Despite the Construction Industry's Negative Outlook, Companies Remain Optimistic
May 6, 2009

While commercial construction may be slow, a number of companies are expanding and growing their businesses.

EFCO, for example, recently opened a new service center in the Las Vegas area to better serve customers in the West and Southwest. The company is also in the process of hiring both professional and manufacturing employees as a result of its current volume levels.

"We have been pleased with the strength of EFCO's business at this time, given all the negative news regarding the U.S. economy," says Mike Farquhar, president of EFCO, a Pella Company. "EFCO has been very focused on satisfying customers and providing services to architects and glazing contractors to meet their unique needs."

Novum Structures LLC in Menomonee Falls, Wis., has also expanded, both in the United States and worldwide.

"We're taking the economic slowdown in stride, but we're still moving forward because we know the market will pick back up," says Ross Deeter, regional manager.

The company recently opened new offices in Dallas; Sarasota, Fla.; San Francisco; Germany; England; France; Turkey and India.

Likewise, companies based in Europe are even finding reason to grow into U.S. markets. KLEIN, which is headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, manufactures and distributes interior sliding door hardware for high-end projects. The company opened a U.S. branch in Elizabeth, N.J., last December in hopes of better serving the market here.

"We realized that designers had troubles finding the right product for their projects and [there was not enough information about] these particular applications," says Jessy Servol, sales manager. He says his company chose to enter the U.S. market in hopes of becoming a reference on sliding doors and to help designers and contractors get the right product for their applications.

"Of course this [economic] crisis affects us as much as other companies in the construction industry," says Servol. "We think it's time for our company to promote our brand even more to show customers and designers that they can count on us and that we'll be next to them in the near future when projects start rising again."

Need more info and analysis about the issues?
CLICK HERE to subscribe to USGlass magazine.