Reaching New Heights…in Construction Excellence
C
S
Spring 2009
Certified
Thermographer
Now On Staff
In November, Imhoff Construction
Services’ Ryan Imhoff became a
Certified Level 1
Thermographer
after completing
the required
class work at
the Infrared
Training Center
and passing a
rigorous final
exam. Training
Ryan Imhoff, Certified covered the
Level 1 Thermographer use of infrared
cameras, the
science of infrared thermography and real
world applications of the technology.
We started our infrared program
at the beginning of 2008. Now, with
a certified thermographer, we can
provide you with top-notch infrared
diagnostic services for building
systems and envelopes, electrical and
mechanical systems, and industrial and
manufacturing preventive maintenance
programs.
For more information about our
infrared diagnostics program, visit us on
the web at www.imhoffinc.com.
315 E. Market Street
Orrville, Ohio 44667
tel 330-683-4498 • fax 330-683-1952
www.imhoffinc.com
Wooster Grace Brethren Church in Wooster, Ohio.
Seven Reasons Why Now Is A
Great Time To Build
G
iven the struggling economy currently plaguing our nation, it might seem
counterintuitive to suggest that now is an excellent time to undertake a
construction project. But the fact is there are a number of reasons why
building now makes an enormous amount of sense.
1) During an economic downturn, competition intensifies in all industries, including
construction, with more companies competing for the reduced amount of business.
This increased competition leads to lower prices. As a buyer of construction
services, you receive a higher return on your investment.
2) While the cost of construction materials has skyrocketed over the past several years,
recent lowered demand has caused some leveling off, and in a few cases, a reduction
in the cost of raw materials and equipment.
3) Attempts to stimulate job growth and spur the economy have led to government tax
and investment incentives, further boosting return on investment.
4) Green building technology has not only progressed, but become much more
affordable. In many instances, the potential life cycle cost savings over the life of the
building are greater than your initial investment! There are also government rebate
programs that encourage spending on renewable and energy-efficient products.
5) Though lending standards have tightened, money is still available at low interest
rates to those with good credit histories. Remember, banks are in the lending
business, and a sound, well-planned development can always find funding. (Note
also that even a small increase in interest rates translates to tens of thousands of
dollars or more over 10, 15 or 20 years.)
continued on page 4
Spring 2009
Is There A Workplace Whiner In Your Midst? Snakes Alive!
While most of us do our share of complaining, some people seem to really go for it
in this arena, says Bonnie Lowe (www.best-interview-strategies.com) in the Career-Life
Times newsletter. You know the type: The pay is low,
the cubicles don’t cut it, the coffee in the breakroom is
terrible, and on and on.
Everyone whines at least a little in the workplace
from time to time, Lowe says. That’s not what we’re
talking about here. We’re talking about those people
who make you tense up as soon as you see them,
because you know the first thing out of their mouths is
going to be seething with negativity. They seem to feel
like their job is to complain.
If you’re a helpful type, Lowe says you might be
tempted to listen and offer the poor complaining soul
assistance. But don’t, she warns. It’s usually a waste of
time. Instead, you can tell them complaining is a real
downer, and you don’t really want to hear it anymore.
Or you can tell them you know they’re unhappy about things, but you’ll only listen if
they offer up solutions for whatever they complain about.
Lowe says most chronic complainers usually don’t really want to stop complaining;
they’re sort of in love with their complaining. And they find it hard to let go of the habit.
Frustration Station
Twenty percent or more of staff members in any organization are frustrated,
according to research conducted by the management consultancy Hay Group. Why?
Because something is preventing them from contributing as much as they can—
including poor job fit, excessive workload and procedural barriers. And typically, these
are your most “engaged” employees. So having employees who are loyal and committed
to your organization isn’t enough. You must make certain that they’re free to be
successful in their positions. Otherwise, you’ll soon have either disengaged employees or
open positions.
Going Solo To Work
Just over 75% of Americans drive solo to their jobs. Another 11% ride in carpools.
And less than 5% take public transportation (including taxis). Only about 2% walk
to work. On average, it takes about 25 minutes for American workers to reach their
workplace.
—U.S. Census Bureau
Going Batty
Our relative, the bat (the only flying mammal), eats 50% or more of its weight every
night. Imagine a man of 180 pounds eating 30 pounds of food at each of his three
square meals each day! For most of the bats in the eastern United States, the food of
choice is insects. But in other parts of the world, bats feed on fruit, spiders, fish—even
other bats.
The largest bat is the flying fox of Asia and Australia with a wingspan of about six
feet. It weighs over two pounds and eats fruit. The smallest bat is the hog-nosed (or
bumblebee) bat of Thailand with a wingspan of six inches and weighing in at two grams,
about the weight of a dime. They feed on insects and can hover like hummingbirds. Not
discovered until 1974, deforestation has now reduced them to being one of the 12 most
endangered species on the planet.
• Fewer than 20% of the more than 2,200
species of snakes in the world are poisonous.
• In North America, there are four species
of poisonous snakes—rattlesnakes,
copperheads, cottonmouths and coral
snakes. Of these, there are roughly 30
varieties or subspecies.
• Maine, Alaska and Hawaii are the only
states with no native venomous snake
species.
• Texas has the highest number of species
and subspecies of snakes in the U.S.
• Snakes’ eyes are permanently covered by
a transparent lower eyelid so snakes can’t
blink or close their eyes.
• As snakes grow, they shed the outside layer
of their skin two to four times a year.
• Snakes are cold blooded, which means
they rely on environmental conditions to
regulate their body temperature, which
is usually similar to their surroundings.
• A snake uses its tongue to smell.
• The Green Anaconda, found in South
America, is the biggest snake in the
world. It can weigh 550 pounds and
have a diameter of close to 12 inches.
