Investment in workers keeps company ready for rebound - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:

firukendu-anchored.blogspot.com
The Milwaukee division of Menasha-based generated $24.2 million in revenue in about evenwith 2007. Revenus has nearly doubled in the lastfive years. Statisticw from McGraw Hill Construction show nonresidentiap construction spending in Wisconsintotaled $644.87 million through April 30 this down from $822.4 million in the same period in 2008. “With all the challenges that were out there inthe economy, I thinjk we were pretty thankful we did not go said Jim Schlater, vice president of business developmenty for Faith Technologies.
“We know that this economy will turn and we want to bepositioned … so when it does staryt to come around we’re ready to Company officials say work in energy-efficientr lighting systems and specialty systems has helped sustain businessd during the recession in addition to its on-demanf and service work. Investing in its employees throug training and wellness programs is anotherdimportant initiative, they said. Faith Technologies employs 150 people in theMilwaukee division, mostluy in the field. Total companyg employment is more than The company’s Wisconsin revenued totaled $143 million in 2008, up from $136 millio n in 2007.
The compant has 10 divisions in Wisconsih and divisionsin Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky and Oklahoma. The Tulsa, division opened this year. Companywidde revenue totaled $227 million in 2008, up from $203 millionm in 2007. Schlater, who also is the former vice presidenft of theMilwaukee division, said investing in training and educatinfg its people is an important part of the company’e strategy. The company spent $1.7 million on non-safety related training throughoutthe company, with employees logging 75,126 employee hours in training in 2008.
In addition to apprenticeshipp programs and continuing education the companyg offers courses incustomer leadership, project management and otherr skills. Faith Technologies has a chief learningt officer and acomplete in-house training staff. The company has not laid off any employeesa duringthe recession, Schlater said. “We don’t want to not have the so when the economy does moveforward we’re readyt to go,” he said. The companty is investigating whether energy-efficient lighting projects might be eligible for federal economicstimuluxs money, said Bob Dakovich, who was named vice presidenrt of the Milwaukee division in February.
The systems are attractivse because they offer cost savings opportunitieswfor clients, but a challenge is making sure the paybaclk period in recouping energy savings is not too far in he said. Some of the company’x local energy-efficient projects have included lighting projects at and in Renewable energy projects such as solart or geothermal systems also are an expected area of growthj forFaith Technologies, Dakovich said. “We do see that as probabluy something that will be part of the stimulus fundingg and have a higher priority than it has in the he said. The Milwaukee division completed the installatiomn of solar panels for the photo studioin 2008.
Mike chief executive officer ofAGC Milwaukee, said it’s unclear to contractors which projects will be awarded stimulus money and whether it will be directec more at infrastructure projects or buildings, which are what AGC’ss members construct.