Archive for the ‘Compass Newsletter’ Category

Calling on Trusted Relationship Amid Sudden Loss of Power

Monday, November 14th, 2022

At 5 a.m. on a Monday, an office tower in Brooklyn Park, Minn. experienced a complete loss of power. The culprit? Exterior bus duct corroding over time later leading to an explosion at the site, cutting all power to the building. With various tenants soon to be occupying the building that day, the property manager, MetroPlains Management, made quick decisions when it came to a reliable solution to the problem. 

Enter: Egan Company.

As a long-time customer, MetroPlains properties across the Twin Cities have been cared for by Egan employees for years. MetroPlains Management Property Manager, Jason Sklar shared, “Egan has been our primary partner for years for routine day-to-day work and significant tenant build outs in office buildings.” Having this established relationship to rely on made decision-making easy when facing this complex issue.

“Late this summer, one of our office buildings had a major power outage that damaged main feeder lines as well as the primary transformer, disrupting power to the entire building. Egan Company, with Project Manager Brent Fritz and a highly skilled trades team, came to the rescue. They had a crew on site immediately and worked with Xcel Energy to plan a temporary fix and install new transformers and temporary feeder lines. Fritz was onsite managing the crisis to ensure we had the best crew working on the problem. Working hand-in-hand with Xcel Energy, our building was back up and running the same day, much to our tenants delight,” explains Sklar.

Owning the Challenge

While the temporary solution was able to tide the building over, the team quickly worked to create a long-term solution with property safety in mind. Once the plan was in place, the work was executed swiftly by Egan electricians. The facility was switched from temporary generators to the permanent system before tenants returned the next day.

“Now our office building is better than ever with updated electrical systems. Egan has ‘owned the challenge’ of taking care of their customers when they need it the most. Thanks to this highly skilled team!” said Sklar.

At Egan, it’s our goal to not only aid in large scale, planned needs and updates, but also to have our customers’ backs in emergency situations. “Owning the challenge” means ensuring that the job is done right, and done safely – every time. According to Sklar, “Fritz continued to work with our property management team throughout to aid in the process of insurance claims adjusters in order to effectively restore our lost infrastructure.” Our response means seeing the project through, from start to finish.

“When it comes to field leaders like Deland Croze, I have the utmost confidence in their ability to make and carry out the best plan of attack.” Brent Fritz, Egan Company Project Manager, reflects. “With the outcome of the project in hands as capable and experienced as Croze’s, this project was sure to be completed accurately and on-time.” 

What could have resulted in a costly, extended process was streamlined by one simple rule: a strong partnership.

(The Egan team on the project included: Brent Fritz, Deland Croze, Valdemar Scherer, Chad Hughes, and John Tupy).

Chairman Duane Hendricks Recognized by National Electrical Contractors Association

Tuesday, November 8th, 2022

As part of Egan Company’s commitment to the ever-changing industry, employees stay actively involved with NECA, the National Electrical Contractors Association. According to NECA, electrical contractors count on NECA to deliver the resources that help them make better business decisions, provide excellent customer service, and take advantage of innovative technology. One of the many ways NECA is “the voice of the electrical construction industry” is through regional and national meetings. 

Earlier this month, Egan Chairman of the Board, Duane Hendricks, was honored as an inductee into the Academy of Electrical Contracting. One of the highest honors in the industry, Fellows for the Academy of Electrical Contracting are chosen based on the contributions they’ve made to the association and the greater industry. Having spent years in various leadership positions of the NECA Minneapolis Chapter, Hendricks is still involved in his retirement. 

“This came as a huge surprise to me as inductees don’t apply, but rather are secretly nominated and put through a 2-year review and acceptance process. It’s a great honor to be selected into this group of highly distinguished individuals who were selected for their commitments and contributions to the industry. It truly was a surprise and pleasure to be recognized for my commitment to the industry as I’ve never worked for an award, but instead I always provided help where there was a need, with the hope of leaving the industry in a better place,” stated Hendricks.

Eight inductees were installed on Sunday, October 16, 2022 at the Opening Session of the NECA Annual Convention in Austin, Texas. When asked what he is looking forward to, Hendricks said “as a member of this group, I will continue to participate in industry studies and am looking forward to helping improve our industry for the future while networking with others.”

Finalizing the Iconic Gateway Project

Monday, January 24th, 2022

9,873 pieces of glass. 5,491 unitized frames. 300 full semi trucks delivering the unitized frames to the jobsite. A landmark location and historic project for Egan’s InterClad team. Egan’s largest completed project to date: the Gateway tower.

