goods that go into the manufacturing process. While this coincides with Cimline’s annual pricing, it fluctuates at a pace where the end result of inflation input cost is not as extreme as one may think.

Looking ahead to 2026, Thielbar says that Cimline will consistently look to a route of safety and automation, especially as the younger generations continue to step into the pavement maintenance market. McCormick affirms that the company will be picking up a new distributor in the United Arab Emirates in 2026, and that it looks forward to CONEXPO-CON/AGG, taking place in Las Vegas in March. This is the biggest convention for construction equipment in the U.S. market, as it always gets a good international turnout and attracts lots of visitors—including the company’s dealers—for one-on-one interactions.

With so much on the horizon, Cimline has weathered recent storms and looks to make 2026 another exciting and successful year.

The post Not Your Average Pavement Company<p class="company">Cimline Pavement Maintenance Group</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

Appropriately located in Quarryville, Pennsylvania, four decades in the industry has cemented SSI’s belief in doing things right the first time, establishing itself as a trusted voice in the field. Vice President Scott Gartzke is confident in the company’s new product, performance, and the game-changing capabilities it provides customers with. “We have an established track record and reputation for providing high-quality and customized solutions in the aggregate industry,” he says of the new product, a machine the company sees as important to the industry to improve product quality and significantly reduce maintenance.

SSI’s application of this machine is not only beneficial to reduce environmental impact, but also for companies’ operational and mining efficiencies. Higher water consumption increases the need for bigger and more settling ponds for slurry and post-operational water treatment processes to enable recirculation within the parameters of the Clean Water Act (CWA), administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). These ponds also take up an enormous amount of space that could be used for mining. In addition, settling ponds are notorious for demanding continuous maintenance and call for high capital investment in heavy equipment, human resources, time, and effort.

The new system is, therefore, about to disrupt an industry ripe for modernization. Gartzke designed the Mule Screen system himself, noting that it is unique in the market. “We consider this to be the first vibratory machine that’s designed with rinsing aggregates as its primary focus while doubling as a fine material wash screen,” he explains. What sets the machine apart is a revolutionary overhead drive mechanism that runs three 900 RPM vibratory motors. As this eliminates the need for v-belts (flexible power transmission belts) that come with motor bases needing regular upkeep, maintenance is comparatively minimal, with zero oil changes.

Its operation is surprisingly straightforward. While two overhead motors spin toward one another, creating a linear motion, a third produces circular motion. The intersection of these two motions results in a thin elliptical motion that controls travel rate and bed depth for improved washing and rinsing action while minimizing the need for maintenance. With multiple sizes and deck configurations having the capacity to process 300 to 350 tons of stone per hour, the Mule Screen is an adequate size for industrial aggregate processing operations.

With the company maintaining a healthy stock of motors, these are easily replaceable, and older machines can be rebuilt—fine selling points and music to large operators’ ears. “Since you only need a crane and a wrench to unbolt them, anybody can unbolt and fit a new motor as opposed to traditional vibratory screens that mostly use eccentric shafts in an oil bath through bearings, which you have to be able to change,” Gartzke adds. This, of course, means less downtime as the usual lengthy bane of remachining housings is also brought to a timely end with this system.

The machine was also designed to integrate seamlessly into the SSI layout framework for design and setting up aggregate plants. As its system typically favors dry-sizing material first before rinsing, as opposed to doing it the other way around, it saves breathtaking volumes of water from being wasted. And, because rinsing consumes one and a half to three gallons of water per minute and washing takes five gallons per minute, the savings are notable. “We feel that we get more accurate gradation control utilizing dry sizing and then reduce water consumption by utilizing rinsing on sized aggregates,” Gartzke explains.

Stone is not the company’s only forte, however. The company has also built large sand-processing plants that require modular screen towers that it engineered and fabricated. Then there is of course the creative aspect of the business—one that Gartzke enjoys immensely and contributes to prolifically. To this end, technology-wise, the company invests in the best software to support its research and development, engineering, and the design work which underpins its fabrication. This level of attention to detail is part of its heritage.

