Welcome to the newest department in Contracting Business magazine. Here we look at the products, tools, and services that make a contractor successful. Each month we’ll pick a contracting firm — past winners of our Contractor of the Year Award winners of either a Quality Home Comfort Award or a Design/Build Award, and other nationally recognized figures — and see what tools of the trade they prefer and that help make them successful.
EMCOR Services-Trimech Corp., Pompton Plains, NJ
Mark Grawehr is president of Trimech Corp in Pompton Plains, NJ.
Trimech is an $11 million operating division of Emcor Group, Inc., a Fortune 500 company with more than $4 billion in annual revenues. Emcor is a global leader in mechanical and electrical construction and facilities services.
Here is Mark’s list of the tools used in his company’s trucks, office, and shop.
IN THE TRUCKS
- Number and type of trucks/vans:
10 Chevy vans, 10 Chevy pick-ups, 1 GMC pick-up, 1 Ford pick-up, and 1 Ford rack - Inventory on trucks/vans: Inventory on trucks is limited to generic components such as contactors, relays, transformers, and the like.
- Preferred test instruments
technicians carry:
Brand names include:
Amprobe & Fluke volt meters, Robinair/Yellow Jacket refrigeration gauge set, Raytek infrared thermometer; select technicians carry Shortridge AirData and HydraData multimeters. - Preferred brand of ladders:
Werner Fiberglass. - Preferred field communications method: Nextel
- Preferred wireless field service software: Not in use.
IN THE OFFICE
- Preferred business management software:
Shaker Coins, custom developed. Applications in Microsoft Access, Excel, and ACT - Preferred load calculation software:Trane Trace 700
- Preferred sales management software:ACT, custom developed applications in MS Access
- Preferred computer/printer equipment:
Computers: Dell.
Printers: Xerox, Toshiba, Espson, Hewlett Packard - Preferred photocopier equipment: Xerox, Toshiba
- Business connects to the Internet via: DSL line.
- Preferred Internet service provider: Conquer The Web
- Preferred business software package: Microsoft Professional Office, Lotus Notes.
- Preferred uniform supplier: Corporate purchasing agreement with Aramark.
- Credit Cards Accepted:
We don't currently accept credit cards (we used to accept Amex, MC, Visa, Discover, but use was very infrequent).
IN THE SHOP
- Preferred HVAC heating equipment brands:
Trane, Carrier, McQuay, York. - Preferred HVAC cooling equipment brands:
Trane, Carrier, McQuay, York - Preferred accessory brands: York, Luxaire, Lennox
- Amount of equipment inventoried: Zero.
- Warehouse equipment used: Komatsu forklifts, Grainger hand carts.