Unit Company.

• Author: KANE, ROGER
• Position: Brief Article

2000 Top 49ers Ranking: 20

Position Last Year: 48

1999 Revenue: $54 million

Number of Employees: 15-100

A mix of government and private projects combined to make 1999 a year of phenomenal revenue growth for Anchorage's Unit Co., a construction company that specializes in commercial construction.

In 1998, Unit Co. reported revenues of $16.1 million. That figure grew more than 70 percent last year to boost the company's revenues to $54 million.

The biggest project Unit Co. undertook was the 200,000-square-foot, value-added manufacturing facility for Alaska Seafood International. Unit Co. also built Russian Jack Elementary School, remodeled Orion Elementary School on Elmendorf Air Force Base, built two retail outlets for Office Depot, and remodeled an old Mark Air hangar at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport so that two Alaska Airlines Boeing 737s can fit inside.

"We were definitely hitting on all cylinders in 1999," said Vice President Mike Fall.

Fast-Traack Construction

If quality is Unit's No. 1 construction concern, speed is No. 2.

"We value quality of work and we value speed," Fall said. "That's the nature of this business."

Fall said the best way to stay on top of competitors is to produce a superior product in as little time as possible. As an example of Unit's fast-track construction philosophy, Fall cited the work his company did on Russian Jack Elementary School.

After the building was destroyed by fire in 1998, Unit Co. was awarded the contract to build a new school. Anchorage School District already drafted a prototype for the new school, and Fall said that design just needed to be fitted to its site.

Once that was complete, construction began and in a scant six-and-a-half months, Fall's crews had finished the project.

Aside from the obvious "time is money" philosophy driving work-site scheduling, Fall said it is important to meet or beat deadlines because if one company cannot, there are a line of contractors waiting for the opportunity to show that they can meet a deadline.

He said the number of contractors in Anchorage has increased in recent years, but the workload is not keeping pace, which means heightened competition.

Even though there are more contractors in Anchorage, Fall said Unit still sees its fair share of work, due in large part to its solid reputation. But he is not about to rest on the company laurels and said he is always looking for new investment opportunities.

One such new opportunity is that of...