In operation since 1987, the company was started by Scott Gartzke’s father, Craig Gartzke, and his partner, Rick Welch. Today, their sons run the company. Together, Scott Gartzke and his partner Joel Welch are proud to follow in their fathers’ footsteps. Gartzke remembers his father spending hours at his drawing board in their basement, designing new systems and finding ways of bringing them to life as he and Rick continued expanding the business, envisioning what it would one day become.

With the two founders now retired, the second generation of leaders has been at the helm of the company for the past seven years, to great success. As the grandson of a salesman in the industry following WWII, Gartzke is proud of the 75-plus years of combined expertise the families bring to the company. Performing like a small family itself, the team is comfortable and happy to work shoulder to shoulder. As a low-overhead business, the company’s frugality has translated into job security for the people who are its backbone. Genuinely caring about them means the company is also passionate about keeping its people safe in potentially hazardous jobs. “We want everybody to be safe in the process of doing a good job. It’s a dangerous industry and a dangerous job,” Gartzke says.

Following nearly 40 years of building the company into a stalwart in the aggregate industry, the team of 45 is as engaged as one could ever wish a team to be, committed to the company’s longevity and growing its customer base alongside its reputation. “Everybody is on board with providing a unique and quality product because what we do is exciting. Our people are all skilled,” Gartzke says of the talented engineers and fabricators who take pride in developing premium systems for customers.

For large static aggregate plants looking to purchase the new machine, the typical lead time is 20 weeks, or slightly less in pressing situations. Gartzke is confident in the company’s ability to meet high demand worldwide. “We have no problem working on a national scale and potentially even on a global scale if we have customers in other areas,” he says. Moving ahead, the firm is considering an expansion of its fabrication facility to accommodate its growing clientele. As nearly all its business comes through repeat customers and recommendations, consistency is key. With these customers spending impressive sums for the best crushing plants around, living up to its reputation for excellence is central to the company’s continued success.

By driving its own efficiency, SSI’s commitment to improving and optimizing its customers’ efficiency is a natural response to maintaining its position within the industry. As a result, the company’s quality continues to lead the way, alongside its innovation. “Everything else comes secondary to quality,” Gartzke says. “We’re always loyal to our word.”

The post Crushing Success<p class="company">Steel Systems Installation</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

The third generation, family-owned company was put up for sale in 2004 after, Wes Austin, the owner’s son who would have eventually taken over, passed away suddenly. Current Chief Executive Officer Daniel Cramer’s father, a paper salesman at the time, got a group of buyers together in Amarillo and purchased the company outright from Wes’ father, Fred Austin, Jr.

Daniel Cramer has been with the company for 20 years now, starting as an hourly worker when the business only had four locations: Amarillo, San Antonio, Odessa, and Wichita. After graduating college, he transferred into sales out of the San Antonio office, then moved to a branch manager role, and eventually became CEO. In that time, Austin Hose has grown into a business that sports 13 locations as well as a considerable national presence in states like Louisiana, California, Kansas, and more.

The past two decades have brought significant upheaval and development for Austin Hose. “We are a totally different company from where we started,” Cramer says, evolving by marketing its services to other industries that use hoses while continuing to work in agriculture. From offering hundreds of purchase and rental opportunities to suit any need to its plug-and-play hose shop that allows clients to make their own hydraulic hosing, Austin Hose acts as the go-to name for its industry.

This decade so far has also seen the company acquire other hose businesses such as Powertrack International and GT Southwest, and both the Odessa and Amarillo locations moved into new facilities, both over 175,000 square feet in size, last year. And the company is in no way finished with its plans for growth.

Austin Hose has set a standard for itself in dominating the more difficult parts of the industry and overcoming barriers that other businesses in its space often have to deal with. Over time, the company expanded into further industries and attracted more and more top-line people, says Cramer, and this has been the biggest marker of growth so far. Along with its home industry of hoses and hydraulics, Austin Hose is also heavily involved in the oil & gas market and regularly supplies rotary hoses for drilling rigs; Cramer says this is the most challenging specific hose product line in which to be successful. The company has come to excel in that space.

It is not just about financial success, though. Cramer says that culture is everything at Austin Hose. The business has always been focused on the team and on family. When Cramer started at Austin Hose in 2005 (known as Austin Distributing at the time), the average employee age was around 65; over time, the team has become considerably younger, with most of the leadership team under 40. “We transformed into a modern company that has an incredible runway ahead of us,” thanks to this savvy combination of both youth and experience on one united team, he says.