This new construction skyrocketed through the Minneapolis skyline topping off at 37-stories on the iconic corner of Washington and Hennepin. The mixed-use tower will provide retail, office, and hotel/residence space, with tenants including RBC Wealth Management, the Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Minneapolis, Pohlad Companies, Carousel Motor Group, and United Properties. 

Right before the holidays, the InterClad crew was able to have a celebratory signing of the last frame that was set on the building. A ceremonial Christmas tree can be seen affixed to the top of the frame before it was raised up as part of the Ironworker, Glazier, and Glassworker tradition when completing a project. 

It [the topping off ceremony] was an exciting moment for the crew and myself to see how far the project has come,” said Egan Senior Project Manager Deb Linquist. “I want to personally thank everyone involved in the project since this couldn’t have been done without them!

Read more about the Gateway project >

Built on Hard Work And Doing The Right Thing

Tuesday, November 30th, 2021

Impact of CEO Duane Hendricks

Always going the extra mile: a true testament to the hard work, perseverance, and dedication showcased by Egan Company CEO Duane Hendricks. Now, after 19 years with Egan (four of which were spent as President & CEO) and four decades in the industry, Hendricks will retire from his role in February 2022. 

HARD WORK FROM START TO FINISH

As you can imagine, the construction industry that awaited Hendricks 40 years ago looked worlds different than it does today. Changes loomed at every corner and Hendricks had a front row seat for it all, from the betterment of work environments to new technologies like the revolutionary introduction of the battery drill. While providing a very firm foundation for his career, this was only the beginning. 

Hendricks grew up in Motley, Minn. and started working at an early age, quickly developing a strong interest in working with his hands. Upon graduating high school, he jumped into the trades as an electrical apprentice with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, quickly working toward master electrician.

During these early years in the field, Hendricks established a key strength: an unmatched work ethic. He shares, “I developed a strong work ethic at a young age because I was surrounded by high energy people and I always enjoyed what I did, so the work came easy for me.” 

With his drive and determination in one hand and his passion for the electrical industry in the other, it comes as no surprise that Hendricks was prominently positioned for leadership opportunities in the field. He was known to have upheld extremely high standards for those he managed, but that was in turn consistently reflected in their work.

Hendricks adds, “I was fortunate to have success through many opportunities. I’ve had great mentors, a supportive wife, family, and the grace of God as I pushed myself outside of my comfort zone with the drive to succeed . . . and I’ve done the same for others.” 

His success on jobsites was reflected in advancements in the office as a project manager. He describes this transition as the first pivotal moment in his career. But, it didn’t come with ease. At the time, Hendricks was working for Comm-Tech Electrical, formerly located in Plymouth, Minn. Hendricks lists the first year transitioning from the field to the office as one of the most difficult changes. He was extremely passionate about working with his hands and had to learn how to pour this passion into his new role. From there, he became a co-owner of Comm-Tech, which was later acquired by Egan Company. 

“My professional career has gone way beyond what I had ever planned or expected,” shares Hendricks. “Every day, I’m honored to work with—and to have worked with—all the great people at Egan Company.”

From overseeing the industrial/process controls business to all of Egan’s electrical groups as Executive Vice President to later leading as COO and then CEO – the rest is history. 

DOING THE RIGHT THING

With 40 years of construction industry experience under his belt, he has led Egan through difficult circumstances. Hendricks’ biggest piece of advice?: “To work hard, always do the right thing, treat everyone with respect, stay focused, and never stop learning. Treat others the way you want to be treated and be a good listener.” His legacy is rooted in his deep investment in the trades, the industry, and ensuring that the right decisions are made to meet the needs of employees and customers.

Throughout his pronounced career, Hendricks always made a point to build up and develop individuals in the workforce. He believes in creating opportunities for individuals to step into new roles while providing them with the guidance, resources, training, and support to succeed. This bleeds into the importance he places on mentorship and opening doors for others.

“Life is full of opportunities, it’s all about how you respond to them. It’s critical that you look for smart, humble, hungry candidates with related training and/or experience . . . people that are intellectually smart, work well with others, and are willing and eager to learn. Those are the kinds of people who are able to build your company.”

His innate desire to do the right thing goes far beyond Egan itself, spending time in a number of different leadership roles throughout his career including serving as National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) Minneapolis President and Governor, a member of the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) board, Minnesota State Board of Electricity Chair, and as a member of the Construction Codes Advisory Council. 

