Dietze Construction

Source: Construction Digital

Date :5/8/2008 6:32:44 AM

Exec takes a look at the Dietze Construction Group, now licensed in 26 states, and discovers some of the secrets behind its success

Written by Ellie Duncan and Produced by Amber Sweeney

The Dietze Construction Group was established in 1993 and has since developed into a well-known and well-respected entity based in Ashburn, Virginia. In 2001 they opened an office in Tampa, Florida and are licensed in 26 states from New York to California.

Although the Group began as a general contractor specialising in tenant interior fit-out, they now support four divisions within the company; base building, tenant interior, mission critical environments and multi-family residential construction.

Its accomplishments are many and varied and include corporate office headquarters, medical suites and laboratories, government facilities, retail premises and restaurants, automotive dealerships, and building and site renovation.

When the business started in 1993 there were only four employees and it was worth $3 million. The company justifies its success by explaining it as a result of a combination of factors: design, concentrated effort, hard work and dedication, and sometimes simple good fortune. However, Dietze Construction’s unifying aim is to provide the best service in the industry at a competitive, fair cost. This has seen them appear in the `Top 10 general contractors’, and the `Top 10 interior contractors’ lists year after year.

Having received numerous awards for workmanship and safety, the firm prides itself on quality, technical proficiency and timeliness. As a result of the company’s dedication, knowledge and passion for its work, Dietze Construction has grown to over 120 employees posting revenues in excess of $175 million annually.

SOLID BUSINESS BACKGROUND

Ralph Dietze is President of the The Dietze Construction Group and as such is responsible for both the long and short-term direction of the company. Dietze plays an important role in acquiring and retaining the company’s business base. With a solid business and management background, he is both the author and prime advocate of the firm’s philosophy of doing whatever it takes to ensure client satisfaction.

The Group recently completed work on a new location for Clyde’s, the privately owned, high-end restaurant chain. The company was faced with a 29,000 square foot space, which was to become a classic American Inn, a vision that the owner of the chain had harboured for 20 years. The beams used in construction had been excavated from a number of barns that the owner had bought in Vermont over a period of 15 years.

In order to create authenticity they used wooden pegs to fasten the beams together, as opposed to nails.

FIRM STRENGTH

The project for Clyde’s is a demonstration of the firm’s strengths, whereby everything revolves around a team structure, comprised of members who are the best in their field. The onus is on strong relationships with the clients, and the type of environment that encourages an open exchange of ideas to achieve this. The company will not take work unless it has the right personnel in position, putting it in a much more powerful position when it does take on a project.

One of the more challenging projects Dietze completed was the construction of AES’s Corporate Headquarters in Arlington, Vancouver. During the design and construction processes the company was required to meet the fire codes and county requirements, whilst providing AES with the high-end finish they wanted. In the end the project won Dietze Construction four awards, including the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties 2005 Award of Excellence for Best Interior. The build included a ‘social staircase’, a focal point designed to encourage interaction between floors and staff, as well as a 40 foot full-height wood feature wall, accented with a stainless steel and fabric ‘floating’ ceiling backlit with lighting.

Similarly, the Moore Cadillac Dealership in Loudoun County, Virginia was a state-of-the-art construction project. Totalling approximately 140,000 square feet and comprising three different buildings, it is the largest single manufacturer dealership in the eastern United States. The front of the showroom is constructed of a 22 foot high glass curtain wall system with composite panels forming an eyebrow at the top of the radius. The building consists of a number of features, including 38 service bays, each with their own in-ground lift and hose reels, delivering air, oil, water and anti-freeze on demand.

Washington Business Journal’s list of top general contractors in 2008 listed the Dietze Construction Group at number 60, positioning them 17 places up from the previous year.

NEW HQ

The Group moved to new headquarters a year ago in Ashburn, Virginia. The University Professional Center which houses the company is a project that it worked on along with Tetra Partners and completed in March 2007. Situated in verdant grounds, the Center is within proximity of a major airport and the newer office buildings that surround it make the site highly desirable. Certainly, the design of the building should inspire the creative minds of Dietze Construction who occupy it. An ornamental railing of stainless steel complements the space and highlights the architectural features of the two storey atrium, a feature which is considered the heart of the project.

Going forward the company will continue to remain successful by employing the right employees who it believes to be its greatest asset. Senior Vice President Robert Ehardt explains that the company is constantly striving to better its craft, which has led to the following short-term target, “We plan to go from $160 million in sales to $200 million in sales in the next two years.”