The business has also become recognized across the state of Texas and in its local communities, even becoming an official partner and proud supporter of the Dallas Stars National Hockey League team and other state hockey teams. Austin Hose has become well-known for its spokesman and for the quality of service that lies beyond that friendly face.

The hydraulic hose industry has become somewhat stagnant for various reasons that can be difficult to effectively track, Cramer explains, and Austin Hose finds itself in a great place with plenty of room to grow even further. The business is going extremely well, with strong growth on track for 2026, and the young and motivated business has a strong foundation to build upon. With plans to continue expanding, Cramer tells us that Austin Hose will come to be seen all over the country, one year at a time.

The team has also found itself mixed up in some unusual challenges. Cramer says that an ongoing problem in the hose industry has to do with lawsuits surrounding non-compete clauses, provisos in work contracts that can prevent an exiting employee from working for competing organizations for a set amount of time. At the end of 2025, the company found itself part of a movement on social media called ‘Free Dick,’ concerning an employee who was sued after going to work with Austin Hose. Although these non-compete clauses rarely hold up in court, it often costs the employee a lot of money—potentially around six figures—to defend themselves, and the average person cannot afford that.

Companies engaging in this practice are largely unconcerned about winning these lawsuits and are only seeking to financially ruin people as a message to other employees, which Cramer views as plain wrong; in his opinion, employees should be able to go after whatever opportunity is best for them, including anyone who works for him. He, and Austin Hose as a whole, are standing up and making waves with this social media movement, a way for him to use his voice to help lawmakers realize the serious nature of the issue and protect at-risk employees.

Cramer believes that, ultimately, everyone at Austin Hose is in the hose industry for the right reason: providing genuine care and support to customers and each other, with success flowing from this approach. The company refuses to compromise on this people-first paradigm and wears it as a badge of honor.

With very little turnover and a consistent people focus, it is not all about the dollars at Austin Hose. This is simply everyone following through on the golden rule of treating others how you want to be treated, says Cramer, and the satisfaction he receives from his people reporting how the company has changed their lives for the better is very meaningful and motivating to him and the management team. Simply put, at Austin Hose, “We take care of each other,” he says with pride.

The post Making Waves in Hydraulics<p class="company">Austin Hose</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

Today, with approximately 50 employees across multiple California locations, Zemarc is using its anniversary not as a retrospective moment, but as a forward-looking platform. The company is expanding geographically, reshaping how engineering knowledge is developed and transferred, and responding to market volatility with faster, more flexible system design.

Zemarc’s 50^th anniversary will officially arrive in October 2026, with celebrations planned throughout the year. Internally, the milestone is being marked not by a single event, but by recognition of employee tenure, honoring team members with five, 10, 20, and even 30-plus years at the company. That focus reflects a core principle that has remained consistent since the company’s founding: Zemarc is, by design, an employee-first organization.

That philosophy has shaped not only how the company retains talent, but how it adapts during periods of economic instability. Manufacturing has faced extended lead times, shifting tariffs, supply chain disruptions, and unpredictable customer demand over the last several years, and Zemarc’s response has been to strengthen internal collaboration and decision-making rather than centralize authority at the top.

Employee-driven leadership structures now play a formal role in shaping the company’s direction. Two internal employee resource groups, the Customer Success Team and the Internal Resource Committee, serve as cross-departmental bodies that help leadership prioritize operational improvements and customer experience challenges. Rather than relying on a single executive viewpoint, Zemarc uses these committees to uncover issues early and align teams across locations. This bottom-up approach has become increasingly important as the company grows and diversifies its customer base, particularly in technically demanding sectors such as aerospace and space launch.

One of the most defining shifts in Zemarc’s evolution has been the deliberate build-out of a specialized engineering team focused on advanced applications. While the company supports a wide range of industries, aerospace has become a major driver of its technical development strategy.

Elizabeth Meyer, Principal Systems Engineer, describes aerospace engineering as fundamentally different from many traditional fluid power projects. Unlike repeatable industrial systems, aerospace and space launch applications often involve unfamiliar fluids, extreme temperatures, unique materials, and unconventional operating conditions. Engineers must adapt quickly and work directly with customers who may not be fluent in fluid power terminology.

