Masonry Magazine December 2009 Page. 26
Providing
Value
Mast climber companies can help mason contractors make money in tough times
During the Recession
BY BRETT MARTIN
In THESE TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES, mason contractors need every advantage to stay profitable. Mast climber companies may have just the thing.
"Mast climbers dramatically increase production and decrease labor. These are the obvious benefits," says Clint Bridges, VP for EZ Scaffold in Columbia, Tenn. "In tough times, [using a mast climber] could be the difference between getting a job or not getting it, and between making money, breaking even, or losing money."
Justin Breithaupt Jr., owner of Non-Stop Scaffolding Inc. in Shreveport, La., says these scaffold systems can reduce mason contractors' job costs, which will help them win more bids.
"The people who can do well in tough times are the ones who can do the job faster than their competitors," Breithaupt says. "Everybody has the same material costs. The guy with the lower labor costs is the one who's going to get the job. If you can buy equipment, reduce labor costs, and have that equipment pay for itself in two to five months, it's a good investment even in tough times."
Scaffold solutions for a slow market
MAST CLIMBER COMPANIES are finding an upside to the construction slowdown. Michael Solomon, national sales manager for the Columbus, Ohio-based companies TNT Equipment Co. and Premier Scaffold Solutions, says the recession is causing more mason contractors to consider his company's Pro-Series scaffolding.
"What's driving business for us right now is the opportunity for people to look at something new," Solomon says. "Contractors are really receptive to having someone new in the mast climber market. What we've been able to do is make a mast climber that's at least as good, if not better, than what's already on the market, but make it much more economical."
Bridges says mast climber systems are safer than other scaffolding, which can help mason contractors win jobs.
"If an owner or general contractor knows that you will be using a safer scaffold, he may use you even if your price is higher," Bridges explains. "I have a customer who works on primarily one military base. He has gotten calls from general contractors where they were told to 'use the guy with the orange scaffold."
Mast climbers are long-term business investments that give mason contractors a competitive advantage, Solomon says.
"You have to have vision to invest in mast climbers," he explains. "They make your job safer, make your production go up by 25 percent, make your labor costs go down, and for masons, they don't have to reach too high or too low. They're not going to be sore at the end of the week. You are going to be able to retain good employees."