Every family business tells a story – stories of perseverance and challenge, of exciting highs and heartbreaking lows. Some of these stories stand the test of time. One of the most remarkable began in sixth century Japan with a humble construction startup. In 578 AD, a Japanese prince wanted to promote Buddhism in his country, where Shinto was the dominant religion. No one in the nation boasted the carpentry skills needed to build the ornate Buddhist temples the prince envisioned, so he hired a man named Shigemitsu Kongothree from a Buddhist state in what is now Korea. The newcomer launched the company Kongo Gumi, completed the Shitenno-ji temple in Osaka – which still stands to this day – but did not return to Korea. He saw a golden opportunity to continue his trade and so the small, family construction company flourished and grew and stayed in Japan longer than anticipated – over 1,400 years longer.

Climate change and other symptoms of environmental damage are fast becoming growing concerns worldwide as companies in myriad industries are turning to more eco-friendly means to both offer a product and continue to provide services integral to the everyday lives of customers. The construction industry is one such sector, as it is currently seeing an influx of alternative methods for building and powering projects, especially when concerning how a building under construction can be powered.

A&H Equipment is a leading distributor of municipal and environmental product solutions. From top quality street sweepers and snow removal trucks to sewer cleaners and sewer inspection equipment, the company sells, rents, and services a wide range of equipment for customers throughout Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

The Canadian Shield, the hardest, most abrasive rock in Northern Ontario, runs its course throughout the assets of the mining industry. From Scoop trams to Excavators, it grinds its toll into buckets and blades of every mining enterprise.

Allmar is Canada’s largest team of architectural door, hardware, and construction specialty experts, operating in 12 cities from B.C. to Ontario.

Commercial construction firm Robbins Construction Group of Summerville, South Carolina is just over a year old, but its genesis had been in the works for some time. President and Chief Executive Officer Derek Robbins admits that operating his own business was always a dream, so he moved to Charleston, South Carolina in 2012 to begin his journey toward that goal.

In the segmented industry of construction, roofing employs a small but specialized group of contractors and technicians. Many companies choose to specialize in either residential or commercial roofing, due to the complications of each area of expertise. But in Florida, one company has the ambitious goal of serving both. From its Jacksonville headquarters, Reliant Roofing has seen a meteoric rise in only five years to carve a significant market niche across northern Florida.