“When you’re working with these newer space launch companies, it’s really important to be willing to try new things and push the boundaries of your knowledge,” Meyer says. “You can’t just fall into the same routine.”

Fluid power itself is a broad umbrella, encompassing hydraulics, pneumatics, and process gases. While these systems share common valving and control principles, each application introduces distinct engineering considerations. Zemarc’s engineering group spends significant time translating between customer language and system requirements, often educating client engineering teams along the way.

That educational role has become a competitive advantage, particularly as fluid power remains underrepresented in formal engineering curricula. Meyer notes that many engineers entering the workforce have little exposure to fluid power concepts unless they come from specialized programs or agricultural engineering backgrounds.

Zemarc’s engineering team is notable not only for its technical focus, but for its composition. The current engineering group is entirely women, a rarity in the fluid power and manufacturing sectors. Over the past year, the company added two new engineers, strengthening both its systems engineering and sales engineering capabilities.

The visibility of women in hands-on engineering roles has also influenced the company’s approach to internships and early-career development. Zemarc actively supports engineering internships, many of which have transitioned into full-time roles, and Meyer views these programs as essential to addressing the industry’s looming knowledge gap. “For engineering, some of these internships have led to jobs in the company,” she says. “Internships are incredibly important for getting this next wave of engineers.”

As veteran engineers across the industry retire, the loss of undocumented tribal knowledge has become a growing concern, and Zemarc has responded by investing in internal education and documentation efforts designed to capture experiential knowledge before it disappears.

One of Zemarc’s most influential initiatives is its Hydraulics 101 program, developed as both an internal training platform and an external educational offering for customers. Rather than focusing on individual products, the program emphasizes system-level thinking, how components interact, how applications drive design decisions, and how modern fluid power solutions differ from legacy systems.

Internally, the program supports continuous education across departments, helping sales and engineering teams align on application knowledge. Externally, it serves as both a customer education tool and a recruiting pipeline, attracting individuals interested in entering the fluid power field. “We realized this wasn’t just important for Zemarc; it was important for the industry,” says Lucy Chen, Director of Marketing.

The program also plays a role in correcting misconceptions about fluid power, particularly in comparison to electric systems. While electrification continues to grow, Meyer notes that hydraulics still excel in applications requiring high force, precise control, and durability in harsh environments. This educational emphasis has become increasingly relevant as Zemarc works with aerospace testing facilities in regions such as Mojave, where hydraulic systems are integral to test stands and validation environments.

Zemarc’s newest growth initiative, the opening of a ParkerStore™ in Lancaster, California, represents a targeted expansion aligned with industry geography rather than simple footprint growth. The Lancaster–Palmdale–Mojave corridor has become a hub for aerospace manufacturing, testing, and space launch operations, creating demand for rapid, localized service.

Leading the new facility is Branch Manager Jannett Andrade, who describes the Lancaster location as fundamentally different from a traditional branch. “We’re targeting to open Q1 of 2026, with an open house and a full team blitz,” Andrade says. “One of our main goals is to establish ourselves in the Palmdale–Lancaster area as a ParkerStore.”

The 5,000-square-foot facility is being built to function as both a warehouse and a storefront, complete with a showroom and point-of-sale system. The goal is to encourage foot traffic while showcasing not only Parker products, but Zemarc’s broader hydraulic and pneumatic offerings.

Opening a ParkerStore is not a routine expansion; it reflects a level of trust from the manufacturer, which grants Zemarc responsibility for the territory. Chen emphasizes that the decision was made collaboratively with Parker based on Zemarc’s track record of technical capability, investment, and customer engagement.

One of the Lancaster facility’s primary value propositions is speed. The store is being equipped with hose assembly and cleaning capabilities, supported by dedicated inventory to enable rapid turnaround. “We already have a crimper on site, and that’s going to be one of our biggest value-add services,” Andrade says. “We’re investing in inventory so we can assemble hose assemblies quickly and keep customers moving.”

The location is designed to serve customers who “needed things yesterday,” particularly in aerospace ground support, testing operations near Mojave, general manufacturing, equipment rental yards, and municipal service providers such as street sweeper fleets.

