Nerves of steel in wobbly economy
Some entrepreneurs have nerves of steel ”“ others have steely resolve.  Cormach O”™Muirithe has both ”“ and a bit of the “luck of the Irish” thrown in for good measure.
O”™Muirithe hails from Ireland”™s County Meath, arriving in New York and working his way up through the construction industry, eventually becoming a project manager for several years with a Fortune 500 builder.
“I had a very good job,” said O”™Muirithe, “but I realized it would be several years of climbing the corporate ladder to get where I wanted to be. It was either continue the climb, or take a shot on my own.” He chose the latter ”“ with his wife”™s blessing.
“I chose steel fabrication because there were not many contractors in that particular field. When we”™d bid out a job, we would have only two or three submit proposals. It seemed like a good fit for a new company to come in.” By 2006, United Structural Works was born.
The Westchester resident wanted industrial space close enough to New York City, but located where property was more affordable. He leased 10,000 square feet in Rockland County. Within six months, United Structural Works had outgrown its space.
For the next two years, site selectors did their best to lure the young entrepreneur away from Rockland, but Ron Hicks and Steve Porvath of the county”™s Economic Development Corp. worked to keep USW in within its borders ”“ and succeeded.
“I can”™t say enough good things about Ron, Steve and the whole REDC team,” O”™Muirithe said. “They are knowledgeable, forthright and easy to work with. They want what”™s best for the county ”“ at the same time, they are looking out for business owners. They want them to be happy and remain in the county.”
O”™Muirithe bought 6.5 acres on Hemlock Road in the town of Clarkstown for his new offices and plant.
“What made the entire experience such a pleasure was working with Clarkstown”™s building department. Anyone who has gone through the process knows it can be extremely daunting when you are trying to build anything in some municipalities,” he said. “Clarkstown”™s building department has taken what can be a tortuous process to working, streamlined level, with a symmetry that focuses on every aspect of the project but without endless delays. They don”™t miss anything, but work as a cohesive team. From the time I made my first application to getting shovels in the ground, the entire process took six months ”“yes, it”™s a model for others ”“ Clarkstown is a very pro-business community.”
Becoming part of the Empire Zone program was made possible by REDC. O”™Muirithe has not fallen short when it comes to meeting its requirements, either.
From the six original employees he began his company with, USW now has a core of 60 full-time employees and hires an additional 20 to 40 skilled union laborers, depending on the number of projects the company does.
“The Empire Zone credits helped me buy the equipment we needed to give our fabricators the best tools to work with,” O”™Muirithe said. “Steel fabrication is a precise science ”“ there is no room for error ”“ and an integral part of the construction cycle where builders want the best talent and the best tools to work with. Thanks to the EZ credits we received to purchase our machinery, I was able to build a top-quality shop.”
The 57,000-square-foot building, which was started in February 2009, and completed by May 2010, is situated on three of its 6.5-acre parcel, allowing the company room for expansion in the future. He estimated the entire building, contents and property to be a $7 million investment in Rockland, with the company now averaging $20 million in sales annually.
The building”™s interior windows look out into the company”™s expansive fabrication plant. Recycled steel and concrete ”“ one of the most reused materials in the industry, said O”™Muirithe ”“ were used in the construction. Recycled wood covers the office floors handsomely, and double-glazed glass windows predominantly facing south help bring in natural light and keep heating costs down. “We followed LEED standards, even though we have not applied for LEED certification. It just makes good sense,” he said.
O”™Muirithe, who took a gamble and won, was recently honored by the REDC as its entrepreneur of the year.
“I wasn”™t expecting it and I”™m a little shy about being in the limelight,” confessed the young business owner. “To me, I am only the CEO on tax day; the other 364 days, I”™m a working man … and just coming to work is exciting. There is something new every day. It”™s never boring, that”™s for sure.”