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< PreviousExecutive Director and Managing Partner, Pedro Pinto is the second generation to be involved, along with his brother Lucas. “We are a family here” he says, “We treat our employ- ees as if they are family, and continue to succeed together. We aim to make people feel they are at home.” This approach helps them attract and retain top talent, which creates a cohesive work environment, and ultimately a better result and experience for clients. The synchronicity between staff, customers, communities, subcontractors and suppliers is what sets them apart and makes a true difference in the level of quality work they deliver. As for the services that Renokrew provides, “We are General Contractors and Construction Managers,” explains Pedro. “We focus on Industrial, Commercial and Institutional sectors as Constructors, Design-Builder and Construction Contract Managers.” With an abundant history of successful projects throughout Canada, Renokrew has built mutually beneficial relationships with a range of Consultants, Subcontractors and Owners. “Between the two offices in Toronto and Ottawa, we have a full-time staff of 29” says Pedro. During COVID they maintained all staffing and positions. The nature of that work per- formed during this time was considered essential, with most in the institutional sector, in occupied Shelters and Hospices. “It’s an area that we’ve become well known for, we have completed a num- ber of emergency housing initiatives within the last year in Toronto and the surrounding GTA.” Pedro went on to explain, “We are currently in a few shelter redevelopments for the city – these are larger projects that have been ongoing for about a year and a half now.” These projects that were deemed “essential” with regards to COVID-19, and, although they were clearly beneficial in regards to being able to keep all staff employed, they came with a new set of challenges and risks. Infection Prevention came to the forefront of construction. “Some owners were forced to take a three-month pause on contracts as they needed to relocate people from occupied shelters for us to continue our work,” recalls Pedro. “That was challenging.” These hurdles became learning experiences and Renokrew powered through. An example of the recent projects included creating more bed space for an emergency women’s shelter. Renokrew was awarded Constructor for the extensive reno- vation and new four-story expansion to the existing building, which involved facing challenges head-on amid constraints. A prime example of this was one project, tasked with work- ing in a tight space in an upscale neighborhood with limited access and a compressed footprint amid a new high-rise development directly next door. The “can-do” attitude that runs throughout the Renokrew staff ensures success even when faced with these logistical and site specific difficulties. Last year they designed and built two three-story complexes for the Canadian Forces Housing Agency on Base Borden. “We were then asked to design and execute the civil and new roadway infrastructure to serve the new developments,” says Pedro. The project was successfully completed ahead of the scheduled occupancy in mid 2020. It comes as no surprise that revenues are quickly on the rise, “The year 2020 was the best year to date in revenue terms and we are on track to double revenues in 2021,” says Pedro. Not bad for a year when COVID made its presence felt across the globe. “The work was always there. All of our projects were deemed “essential,” basically it was about getting ahead of the curve – creating and implementing new policies and procedures, orienting staff, planning and hosting COVID response training, and ensuring our teams and subcontractors were well versed with screening, new protocols, outbreak control, and day to day operations with increased PPE and distancing requirements for all visitors and staff. At Renokrew, we are strong believers that regard- less of the work we do, each one of us plays a vital role in achieving and maintaining a safe work environment. Safety is key to our success and to honour our commitment, we have created and implemented an industry leading Health and Safety approach” says Pedro. “Our track record speaks for itself. To date, we are pleased to have achieved over “At Renokrew, we are strong believers that regardless of the work we do, each one of us plays a vital role in achieving and maintaining a safe work environment.” 10500,000 consecutive derived hours worked, without a single lost time injury. Our teams ensure all operations are per- formed to the highest of standards and this has earned us as a COR™ certified company. We pride on an exceptional safety record and intend to continue this way.” And so it’s onwards and upwards for Renokrew, they are cur- rently expanding operations and looking for a new head office location for the growing company. “We are seeking additional office space and are eager to add new Project Managers, Coordinators and Quality Control Supervisors.” With the main office in Toronto, Ottawa – which started as a satellite office – has been picking up speed and has most recently reached Substantial Completion on an Infrastructure Ontario heritage project. As for the future, the plan is to continue to grow “and eventually become constructors and developers of our own,” he adds. “We’d like to be handling our own developments in the very near future.” Pedro is quick to pay tribute to all those who have helped along the way, from Renokrew staff to the various industry associations that Renokrew are members of. These include the Ontario General Contractors Association (OGCA) and the Ottawa Construction Association (OCA). “They have been very helpful,” says Pedro. “They have our back and contribute to our success.” At the end of the day, it all comes down to the relationships you build with people in the field, organizations and of course, the clients. Treating people right, building trust and feeling connected is a part of their core values. This is not a vague notion or a marketing slogan, Renokrew continues to prove the importance placed on those values. Giving back to the communities in which they operate is just one of those ways. In