• The longest snake, the Reticulated
Python, can grow to 33 feet. It is found
in Asian tropical forests.
• Snakes swallow their prey whole, and most
can accommodate victims that are three or
more times their own body diameter.
• Snakes (except for those living in tropical
climates) hibernate in the winter. Their
heartbeats and breathing slow down, and
they live on stored fat in their bodies.
SPEED BUMP
Dave Coverly
Spring 2009
Put On Your
Thinking Cap
1) The U.S. silver reserve is held on the
grounds of which military academy?
a) Navy (Annapolis)
b) Army (West Point)
c) Air Force (Colorado Springs)
d) Coast Guard (New London)
2) What world leader famously banged his
shoe on the desk during a meeting of
the U.N. General Assembly?
a) Nikita Khrushchev
b) Francisco Franco
c) Charles de Gaulle
d) Harold Macmillan
3) What baseball legend was nicknamed
“The Splendid Splinter”?
a) Ted Williams
b) Lou Gehrig
c) Roger Maris
d) Willie Mays
4) Which ailment is commonly referred
to as “the kissing disease”?
a) myelitis
b) myocarditis
c) meningitis
d) mononucleosis
5) What Japanese manufacturer is equally
famous for both its pianos and its
motorcycles?
a) Honda
b) Kawasaki
c) Suzuki
d) Yamaha
—from mental_floss
Wake Me Up When It’s Over
To appear interested during a boring meeting, tilt your head to the right—the gesture
tells the speaker you are
listening. Smile occasionally at
the speaker. Keep blinking—
people who are bored often stop
blinking, giving them a glazed
look. Nod in agreement from
time to time—being sure you
know what has just been said,
so you do not nod at the wrong
time. If you still feel bored,
move your body to a different
position to help you stay awake.
—from Bottom Line/Personal
Are You Satisfied?
When a customer or client voices a complaint, Ron Willingham, author of Integrity
Service: Treat Your Customers Right—Watch Your Business Grow, says it’s easy to get
caught up in the rush of identifying the problem, removing the cause and taking
corrective action. While these are important components, the final key point is to ask
the customer if he or she is satisfied with the solution.
“All too often we are satisfied with the solution to a customer problem, but the
customer is not,” he says. Asking this simple question will enable you to make sure the
customer is satisfied, and will make it clear that their satisfaction is your goal.
“The true test of intelligence is not how much we know how to do, but
how we behave when we don’t know what to do.”
—John Holt, Author
Always Have A Backup Plan
Even if what you’re planning seems like a sure thing, it’s always good to have a
backup plan. In the early 1950s, HP founders Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard needed an
additional manufacturing plant to keep up with the company’s growth. However, they
approached the venture with caution. They chose a general design that, in the event of
a company failure or hard times, could easily double as a supermarket space they could
lease.
Are You A “Mirror Manager”?
“I can do it, why can’t you?” Some managers expect their employees to work and
act just like them: “No, no, no! Not like that—like this.” This mirror management style
ignores the fact that everybody has different skills, work habits and methods for getting
things done.
Mirror management is easy for you to apply, of course, in much the same way that
zero-tolerance policies are easy to enforce: You don’t have to think about anything; it’s
up to your employees to adapt to your mandate. But who promised that management
would be easy? It’s a high-stakes people game that demands your skills in psychology
and communication in order for you to cultivate the potential of your employees.
If you resort to a mirror management style—making employees perform tasks
exactly the way you perform them, measuring employees’ success based on how
accurately they matched your own work process—your organization as well as your
employees will lose.
Answers: 1) b 2) a 3) a (Reportedly, the nickname referred to
his lanky, 6’3” physique.) 4) d 5) d
What’s Going
On At Imhoff?
Recently Completed Projects
Elyria Foundry
Elyria, Ohio
Duct and Dust Collector Installation
U.S. Air Filtration
Pictured above left: Rittman Elementary School in Rittman, Ohio. Above right: Maibach
Ford in Orrville, Ohio.
OARDC - Williams Hall
Wooster, Ohio
Lab Renovation
T/C Architects
continued from page 1
6) Zoning and permitting can be a lengthy process, sometimes taking as much as
one-to-two years before construction can begin. Starting the process now is critical
if you want to get a jump on the competition when the economy picks up. And
you probably have more time now, while things are a bit slow, to focus on planning
your project.
7) Buying land and making capital improvements is always a worthwhile investment,
and building and using the new facility to grow your business has its own returns,
including employee recruitment and retention. And doing so now positions you
well for the inevitable economic turnaround.
If you have been considering moving forward with a construction project, or
maybe you’re just discussing the feasibility of a project, Imhoff Construction Services
can help. With our PriorityBuild® project delivery system we can perform feasibility
studies and provide you with real world costs early in the design process. This gives
your project a better chance of success by designing a facility around your budget and
your needs, eliminating budget overruns and truly giving you a facility that will meet
your needs for years to come.
To learn more about how we can make your dreams become reality, log on to our
website at www.imhoffinc.com.
Schmid Hall
Orrville, Ohio
Renovation and Addition
Domokur Architects
Seven Reasons…
Have you visited our website recently? Learn more about us at www.imhoffinc.com
315 E. Market Street
Orrville, Ohio 44667
www.imhoffinc.com
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Projects in Progress
J.M. Smucker Company
Orrville, Ohio
Renovation
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Mechanics Bank - Ashland Road
Mansfield, Ohio
Addition
The Seckel Group Architects
Mechanics Bank - Trimble Road
Mansfield, Ohio
New Construction
The Seckel Group Architects
Renaissance Theater
Mansfield, Ohio
Renovation and Addition
The Seckel Group Architects