NexGen Spotlight: The Right Pieces in Place
When Chris Schneider took the reins of the NexGen Mechanical division, his goal was to build a team that consisted of the best of the best. A year later, he feels they are accomplishing this mission—from the laborers all the way up to the superintendents who set the tone for their teams.
“The skill set and industry relationships our field superintendents bring are invaluable to our success,” Schneider said. “I can’t say enough good things about them—they are the lifeblood of this company.”
While the division is still in its infancy, Schneider is encouraged by the growth over the past year and noted a few potential projects on the horizon. Schneider lauded the abundance of expertise on the completed Aurubis site, where Gray was selected to partner with the German-based company on its first greenfield facility in 100 years—and its first operation in North America. The Aurubis project had more than 120 team members performing over 250,000 human-hours, many of whom have decades of experience in their respective crafts.
The team self-performed tasks such as the installation of 2,000 tons of interior mezzanine steel, material conveyance and injection systems, and furnace and casting equipment.
Schneider takes pride in the team’s ability to execute complex projects, citing an instance on the Aurubis project where they utilized a 400-ton crane to handle a 12-in. diameter process and duct 100 feet in the air while placing a roof.
Looking ahead, Schneider envisions opportunities for the NexGen Mechanical division to grow by achieving revenue goals, expanding specialized skill sets, and adding experienced professionals to the team.
As the mechanical division navigates its growing success, Schneider highlights the importance of overcoming challenges, standardizing policies and procedures, and building out a procurement team to assist the division.
“After just 14 months, we’ve seen such incredible growth,” he said. “We began this venture very organically and are now poised to surpass our sales goals this year and set us up for an even better future.”
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