Sometimes bigger is better, so long as those involved don”™t forget the traits that created enough success to grow in the first place.
That is the underlying rationale behind the creation of a new construction company, Kirchhoff Consigli Construction Management, merging Pleasant Valley-based Kirchoff Construction Management with Consigli Construction of Milford, Mass.
The new entity will be headquartered in Pleasant Valley and will be led by Greg Burns as president and Joseph Kirchhoff as CEO. Burns has been with Consigli for 15 years as vice president of construction and will concentrate on daily operations and construction of KCC, while Kirchoff will focus on strategic planning, client relations and quality assurance.
The new entity will operate separate from Consigli’s existing operations, which will remain independent and privately held under the continued leadership of Anthony and Matthew Consigli from three offices in New England.
The new company is designed to play in a larger league, said Kirchoff. “Our target market is the Hudson Valley region,” Kirchoff said, but Connecticut, parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, the New York City metropolitan area are all now potential project areas for KCC. “And obviously one of our big targets is going to be the capital region,” he said, referring to the Albany area.
He said adding the expertise experience and resources of the 104-year-old Consigli Construction would allow the new KCC to undertake projects ranging from the $40 million range that Kirchoff has successfully completed in the past on up to projects costing $100 million or more. In addition, he said, the new company
will have a bonding capacity of about $600 million, sufficient to enable participation in the large public works projects that are expected to be put out for bids in the near future.
Burns said that Kirchoff”™s focus on its longtime clients will continue, especially in the fields of academic and health care facilities, such as Vassar Brothers Medical Center and the current work at Marist College, the largest capital project that institution has ever undertaken.
“It”™s not so much we”™re going to be changing what we can do, we are going to be adding the resources to do more,” Burns said.
“We”™re positioning ourselves,” for the expected end of the recession, he said. “There is going to be some pent up demand in the next two or three years and we”™re ready to tackle the larger projects.” He said while the company is expecting to seek work on publicly financed projects in the short term, since that is where construction projects are most likely to develop first as the recession ends, in the long term the company seeks to work mostly with private investment from corporations, health care and academic institutions.
The merger was in the works for several months and both men said the transition has been a smooth one. “We”™re ready to go right now,” Burns said. “We hit the ground running here. Joe built a hugely successful business and what they have is pretty impressive.”
He said no change is expected in terms of employees at either company in the near term,
but said that if things go as expected, the new company will ultimately hire a larger work force to meet their needs.
Kirchoff said that in the past, he has turned away offers to work on projects beyond their geographic base in the Hudson Valley. But with the greater resources of the new company, he said, their experience working successfully with world class architects will pay off with opportunities throughout the greater New York region, from New York City to Albany.
He said current clients and new business opportunities can be assured that same qualities and people that made the company successful will continue. Scott Prichard will continue in his role of senior project executive, overseeing several important construction projects currently in process and in the planning stages. Christine Ransley, the CFO of KCM will serve in the same capacity for KCC.
The trend toward green building projects will be a natural fit, said Kirchoff and Burns. Separately both companies have made a significant investment and commitment in Green initiatives. KCM”™s existing headquarters is securing Gold LEED certification and KCM recently completed the Millbrook School Science building, which is a Gold LEED project. Consigli has completed over 60 projects in New England with LEED certification. KCC will continue to pursue opportunities in all aspects of renewable resources and green technology.