Glassboro, N.J.—INSTALL has recently set a goal of establishing at least six new Southern INSTALL contractors in 2018. Southern expansion has been a key initiative for the organization since 2016.
As INSTALL continues to increase its presence in key markets across the country, it will maintain its focus on council-to-council and contractor support. This relationship provides contractors with the opportunity to enter viable construction markets and establish new offices, allowing for additional revenue streams. It is also an opportunity to bring additional training and certification to the Southern labor pool.
“INSTALL is able to leverage long-standing manufacturer partnerships to bring together field know-how and in-depth product expertise,” said John McGrath, executive director at INSTALL. “For newer markets like Texas, this means contractors will now have access to trained and certified journeymen and will be able to train the next generation of expert installers.”
Expanding into Southern states required significant support from a variety of industry players, including local United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC) councils, contractors, manufacturers and individual installers. The expansion into the Texas market was spearheaded by a joint partnership with St. Louis – Kansas City Regional Council of Carpenters, Central South Carpenters Regional Council and Image Flooring, INSTALL warranty contractor.
Kansas City-based Image Flooring wanted to create a presence and workforce in Texas. The company already had a large presence throughout the Central U.S., but without certified installers in Texas it was unable to tap into the thriving construction market.
“Image Flooring and INSTALL approached us to hold training sessions and open houses at several training centers,” said Jason Engels, executive secretary treasurer of the Central South Carpenters Regional Council. “Thanks to their unique relationship with the St. Louis – Kansas City Regional Council of Carpenters, they were able to bring INSTALL certified instructors to Texas.”
Engels added, “It’s been a true partnership with Image Flooring and INSTALL. Building a new workforce in a new state has been a monumental task. You need to provide a trained and skilled workforce to help create market share, and that’s exactly what we’ve been able to accomplish.”