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This is Chris Redgrave for Zions Bank Speaking on Business.
In an industry so challenged during the recession, agility and flexibility have been the key to success... Company president Kyle Hansen says that's what helped GEM Buildings in Brigham City to survive during the recession.
GEM Buildings is a steel engineering and manufacturing building supplier. They do things differently here, where they're both fabricators and designers. It's an unusual combination to see in the industry and doesn't have a lot of competition. This means their products tend to be more personalized, and stand out in the marketplace... Kyle says their design team is unmatched, and this helps them stay competitive. It also allows greater flexibility on jobs because they don't stay locked into one design.
With strong leadership and the foresight of seeing what's coming down the road, GEM Buildings was adaptable enough to change with the market pretty quickly. And that's been a major difference maker. Kyle says they've always held their own and worked through tough times. Not to mention, they thrive on challenging projects.
Speaking of employees, Kyle says they believe in empowering their team of 80 employees. They offer flexible schedules, so if someone works better in the morning and someone else in the afternoon … they can do that. Management is seen as more of a coach for the team. And while this can be viewed as a male-dominated industry, Kyle says GEM Buildings has plenty of females on staff … as engineers, drafters and officers.
Their national footprint is a large one. Right now Canada is a major market they're serving. Locally, they've completed projects for Kennecott. They also have a diverse customer base that includes medical markets, food service providers, power, energy, schools, churches — and food storage has been a mainstay for years. In fact, they patented a fresh potato storage building design over 20 years ago.
All in all GEM Buildings is a design company and has been ever since the inception of the business in 1985....And design continues to be the heartbeat that keeps this company fresh and moving forward into the future...
For Zions Bank, I'm Chris Redgrave, speaking on business.
GEM Buildings 1025 Watery Ln. Brigham City, UT 84302 435-723-5000 www.gembuildings.com
