Mainebiz

V O L . X X I N O. X X V I N OV E M B E R 1 6 , 2 0 1 5 14 L aunching a construction company in an economic downturn might not seem like good timing. But for Kevin French, who teamed up with former competitor Denis Landry to start Landry/French Construction Co. in 2010, it was exactly the right time to come out of the semi-retirement imposed by a non- compete clause he'd signed in 2006 when he sold his share of the Ledgewood Construction Co. "Everyone thought we were crazy to start a com- pany in bad times," French recalls. "'Why would you start now?' they asked. Denis and I replied, ' ere's no better time to start. We can come up to speed in the bad times, get a solid foundation in place and then, when it becomes good times again, we're set to go.'" And go they went, even out of the starting gate. Early clients included Bangor Savings Bank, cPort Credit Union and Franklin Memorial Hospital. Many of those early jobs were interior renovations or small additions. To French, who admits he was bored and restless during his four-year retirement, it was all good. "I had that 'fi re in the belly' feeling," he says. "When we fi rst started out, I told Denis 'I'm going to look for million-dollar jobs.' It spread the word quickly that I was back and that Denis and I were going to do great things together." He readily acknowledges their new company benefi ted from the well-established reputations both of them had built for themselves in Maine's com- mercial construction industry over the previous 25 years — with Landry's resume including a 10-year stint managing Payton Construction Corp.'s offi ce in Maine prior to starting his own company, and French's including fi ve years as vice president and half owner of Ledgewood Construction and an ear- lier stint doing marketing for Pizzagalli Construction Co. (now PC Construction), based in Burlington, Vt. After a modest start, Landry/French's trajec- tory has really taken off the past three years — with 2014 sales of $40.51 million being more than double its 2013 sales. e Scarborough-based company increased its staffi ng this year by 40% — it now has 28 full-time employees — to keep pace with its grow- ing portfolio of construction jobs. Current jobs include building a solar-powered 7,200-square-foot Bangor Savings Bank building on Portland's Marginal Way that's scheduled to be completed next June and the Seaport Lofts on Newbury Street on Munjoy Hill. With $40 million of jobs already booked for 2016, French says the company's sales next year could very well end up being in the range of $55 million to $60 million. "Denis and I have kept it simple and stayed our course," French says. "We do what we say we'll do and we treat everyone the way we would want to be treated. We make a point of hiring the right people, people who are high achievers, who are motivated and driven to do their best at everything they do … e success of our company isn't because of Denis and me. It's the people we have right now working for us. ey're the ones who are bringing it across the fi nish line." J MC, Mainebiz senior writer, can be reached at @ . and @ JM MEDIUM COMPANY Delivering on promises Hiring the right people proves to be the key to success for Landry/French Construction Co. B y J a m e s M c C a r t h y Landry/French Construction Co. 160 Pleasant Hill Road, Scarborough 04074 Founded: 2010 Owners: Denis Landry, president; Kevin French, vice president Services: Construction management; design/build; traditional design/bid/build; general contracting. Sales growth: 118% Full-time employees: 28 Contact: 730-5566 www.landryfrenchconstruction.com P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Five questions Five questions Five questions Five questions Five questions Five questions Five questions Five questions Five questions Five questions Five questions Five questions Five questions Five questions Five questions How would you describe your company's core mission? Our core mission is to be the leader in the commercial construction marketplace by delivering a positive client experience, and to develop long-lasting relationships based on trust, quality and value. What were the key factors in your company's growth? Hiring and retaining the right employees. Retaining and attracting employees who are the best in our industry has been a key factor in our success. We do that by creating a culture where employees thrive professionally in a healthy, happy and rewarding work environment. Satisfied clients: Building trust, developing long-standing relation- ships and ensuring client satisfaction. Client expe- rience: Positive client experiences result in higher repeat business and higher client referral rates. How have you adjusted to the rapid growth? We've attracted top talent, adding 40% more staff in 2015 alone. In 2013, moved from a 2,300- square-foot facility to an 11,000-square-foot facility to accommodate the increased growth. Do you have plans to hire additional employees? We're always looking for the right employees to join our team. When we find the right individuals, we hire them, even if we don't have an immediate need. What can we expect for 2016? Continued growth. Continued search for the right people. Continual improvement. Denis Landry, left, and Kevin French, co- owners of Landry/French Construction Co., at the construction site of Seaport Lofts in Portland. In the past three years, their company's revenues have grown 118%.

• Cover