In addition to reactive service, the Lancaster team will emphasize preventive maintenance, a critical but often overlooked component of operational reliability. Zemarc will offer free on-site inspections, helping customers avoid costly downtime. “If you don’t maintain your system, it’s going to get very expensive,” Andrade says. “You end up down for a month or two waiting for a part you could have pre-ordered if you had seen the issue coming.”

Certainly, the company’s ability to deliver under pressure has been reinforced by strategic vendor relationships, particularly with U.S.-based manufacturers capable of customization and fast turnaround. One such partner is DMIC, a valve and manifold manufacturer that has supported Zemarc through periods of extreme supply chain disruption.

From an engineering standpoint, DMIC’s flexibility has been critical. Meyer highlights their willingness to machine customized manifolds and specialty valves, capabilities that are often difficult to secure from larger, more rigid manufacturers. “Being able to quickly customize something to fit customer specs has been really helpful,” she says, particularly in space launch applications involving unusual gases, temperatures, or materials.

Chen adds that DMIC’s responsiveness during tariff fluctuations and pandemic-era shipping delays provided stability when lead times elsewhere became unpredictable. The manufacturer also pursued additional certifications at Zemarc’s request, supporting applications in process gas and biomedical environments that require stringent cleanliness standards. These partnerships enable Zemarc to offer alternatives when a single supplier cannot meet customer needs, an increasingly important capability as manufacturers hedge against uncertainty.

Another major evolution at Zemarc has been the development of its Zemarc Power Unit (ZPU) program. Introduced two years ago, the program was designed to address a growing demand for fast-delivery hydraulic power units without sacrificing customization. Initially, adoption was gradual; over the past year, however, interest has surged. Meyer notes that Zemarc has completed more power unit projects in the last year than in the previous five combined, driven largely by customers who need systems quickly and are willing to collaborate on specifications to reduce lead times.

Traditional aerospace customers often require highly specific designs, while space launch companies prioritize speed and adaptability, and Zemarc works with both, helping customers understand where compromises can accelerate delivery without undermining performance. “We’ve been able to find happy mediums with them,” Meyer explains, enabling faster deployment while maintaining quality.

The ZPU program is supported by strategic inventory decisions at Zemarc’s Fresno facility, where commonly used components are stocked to enable rapid assembly. This approach reflects a broader shift toward responsiveness as a competitive advantage in manufacturing.

While sustainability is not positioned as a headline initiative, it increasingly factors into Zemarc’s engineering decisions, particularly through system footprint reduction and fluid selection. Custom manifolds, for example, allow engineers to consolidate components and improve energy efficiency over a system’s lifecycle. Meyer also points to a growing push for more environmentally sustainable hydraulic fluids, especially in coastal and water-adjacent applications such as space launch sites. These fluids can reduce environmental impact in the event of a spill but often introduce tradeoffs related to cost, viscosity, temperature sensitivity, and wear characteristics.

Rather than promoting one-size-fits-all solutions, Zemarc’s role is to educate customers on these tradeoffs and help them select fluids and system designs appropriate to their operating conditions.

Despite widespread enthusiasm for artificial intelligence across manufacturing, both Meyer and Chen are candid about its current limitations in fluid power engineering. The issue is not resistance to technology, but the lack of reliable data; much of fluid power knowledge exists as undocumented experience rather than published material, and existing textbooks are often decades old and fail to account for modern electrohydraulic and integration practices. AI tools, drawing from outdated or incomplete sources, struggle to distinguish between civil engineering hydraulics and mechanical fluid power applications. This reality reinforces Zemarc’s emphasis on documentation, internal education, and direct mentorship as the primary means of advancing expertise.

As the company enters its sixth decade, its strategy is defined less by scale than by depth. The Lancaster expansion, ZPU program, and educational initiatives all reflect a common theme: moving faster without losing rigor.

For Meyer, the most encouraging shift is the growing industry-wide recognition of the knowledge gap and the need to address it proactively. “We’re starting to see companies worry more about the long term,” she observes.

Zemarc’s approach suggests that the future of manufacturing will not be driven solely by automation or digital tools, but by organizations willing to invest in people and the difficult work of translating experience into shared knowledge. At 50, Zemarc is not simply reflecting on where it has been but actively shaping where fluid power goes next.

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