With hard work and perseverance, Hendricks lists his biggest accomplishments as 40 years of marriage with his wife Linda (who has also spent the last 19 years as an Egan employee), two children, and three grandchildren. As he enters into this next season of his life, Hendricks is looking forward to a variety of different things, with the top priority being spending time with his grandsons. He also looks forward to building a new workshop, his river home, traveling with Linda, and many outdoor activities throughout the year.

VISION FOR EGAN LEADERSHIP

Hendricks’ role in implementing and improving the current operational processes within Egan will further his legacy for years to come. He’ll remain with Egan as Chairman of the Board, sharing his support and guidance toward long-term success of the company as well as the promise of a great place to work.

At the forefront of this leadership succession, current President James Ford will step into the role of President & CEO in February. Since joining Egan in 2017 as Chief Financial Officer, Ford has worked alongside Hendricks in pursuit of providing the highest level of customer care across the board. 

“I am confident that Egan will continue to flourish with Ford at the reins,” states Hendricks. “Egan Company is in a great position for this transition.”

The leadership provided by Duane Hendricks will impact Egan Company for years to come – we’re immensely grateful for the years he poured into not only the business, but every Egan employee for the past 19 years.

A+ Testing for InterClad’s Curtainwall Systems

Monday, January 4th, 2021

Quality assurance is a promise Egan Company continues to provide customers on every project from every team and business offering. From placing that last electrical plate over an outlet to testing the integrity of a building façade, Egan will ensure the utmost quality on everything we construct, install, or remodel. 

Recently, Egan’s curtainwall system manufactured by Erie Architectural Products for the Essentia Health Vision Northland project in Duluth, Minn., underwent a series of performance tests to ensure even the toughest environmental elements wouldn’t compromise the integrity of the system. Over the course of two full testing days and an additional week in -30 degree weather conditions, a full size mockup section of the system had to pass 17 performance tests before any of the 2,700 units (almost 200,000 square feet) of curtainwall could be installed on the project. 

An airtight chamber was constructed on one side of the curtainwall system. The first tests completed are the Static Air Infiltration and the Static Water Penetration tests. These set a baseline for all additional tests, and both of these tests are completed after every round of testing to ensure the performance has not been affected. If either of the tests were to fail, the entire testing process would need to start over. 

All curtainwall systems installed on any Egan project undergo field testing to assess proper installation. A lab test is unique and is typically conducted when the curtainwall system is custom-designed and fabricated for the job. This project, for Essentia Health located in Downtown Duluth, has very stringent structural and thermal requirements which necessitated the lab tests be performed prior to starting the project. The project is a $900M hospital tower, clinic, and outpatient center that will add approx. 942,000 sq. ft. to Essentia Health’s Duluth campus. 

Additional tests that the system had to pass included air from a large wind generator directed at the curtainwall as water is sprayed; this is the Dynamic Water Penetration test. Other tests that focus on the structural design and movement, both vertically and horizontally, place additional stress on the system. Finally, the lab created a temperature simulation in the airtight chamber that lowered the ambient temperature to -30 degrees; the crews were unsure if they’d be able to sustain the extreme temperature requirements since this is 10 degrees lower than a standard test. Thankfully,  the curtainwall system passed all performance tests and installation on the project can proceed as planned.

The curtainwall unit went through extreme conditions, not only extreme weather conditions, but structural and movement testing as well,” said Ryan Woodruff, Egan Company Vice President and InterClad Business Leader. “It was great to see our curtainwall pass all performance tests and solidify that we install some of the best curtainwall products in the Midwest.

Curtainwall performance tests included:

  1. Static Air Infiltration Test
  2. Static Water Penetration Test
  3. Dynamic Water Penetration Test
  4. Uniform Structural Design Load Test
  5. Repeat Static Air Infiltration Test
  6. Repeat Static Water Penetration Test
  7. Interstory Differential Horizontal Movement Test
  8. Repeat Static Air Infiltration Test
  9. Repeat Static Water Penetration Test
  10. Interstory Differential Vertical Movement Test
  11. Repeat Static Air Infiltration Test
  12. Repeat Static Water Penetration Test
  13. Thermal Cycling Test
  14. Repeat Static Air Infiltration Test
  15. Repeat Static Water Penetration Test
  16. Building Maintenance Equipment Load Test
  17. Uniform Structural Overload Test

Reflecting on 75 years as a local commercial contractor

Tuesday, December 29th, 2020

There’s craftsmanship in the trades. A plan comes to life. A team creates a piece of history. This is why we love what we do. Working with customers. Taking care of every detail. Leading the way. Insisting on safety. Keeping promises. All to ensure every single project is seamless. We do it with passion, we do it with pride, we do it for each other. One for all—one source.

