In March 2020 with everything shutting down, the construction industry looked doomed. But as our Contegra teams began working remotely, we found that from crisis came strength and opportunity. The nation’s supply chains needed strengthening. Consumers embraced ecommerce like never before. Demand for strategically placed distribution centers soared and continues to do so today. That has long been our “bread and butter.”

Contegra found itself part of an essential industry and 2020 turned into one of our best years ever with revenues increasing 85 percent over the previous year. We also added 25 employees, from project managers to administrative staff.

It wasn’t easy. Contegra faced the same challenges as every builder. Inflation and material delivery became enormous challenges. Lumber, steel, PVC and plastic piping soared in price. We worked closely with out reliable suppliers and adapted project schedules to accommodate extended delivery times. Most importantly, through weekly meetings, we effectively communicated as a team and with our clients. The result is an ever-growing number of projects that are progressing on schedule and within budget. They include:

• The just-completed 544,000-square-foot Gateway TradePort II distribution center and the soon-to-be-completed 624,000-square-foot Gateway TradePort III, both in Pontoon Beach.
• A 135,000-square-foot manufacturing facility recently completed for Patriot Machine in St. Charles, MO.
• A just-completed new 40,800-square-foot headquarters for icon Mechanical in Granite City.
• A beverage distribution facility and expansion of the Phillips 66 distribution center at Gateway Commerce Center in Madison County.
• Two distribution centers totaling 919,080 square feet at Turner Logistics Center in Kansas City, KS.
• A number of large distribution centers for national clients in central Pennsylvania, Columbus, OH, and Memphis, TN.

None of this happens without a workforce willing to shed doubt and confidently adapt to business needs to serve our clients better, despite the challenges. They believed in themselves. They understood that resilience is all about what you can do, not what you can’t do. I am both proud and inspired by their faith in their abilities. It is just this type of resilience that we look for as we continue to grow Contegra’s business.