short, this team “walks the walk” in life and in business. From schools and shelters to hospices and various hospitals, each project Renokrew completes has a winning formula: a professional proactive approach, supported by a wealth of talent, an emphasis on the latest technology and a set of real and tangible values, with the client placed front and centre. “We are evolving, we are driven, we are professional and family-oriented. We put ourselves in the clients’ shoes,” says Pedro. “Working for different levels of the private and public sectors, we value the trust put in us and treat every project like it’s our own.” 1112“ A t one point we were concerned about having to shut down, but because we were considered essential work we always kept working.” The COVID19 pandemic had a devastating effect on industries across the globe, bring many to a standstill and leaving hundreds of millions without work. Luckily for Ali Mohtashami, the construction industry was deemed to be essential to the continued functioning of society and the economy, so companies like his own Pegah Construction Ltd. were able to continue operating in many regions with some slight modifications. “Once COVID hit, nobody actu- ally knew which direction it was going to go” Ali says, adding “One of the first things we did, our Safety Officer incorporated all of the safety requirements with respect to masks, saniti- zation, the safety gear that people have to wear.” Protecting employees while continuing to work and deliver on projects was and is a high priority for Ali and Pegah Construction. Mandatory safety gear, facemasks, hand sanitizer, remote and blended working and staggering employee arrival times at the office are some of the measures the company has taken to try and minimize the risk of spreading the disease. “On all projects we added washing basins. Early on we real- ized that it is much better to wash hands than to just use the sanitizers,” Ali explains. Ali founded Pegah Construction in 1988, after graduating from the University of Toronto with a degree in Civil Engineer- ing in 1987. The inspiration for starting the company came from his family’s experience of trying to build a house. “Our family was building a house, and what happened was that the contractor was not working out. Him and my father were not seeing eye to eye, and I said, ‘You know, it would be better for me to come and take over.’” WRITTEN BY ROSS WALSH 13For its first few years the company focused on building houses, mainly single-family homes. As the company began to experience success, this quickly expanded to include Gen- eral Contracting work, something that the company still excels at to this day. Over this period of early growth, the company developed working relationships across a range of sectors, building partnerships in areas such as municipalities, school boards, Federal and provincial governments and numerous private entities. In addition to these positive working relation- ships, effective “partnerships with great subcontractors” has also proven to be a contributing factor in the company’s suc- cess and growth. Then, about ten years ago, they branched out even further, setting up their own development arm; Format Group Inc. This enabled the company to diversify fur- ther, planning, developing and building projects in the Greater Toronto Area. When asked about the exciting projects that Pegah is working on at the moment, Ali replies “We recently got a project at the University of Toronto, and being alumni it is really good for us to get a job with the University of Toronto. Hopefully we get more work from them because they are one of the larger institutions in the city,” he adds. Despite the safety measures in places, working during a pandemic is not without its drawbacks. Some projects have faced delays due to the difficult nature of working under COVID. One such project is Toronto’s newest fire station. Station 144 in Downsview will be close to more than 400 new homes, and the “environmentally-conscious facility” allows natural light, uses “robust materials for a longer service life and includes a green roof.” The 12,992 square-foot post disaster facility will house a fire hall and Fire Investigations Team. The contract was awarded to Pegah in January 2020, and work on the project began shortly after in April of that year. Despite the delays that have troubled the industry for much of the past two years, the project is due for completion in Fall of this year. Even more impressively, given the diffi- culties faced with supply chains and sourcing materials, the project is coming in on budget. Ali is happy with the progress of the project and expect the station to be open soon. “We are going to have a big opening soon, the Mayor is going to be there. It is a big project for us and it has gone very smoothly,” he says. Another project completed during the pandemic was renovations on the Toronto Transit Commission’s (TTC) Building. This enormous project involved the upgrading of a 16,000 square foot building. It was through this project that Pegah Construction got to demonstrate its attention to detail and expertise by remodelling the facility to enable it to service, maintain, and store TTC non-revenue vehicles and accommodate respective facility staff offices and change rooms. Due to the complexity of the project, Ali is rightfully proud of the job done by the company. “That has been a great experience for us, a big collaboration with the TTC and their staff to make sure that the project runs smoothly.” Not limited to commercial interests, Ali and Pegah Con- struction are also involved in a number of charitable and community initiatives. When asked about the Parya Com- munity Center and the Tirgan Festival, Ali responds that “These two projects are a little bit ethnically orientated where my background is. My background is “Iranian.” The community centre was built in collaboration with the Parya Fire Station 144 Toronto, ON 14(416) 834-2308 | info@novaquip.ca | novaquip.ca Trillium Foundation, to give members of the Iranian-Cana- dian community living in Toronto a place to gather, meet, and to ensure that all Iranians in the Greater Toronto Area feel they have somewhere to go to access excellent ser- vices, to interact with