Conventional Steel and Pre-Engineered Steel are key to the success of this Butler Builder®.
There’s a construction company in Minnesota that has been building partnerships with customers for nearly seven decades. Still family owned, Rice Companies got its start in 1953 and became a Butler Builder just four years later.
“My grandfather saw the potential for steel buildings and commercial construction in the post-war period,” said Chis Rice, the current CEO/President.
That potential proved to be real, and Butler Manufacturing helped to facilitate the transition. The move allowed Rice Companies to get in on the proverbial “ground floor” with many commercial customers. As those customers grew into large organizations, Rice Companies grew with them, becoming one of the leading construction firms in Minnesota with four locations – the most recent being a Fargo, ND office that opened March 1, 2020.
“Butler gives us capabilities, tools, and products that allow us to be a better construction company,” Chris said.
But beyond that, he said it’s the partnership between Rice Companies and Butler®—from a business perspective—that has been the real game changer. Chris described what he calls a culture of collaboration from design to engineering to the area manager who serves as the main point of contact between Butler and Rice Companies. “We sell that partnership,” he said, because Butler helps them stay on top of important factors in the construction world like trends, designs, and energy codes.
The climate conditions that Rice Companies faces in the northern U.S. demand heavier, well-insulated buildings. “We use U-Facts™ all the time,” Chris said, referring to one of Butler’s software tools for ensuring energy code compliance.
With that much history and success as a Butler Builder, you might think Rice Companies follows a standard recipe with Butler pre-engineered steel buildings. But that’s not entirely the case. Chris explained that nearly every building they construct contains some Butler products, but most of their projects would be described as using the hybrid construction method.
Throughout their history, Rice Companies made frequent use of conventional steel in many projects. So, they were pleased when Butler decided to expand its offering to include conventional steel services.
“We pushed Butler to get into conventional steel for all the right reasons,” Chris said.
Using the Butler Classic line lets him do that quickly and efficiently. It allows his crew and roster of subcontractors to work with familiar methods and processes on every job because the steel shows up the same way every time.
With the engineering that goes into Butler products and factory punching that is part of the manufacturing process, Jim is able to keep his growing list of projects turning.
“We have five Classic buildings, all over 100,000 square feet, going up right now,” Jim said.
It is almost certain that James Ware Construction has erected more square feet of Butler Classic buildings than any other builder. Over the years, they have worked with a wide range of companies building everything from warehouses and machine shops to manufacturing facilities and distribution centers. Jim remembers plenty of “odd buildings” with special requirements such as tall crane bays.
“Any special requirements, I just contact Butler and you can get it for a Classic building,” he said.
Loyalty To The Butler Brand
James Ware Construction never built any other brand of metal building – nothing but Butler all these years.
When asked if he was ever tempted to explore what other PEMB manufacturers offer, Jim simply replied, “If I can’t sell it using a Butler building, I’m not interested in doing it. Butler builds a really good building.”
His consistency has been rewarded with a strong relationship with Butler, and a very loyal customer base. “We never lose a job for a repeat customer,” Jim said.
Once they experience the service Jim’s company provides and the quality of the Butler products, they never go anywhere else. In addition to the legendary structural quality, customers also like the appearance of Butler products. One feature Jim points out is the grey primer on the structurals and galvanized secondaries that are standard with Butler products.
Loyalty To The Butler Brand
James Ware Construction never built any other brand of metal building – nothing but Butler all these years.
When asked if he was ever tempted to explore what other PEMB manufacturers offer, Jim simply replied, “If I can’t sell it using a Butler building, I’m not interested in doing it. Butler builds a really good building.”
His consistency has been rewarded with a strong relationship with Butler, and a very loyal customer base. “We never lose a job for a repeat customer,” Jim said.
Once they experience the service Jim’s company provides and the quality of the Butler products, they never go anywhere else. In addition to the legendary structural quality, customers also like the appearance of Butler products. One feature Jim points out is the grey primer on the structurals and galvanized secondaries that are standard with Butler products.
A Range Of Advantages
The Classic Building System comes in two tiers, each specially curated to deliver unique advantages. Tier I focuses on speed while Tier II brings more flexibility.
There are many standard advantages that include:
- Fast delivery
- Budget friendly
- Shorter build times
- Integration with other Butler systems
- Various wall options for the aesthetic look you want
“You can build just about any building out of the Classic line. We can make them work,” Jim said.
And that’s exactly what he has done for nearly 45 years.
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