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It’s rare for a company to hit a fifty-year anniversary, let alone a hundred. But there’s a lot to be learned from long-standing companies like Bancroft Construction, SPC Mechanical, and
Morrison Construction Company, who have all hit milestone years in 2025. Here’s what you can learn from their success that you can apply to your own operation.
Put an Emphasis on Safety
SPC Mechanical, Carolina’s full-service partner of choice for innovative plumbing and HVAC, celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, and one of the key
focuses of the company has been safety. In an interview with Construction Today, Chief Operating Officer Adam Carrouth noted that the emphasis on safety has been a factor in the company’s success.
“We’ve got a really great safety culture. Ten years ago, we made the decision to expand our safety team. We already had a safety director, but we added a field safety manager to
the team who is solely responsible for visiting sites, being that additional resource, and helping folks through their different circumstances.”
In addition to safety officers to ensure guidelines are followed. SPC provides resources for its employees to monitor and ensure their own safety. Adequate PPE and safety equipment
is only one part of it; SPC provides employees with resources to work through common obstacles and challenges on the worksite. “At the end of the day, we make sure that we’re doing
everything we can to bring our employees back home to their families each and every night,” Carrouth notes.
Foster a culture of ownership
Morrison Construction Company recently celebrated the huge milestone of 100 years in business. Founded in 1925, the company has expanded from regional municipal and industrial to major
top-tier projects like pipelines, refineries, nuclear power plants and steel mills.
Past President Dan Sharpe attributes the longevity of the company to ownership of the work. Morrison Construction is an employee-owned company, meaning that every person on the jobsite has a vested interest in the success of the job.
“As owners, our employees have a vested interest in our success. It’s more than just a job; it’s a commitment to excellence that has carried us through 100 years,” Sharpe stated.
And while employee company ownership may not be viable in all circumstances, there are other ways to foster the same sense of responsibility and ownership amongst your employees. Setting
expectations for quality of work and timeline, providing opportunities for ownership, and leading by example are all policies that can be put in place to foster that sense of employee
ownership.
Prioritize Growing Your People
While growing your overall revenue is the ultimate goal, growing the strength of your workforce plays an important role in that goal. After reaching the $200 million in revenue milestone, Bancroft has shifted focus to workforce development.
In the interview with Construction Today, Greg Sawka said:
“To align with our working culture, we’re developing people’s capabilities, onboarding new talent, and providing opportunities for personal growth. By emphasizing the people and culture aspect of the business, we’re creating a vibrant
pipeline of internal leaders to take Bancroft into a new generation.”
For smaller firms this could be small changes such as increasing communication and support from upper management. The benefit of being a smaller operation is that you do have a personal working relationship with your people, and those people are more likely to stay longer,
be more productive, and be an overall boon to your business. And when speaking about communication, it’s not just the top down. Listening to employees’ concerns and taking them seriously is the other key part of building trust within your company. As Carrouth states:
“We make sure that we’re always listening to and valuing what our employees say, understanding that we’re all in this together, to help mold who we are as an organization – that’s not possible without feedback.”
Supporting your employees is not only about making sure they have everything they need to do their job properly and safely but also fostering an atmosphere of two-way communication and trust. If you invest in your people, they’re going to feel supported and feel more comfortable in their work.
Plan for the Future, Not Just the Present
Reaching a milestone isn’t an easy task, and it can often feel like just getting through the year is a monumental task. But preparing for the future, investing in your people and their safety, and building your company on the shoulders of capable workers is the key to longevity.
It’s impossible to plan for everything that might happen, both internally and externally, but having the right people and investing in their growth means that they’re ready and able to adapt for those shifts. People make a company, and it’s important to recognize that the strength of an organization comes from the folks working day in and day out.