their peers, gain independence and ultimately become productive citizens in their new home. “With the Tirgan Festival, we have been mainly supporting by attendingand being able to support financially,” says Ali. This demonstration of community and collaboration to enhance the overall livelihood of all Toronto residents is evidence of the innovative and positive impact that Pegah Construction aims to provide its clients and community. Looking to the future, Ali believes that even with the pandemic, Pegah Construction will continue to grow and expand as a company. “As we do better work we get better opportunities, and we will be increasing our staff as a result.” Asked what excites him most about taking Pegah Construction into the future, he replies: “We think that we have a very good team to build on, and there is huge expansion particularly in the city of Toronto. There’s a lot of people from around the world that come here into this magnificent city, supported by different levels of the Government. We have been the beneficiaries of a very small amount of good work, but that is where we think we can be contributing the most. Doing good projects, on time and on budget.” “We are very excited about the future of Canada, and being a part of it”. “That has been a great experience for us, a big collaboration with the TTC and their staff to make sure that the project runs smoothly.” Toronto Transit Commission’s (TTC) Building Toronto, ON 1516WRITTEN BY DAVID O’NEILL T he construction world is a thrilling and fast-paced place. Literally and figuratively, it is ground-breaking territory where problem solving and product development can lead to positive changes around the globe. Despite this however, it can also be a difficult industry to negotiate. With competing businesses constantly striving to excel and dominate, fluctuat- ing markets and the drive within companies to innovate and lead from the front, business decisions can become solely depen- dent on financial considerations. Unfortunately, the industry can become a case of risk versus benefit. In terms of encouraging positive relationships, community progression and genuine innovation, this is not a particularly good place to come from. 17Victor Aveiro, President of Aveiro Constructors, is rightly proud of both the longevity his company has achieved, and the quality of service it provides for its customers. While Victor acknowl- edges that it can find itself competing with larger companies on projects, he explains that the flexibility and foundation the company has built ensures that it is more than capable of rival- ling these businesses. “Quite often, we are competing against General Contractors that are much larger than us. But we are fortunate enough to have our own operation; we have our own office and shop. We are not renting space so that facilitates us by being able to store equipment and stock. Our competitors don’t necessarily have that, so we are able to be more com- petitive sometimes because our overhead costs are lower.” In addition to this, Victor states that the reputation his company has earned over time means that it has built partnerships with other companies in the field, something that has enabled Aveiro Constructors to increase its reach across the industry. “Some of the large contracting firms in Ontario will have us join them to help and assist in the design process. Our part would be the design, supply and installation of the steel building. That is our specialty. It is also something that has helped us survive through hard times in our industry. We sometimes have other general contractors that will reach out and, literally, we can do work for our competitors.” YOUR PRE-ENGINEERED METAL BUILDING ERECTOR OF CHOICE! (519)584-4461 | kyle@kdmerectors.com | kdmerectors www.kdmerectors.com PROFESSIONAL – DEDICATED – DEPENDABLE It is refreshing then, to see the continuing upward trajectory of Aveiro Constructors Limited, an Ontario based General Contractor working in the ICI sector, that has served the local and international markets for almost forty-five years. It is not hyperbolic to state that this is a company that is focused on creating lasting, impactful projects that will benefit commu- nities and clients alike. Indeed, this attention to ensuring the positive impact of its work is an aspect of the business that has, in addition to the technical skills and business nuance, been passed down through generations. “Aveiro Constructors has built a vast wealth of experience, being in business for over forty years.” 18Recognition of the value in working together is something that has been instilled in Victor and is evident throughout the rich history of the company. Aveiro Constructors has built a vast wealth of experience, being in business for over forty years. The company was incorporated in 1976 by Victor’s parents, in partnership with his paternal grandfather. Victor’s parents shared all working aspects of the company, his mother running the accounts while his father worked primar- ily in the field. “My Dad would have done the estimating and running the jobs while my Mom ran the accounting side and the finances of the business. The two of them were partners.” Given that construction is, sometimes unfairly, seen as pri- marily a male led industry, this collaborative working model is not necessarily the norm. Refreshingly, it ensured that Aveiro Constructors were working to a progressive and inclusive charter long before such things were commonplace. Initially, the company targeted the residential market, a decision that was not initially successful. The struggled to gain a foothold. However, when Victor’s grandfather retired, his parents acted quickly, pivoting the business towards the area they now excel in; pre-engineered steel work. “They were able to turn it around, switching their model fairly quickly from residential into the commercial sector. They focused on pre-engineered steel building, and we are still very strong in that world.” SERVICING LONDON AND AREA FOR 25 YEARS Angton Electric specializes in both commercial and residential services, as well as design & build services. Contact us to discuss projects and quotes! (519) 203-7124 | 2332 Main St, London, ON N6P 1P9 | angtonelectric.com 19Next >