Phaze Concrete prepares to pour concrete at the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Heber City, Utah.
(Phaze Concrete photo)
In 2003, a small concrete laying company was just starting out, pouring driveways and performing jobs on residential properties in Nevada and Utah.
Since then, though, Phaze Concrete's value has grown considerably. It is now worth more than $43 million; it employs 250 employees; it has offices in Hildale, Utah; Denver and Oklahoma City; and it has been making some forward-thinking moves which are unprecedented in the industry, both on and off the construction site, according to the company.
In terms of working methods, it is regarded as one of best concrete laying companies in the nation when it comes to flatwork. “We have four laser screeds and a wide array of equipment,” Paul Beagley, the company's chief operating officer recently said during an interview.
In fact, due in part to successful implementation of efficiency-based construction techniques, as well as emphasis on maintaining a high morale among employees, Phaze is now managing to lay up to 1 million sq. ft. of flatwork every two months. The company not only allows, but actively encourages, its trained professionals to use their best judgment on the job, so that the time it takes to perform certain processes can be cut significantly by applying creative solutions.
“Once we get specs or requirements for an owner, our job is to excel above their expectations without adding excessive cost,” said Beagley, adding that it makes more sense to do a job correctly the first time than having to spend money and resources retrospectively correcting errors later.
It's not just the techniques the company is using to improve customer satisfaction that's allowed Phaze to enjoy such a positive reputation within the industry, though; it is also using profits to provide perks for staff that very few other construction businesses are able to offer.
Among these is a GED Readiness program, which is open not just to apprentices, but also to family members of apprentices. “We don't want our employees simply to come to work and earn a paycheck and go home; we want them to come and have a valuable experience, learning transferable skills that can improve every aspect of their life,” said a company representative during a recent discussion about the initiative.
The positive results of the enterprise are immediately apparent. The company frequently completes jobs under budget, and well before their allotted deadline.
“Doing the right thing has been an important value for the Phaze team, often going the extra mile to make sure customers get what they expected and have an active involvement with solutions to the daily challenges and hurdles of today's construction industry. Our crews work hard as a team to keep commitments and schedules while traveling across the nation to deliver the quality the industry has come to expect from us,” said a company representative.
Such a successful track record is bound to bring with it more opportunities for growth, as was the case when Phaze was enlisted to help construct the Family Dollar Distribution Center, covering an area of well over 1 million sq. ft. The company's approach to flatwork and tilt-up concrete during this project gained it further recognition, too, in form of the ACI Intermountain Chapter Award of Excellence.
Additionally, due to the new president's pledge to stimulate the growth of business and infrastructure, it's very likely that the requirement for construction work is going to boom exponentially over the next four years, according to the company. Phaze is devoting itself to preemptively creating the resources which can be utilized when this happens.
In fact, last year the company partnered with the Department of Labor's Department of Apprenticeships to put together an innovative prospect for young workers seeking on-the-job training which will comprise everything from theoretical class-based learning modules to practical training and instruction from a seasoned industry expert.
The scale of the program is equally impressive, with Phaze constituting just one of 37,000 different sponsors. Currently, there are 26 cement mason apprentices enrolled in the venture.
Phaze's mantra is that, where it can, it will support employees in gaining knowledge of work that will not only help them in their future careers, but also in their day-to-day lives. And with the positive tangible results it receives, it's clear that the business will continue to grow in the coming years.
For more information, visit phazeconcrete.com.
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