Nabholz Construction builds projects, develops people

by Ruth Scott

SBJ Contributing Writer

While Nabholz Construction Corporation is a fairly new addition to the Springfield area, opening its branch near Ozark only three years ago, the company, which specializes in commercial and industrial projects, is celebrating its 50th year in business, according to Lowell Thomas, president of Nabholz's southwest Missouri operation.

Before opening the local branch office, he said, "the company became familiar with the southwest Missouri market." Nabholz built Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts, Tanger Outlet Mall in Branson and the Contract Freighters Incorporated headquarters in Joplin.

Based in Conway, Ark., the company also did market research on the southwest Missouri area. "They decided it looked like a strong market," Thomas said. Thomas added that he had been in the construction industry in southwest Missouri for 26 years when the new Nabholz office was opened.

"I was in the area working with another construction company," he said. "Nabholz gave me the opportunity to be president of this branch. I did some research and found nothing but good stuff about them."

"We found the marketplace here to be really receptive," Thomas said. "We've worked with some really nice people, and we've been fortunate enough to get some of the larger projects."

Some of those projects include Noble Communications' new office building, James River Assembly of God church, a new warehouse and showroom for Southern Materials, and a showroom and repair facility for Reliable BMW.

"We've basically doubled our contract sales each year since we started," he said. "We went from $3.6 million the first year to $7.2 million the second year."

Last year, contract sales were $17 million, and this year, he said, "we've signed contracts on over $33 million worth of work, and our fiscal year ends March 31. Since we're already carrying a backlog of $33 million, we'll more than double last year's contract sales. That makes us one of the largest contractors in town."

Some of the company's larger projects are located in surrounding communities. "We're building a 900,000-square-foot building for Sunbeam Corporation in Neosho," Thomas said. "We're also seeing a lot of construction projects in surrounding small towns." Also, Nabholz will be starting projects soon in Monett and Lebanon.

Thomas said the corridor between Springfield and Ozark, and the area between Springfield and Nixa will both continue to grow. "With that growth there will be more construction," he said. "I expect some significant growth in Lebanon and Joplin, and Branson will still continue to grow," he said. "A lot of contractors came to the area and opened an office during the Branson boom, and left afterwards. We opened later, because of the steady growth of the area."

The reputation and size of Nabholz helped get the Springfield branch off to a good start, Thomas said, along with the company's choice of employees.

"Nabholz hired some very capable, well-known local players with good reputations," he said.

Executive Vice President Randy Ganz has worked in the construction industry in the area, and senior project manager and estimator John May has 25 years' experience with a major contractor.

"We also have great field superintendents," Thomas said. "Several are from this area, with many years of experience."

Most of the 30 full-time employees were working in the area prior to joining Nabholz, Thomas said. "One reason they may have left and come to work for us is that Nabholz is a very employee-oriented company. We offer lots of benefits and a stock-ownership plan, as well as vacation, health care and holidays."

He added that Nabholz also provides opportunities for entrepreneurial young people to take on management positions.

"We've been fortunate to be able to pick up some great people. Right now it's tough to find good people. The truth is, the construction industry appears to be less attractive than other industries. The brightest and the sharpest young minds are not going into construction."

That's one reason for Nabholz University in Conway, he said. A four-year course is available with classes such as estimating, project management, carpentry and other types of craftsmanship. More than 1,000 people have gone through the training, Thomas said. "We have hired several graduates, and so have our competitors."

Through the Total Package concept, trademarked by Nabholz, a young employee can work his way into a management position, Thomas said. "The company is set up with separate profit centers within the organization. With the Nabholz Total Package, we take different phases of work that need to be done and we have in-house divisions to carry out each phase."

For example, Nabholz Client Service specializes in emergency warranty work, emergency repairs and small projects, he said. The division is run separately from the rest of the company. It is its own profit center, with only its own overhead to carry, he said.

"Big contractors always have clients who want little bitty projects done," Thomas said. "It's hard to make it pay off because of the cost." Having a separate division for small jobs makes the company more responsive to customers' needs, he said. "It gives the customers a lot more, and it also allows us to grow aspiring young businesspeople."

"Most construction companies don't have management positions and stockholders," he said. "Most didn't start with a visionary like Bob Nabholz."

Bob Nabholz started the company 50 years ago, and it is still growing steadily. "Construction companies usually follow a bell-shaped curve," Thomas said. "By the time 50 years have gone by, most construction companies have come and gone." He said companies are often dependent on a single person whose children don't want to take over when he retires. Nabholz was a different story. Bob Nabholz is retired, but all four of his sons are in the company in management positions.

His oldest son, Dan, is the CEO. "Bob instilled a good work ethic in his sons," Thomas said. "They weren't given special privileges[[In-content Ad]]