Joseph Egan with sons Bill and Costney

The story of Egan Company is one of grit and growth. Before our 12 trades, nearly 1,000 employees, and countless customers, there was one man in a single room pipe shop on the Northern Minnesota Iron Range. In 1905, Joseph Egan was ready to put his dreams into motion. While his new business slowly grew, the country and the world were unsettled. Change was coming, war was on the horizon, building materials were short, and enlisting was the expectation. The small business would eventually have to wait. After ebbing and flowing for decades between serving our country and raising a family, the dream of running a business full-time was restored. And in 1945, as World War II was ending, Joseph and his sons used $3,000 and opened their doors in the Twin Cities. Egan and Sons Plumbing and Heating Company was officially founded.

Innovators by nature, the mission of our founders is still very much a part of today – delivering high-quality craftsmanship and innovative solutions while upholding the promises we make to our customers. This framework has helped us grow, kept us safe, and has played a fundamental role in the tens of thousands of projects we’ve touched in our community, across Minnesota, and throughout the greater Midwest.

Seventy-five years later, we too are navigating an unsettling landscape. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought us great challenges, but also a new perspective and much progress. In many areas of our lives, disruption has been inevitable. But we’ve held onto that disruption as an opportunity to build for the future by slowly evolving our business to strengthen and get lean, elevate the customer experience, and drive steady growth. We’re experiencing a time in history that’s required flexibility and pivots to meet the needs of our customers and communities—as well as maintain the health and safety of our employees and their families.

We want to thank you for being a part of the Egan Company family. It’s because of you, we love what we do. Cheers to 75 years! 

Dig into history further by walking through an interactive timeline >>

Fire Impact Requires Rapid Response from Egan Trades

Monday, December 28th, 2020

For over 75 years, Egan Company has committed to providing exceptional service and keeping our promises to our customers, no matter the time of day nor the severity of the need. When a fire destroyed part of Burnett Dairy Cooperative’s Grantsburg, Wisc. plant this summer, Egan was consulted immediately to develop a plan to get the plant fully operational as soon as possible. 

UNDER AN ‘AS SOON AS POSSIBLE’ DEADLINE

Known for producing award-winning, high-quality cheese products for over 120 years, and with customers waiting for products in their stores, the need to get the plant fully operational as soon as possible was of utmost importance. Working around the clock, multiple Egan crews comprised of six different trades partnered with Burnett Dairy and additional contractors to demolish and rebuild the infrastructure that was damaged in order to get the production lines back up running.

“We’ve worked with Burnett Dairy for the past few years and have formed a strong relationship,” said Dan Reintjes, Egan Company Project Manager. “When the call came in that we were needed to help after the fire, we were there as fast as possible to get the infrastructure and  production lines in perfect working order again.” 

The fire is believed to have started in the boiler building, which will require a complete rebuild. In the meantime, a temporary operation was conceived and constructed to ensure cheese production and assembly continued.  Egan’s process controls team worked late into the first night getting power to three of the plant’s electrical services and started a complete demolition of the fourth 2000 amp 5-section service gear which was then designed, built, installed and operational in nine days. The ammonia compressors were also powered up with generators on the first day in order to get Burnett Dairy’s warehouse coolers running to save all the products that were  already produced. Egan’s Mechanical team worked to make damaged piping safe and get temporary water piping installed as well as planning for a temporary boiler installation.

Egan was one of the contractors that was onsite within 18 hours of the fire trucks leaving the scene and didn’t leave until the plant was fully operational,” said Dave Gaiser, Burnett Dairy Cooperative CEO.  “With their help, Burnett was able to get our retail store back open within a few days so we were able to open for the weekend after the fire.  Within seven days, they assisted with getting one of our packaging lines operating so we could package cheese from other manufacturers and begin shipping to our customers. Egan worked 24/7 coordinating with other contractors to get Burnett running within two months of a fire impacting all utilities servicing the plant.

Beyond the initial scope of work that was completed to get the plant operational, additional projects were finished in order to restore complete operation to the plant. Egan engineers designed and programmed a new control system for the milk transfer and CIP systems that were lost in the fire, and additional electricians were tasked with installing new power distribution panels and feeders as well as installing the new milk transfer and CIP control panels and interconnect wiring.

Working alongside the controls electricians, Egan’s Mechanical trades were tasked with setting up the temporary, 900 horsepower self-contained boiler.  The team was also responsible for hydro testing and repairing all existing piping to ensure functionality and safety due to the fire.

BACK UP AND OPERATIONAL

The plant was back up and operational in 62 days, processing milk from 150 farms, and bringing 300 people back to work.

