2017 ABC EIC Awards

James CRAFT & Son prides itself on providing “Quality CRAFTsmanship in Every Job” and being a contractor of the highest quality standards. This core value of ours was recently recognized at the 2017 Excellence in Construction Awards Gala for the Keystone Chapter of Associated Builders & Contractors.  The project being highlighted was our work in 2016 on the Independent Living Apartment Building, The “Lodge” at Homewood at Willow Ponds.

On Wednesday, October, 25th, James P. Craft (Project Manager), Karl Arndt (Estimator) and Robert Krebs (Project Foreman) accepted the Excellence award on behalf of James CRAFT & Son at the Awards Gala. Our project was awarded this honor in the HVAC Over $5 Million category.

CRAFT was hired to perform the Plumbing and HVAC installation for the new Independent Living Apartment Building for Homewood at Willow Ponds. This new 278,00 square foot structure was built to serve the 55 and older community while providing a unique living option as compared to more typical condos or patio style homes. The 85 luxury apartment units of varying sizes are equipped with large windows and a spacious balcony allowing for spectacular views of the Catocin Mountains and the Homewood Campus. At the heart of the complex lies the community building which features a multitude of dining and shopping options for the residents as well as a spa, pool, fitness center and salon. The entire building sits on an indoor parking garage for the tenants.

The owners are very happy with their new building. Our relationship with the owner’s facilities manager is an example for how happy they are with our work. He has continued to call on our expertise to help with system questions and for new work within the facilities. When asked why he calls us, it’s because he knows we will do it right the first time and not cut any corners.

Thanks to our outstanding design team and our experienced installers, we were able to help bring this project to completion on time.

Congratulations to the entire crew who worked on this project!

Your efforts and diligence are very much appreciated,and we are already on the lookout for next year’s ABC EIC entries!

Below are some photos of the project at key intervals…

What’s Behind “Our Mission Statement”

Our company is guided by the following mission statement…

“James CRAFT & Son, Inc. is a family owned and managed company with a proud heritage, whose mission is to be the leading provider of superior mechanical systems and services, through quality CRAFTsmanship, committed customer service and professional solutions.”

 

…but what exactly is behind this conglomerate of words?  In this blog we break it all down for further explanation and clarity.

  1. Family owned and managed company – in other words “we work here too”!  This has been a foundational core value of ours since the beginning.  Basically we (the Craft family) are the owners and day to day managers of the company.  We are NOT a group of investors who happen to own a mechanical construction firm as part of our portfolio of companies.  On the contrary we are here every day, rolling up our sleeves, digging in and making it happen right alongside all other employees.  And we operate with “an open door policy”, meaning we are always available for questions, direction, advice and guidance.
  2. A proud heritage – sure we’re proud of our past, our founders, our ancestors and our history.  Who wouldn’t be?  Do we have a perfect past?  Of course not!  But one thing we like to say is, “just keep making NEW mistakes.”  In other words, when blunders happen or we goof up, we make it right and we learn from it.  We don’t want our 117 years of experience to be the same year repeated 117 times.  We welcome each year’s new challenges, and strive for personal and organizational growth in how we meet those challenges.
  3. The leading provider of superior mechanical systems and services – are we leading the way?  We say YES!  But leading doesn’t have to mean we’re the biggest in terms of sales or employees or trucks on the road.  What’s most important to us is leading in terms of customer satisfaction – that we deliver the solutions which best fit the application, the need, the schedule, and the budget.
  4. Through quality CRAFTsmanship – this has literally become “the CRAFT way”…our slogan…our mantra…our MO.  From the seasoned foremen, superintendents and managers leading our projects, to the entry level laborers and apprentices, our people provide QUALITY on every project, big or small.  It has become part of our thinking, part of our “fabric”, and certainly part of our company culture.
  5. Through committed customer service – very simply put, we wish to deliver value to the customer in a way that makes them want to do business with us again.  From the first phone call to the final billing, we want the customer’s experience to be one they brag about.  And our people take pride in making that happen each and every day!  To us it’s not just a job…it’s a mindset, it’s what makes us tick, it’s our life and our company culture, and we take great pride in that.
  6. Through professional solutions – this is accomplished not only in the mechanical systems we install, maintain and service for customers, but also in the back office…through apprenticeship training, success skills mentoring, ongoing safety training, innovation and automation in our shops, and by investing and implementing advanced IT solutions for design, estimating, project management, purchasing, payroll, billing and service.