Burnett Dairy is currently operating with a temporary boiler trailer in place and due to the work of many contractors working within a tight timeline. Next steps for the plant include the design, engineering, and construction of the new boiler building; Egan’s full-time maintenance presence at the plant will continue, and any additional help the site needs as it starts the process of rebuilding from the fire.  

“Egan is a valuable business partner and the accomplishments of the past couple of months would not have been possible without them,” said Gaiser.

MULTI-TRADE PROJECT TEAM

  • 35 Egan onsite electricians
  • 15 Egan controls and mechanical engineers contributed to the needed design and engineering
  • 31 Egan plumbers, pipefitters, and sheet metal workers were onsite
  • 5 limited energy technicians delivered network installations with all new data cabinets and cabling for the plant
  • 10 control panel technicians built eight U.L. 508A control panels on a tight turnaround

‘Tis the Season of Giving

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2020

Because of our continued relationship with all of our customers, Egan Company has been able to commemorate 75 years in business by giving this holiday season. Our valued partners have enabled us to give back to our community through:

With humble hearts and gratitude, we thank all of our customers for their continued business and partnership!

2020 Review – Recognition and Awards

Monday, December 21st, 2020

As the year winds down and we prepare for the colder months, we’re looking back and recapping a few notable awards we’ve received this year – both at a local and national level.

Thanks to our great customers, vendors, and of course, employees, we’re honored to be among such great companies in these various categories.

Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal Top Private Companies

Continuing to move on up! In 2020, Egan ranked #73 out of 100 Top Private Companies in Minnesota. This is a jump up from last year, where Egan was #77.

Finance and Commerce Reader Rankings

For the fourth year, readers of Finance & Commerce have chosen their most trusted brands and business partners through Reader Rankings. Egan was recognized, again, by readers as a top choice within the “Best Plumbing Company” category.

Read more about the Reader Rankings for 2020

ENR Top 600 Specialty Construction Contractors

The Engineering News-Record (ENR) ranked Egan #109 on its list of Top 600 Specialty Construction Contractors in the U.S. National recognition is an honor!

Electrical Construction and Maintenance (EC&M)

The #45 spot on the Electrical Construction and Maintenance (EC&M) magazine’s list of Top 50 Electrical Contractors in the U.S. is Egan Company’s for 2020. It’s always an exciting time at Egan when we are recognized on a national level – this year marks our fourth year in a row on the list.

NAIOP Awards of Excellence

Rafter Apartments in Minneapolis

The 37th annual Awards of Excellence recognizes exceptional developments by The National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) members and their teams. Egan had the privilege of working with multiple NAIOP partners on projects across the Twin Cities and in Rochester, namely Rafter and Wells Fargo Rochester. 

View the full list here

America’s Safest Companies Distinction

Friday, December 18th, 2020

Recognized for its ongoing commitment to worker safety and health, comprehensive training programs and risk management efforts, and a lower than industry average injury and illness rate, Egan Company has once again been named one of America’s Safest Companies.

EHS Today named 10 organizations to the 2020 list of America’s Safest Companies, including firms with a few dozen employees to multinational corporations with tens of thousands of employees. Together, these organizations all have one thing in common: to provide a safe working environment for their employees.

Being named one of America’s Safest Companies is a tremendous honor!” said Reid Romer, Egan Company Safety Director. “When I think about safety at Egan, I think about our people.  Our dedicated teams enable us to progress along our journey to safety excellence and to continue to grow, evolve, and excel safely within our organization.  I am so proud of what we’ve accomplished together. I believe the best is still to come.

Within Egan, a safety department was first established in 1986. Having been founded in 1945, it may surprise some that Egan had gone over forty years without a dedicated safety program. Today, Egan maintains an ongoing, aggressive commitment to provide all employees with a safe and healthy place of employment. 

“We have a true ‘Safety Culture’ at Egan Company. Everyone believes in our safety programs and is acting and responding to do our work in the safest way possible,” said Duane Hendricks, Egan Company President & CEO. “We have good safety results because of our many safety initiatives and the involvement of everyone. This sets us apart and keeps our people focused and safe.”

Egan continues to move forward in the belief that work-related injuries are preventable, but we can never claim to control all the variables. What we can control is how we collectively work together and support each other to promote safety.

“We do not focus on our safety for an award, we focus on safety to keep our people safe. But it is exciting to know Egan is recognized for safety once again!” Hendricks adds.

All award recipients were honored at EHS Today’s Virtual Safety Leadership Conference on November 10. A feature was published in a special section in the November issue of EHS Today magazine (read more here).