Not even the economy can keep a good company down.
In an effort to stay competitive, Cincinnati-based PEDCO Engineering and Architecture instituted a year-long training program, aggressive networking efforts and a proactive business development strategy as well as a commitment to raise revenue from $9.3 million to $15 million by 2011. They did just that. In 2011, PEDCO grew by 20 percent.
As challenging as PEDCO's goals are, Vice President Jerry Doerger believes because of the firm's flexibility with employees and clients. "We help our employees grow and utilize them to their fullest potential," Doerger says. "In the service industry, all you have to sell i the ability of your employees to deliver quality services."
While many engineering and architecture firms are focused on high-income jobs, PEDCO works on growing relationships over time with companies. A prime example is the partnership with GE Aviation, which has been a client of PEDCO's for the entire 30 years PEDCO has been in existence.
"We try to study our customer's so we know them better than they know themselves," Doerger says. "We need to understand what makes them successful."
PEDCO has completed several noteworthy projects, one was in late 2008. The $55 million 230,000 square foot
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center's Liberty Campus facility in West Chester, for which PEDCO assisted with site selection, due diligence services, rezoning, and designed the site, mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems.
Yet, PEDCO is doing more than expanding business. The firm is also busy adopting cutting edge technologies and doing its part to reduce the region's ecological footprint.
Radiant cooling is chief among PEDCO's innovative technologies.
In 2007 PEDCO designed a chilled beam cooling system for a 376,000 square foot investment firm in Covington, Kentucky – the first and largest to integrate passive chilled beam technological wizardry with under-floor air delivery (UFAD) on such a large scale.
This winning combination reduced the firm's heating and cooling costs by 43 percent in its first year of operation.
After a successful first attempt with chilled beam technology, PEDCO now has the opportunity to design their second chilled beam cooling system for P&G.
"We were to show them exactly why it was successful and how it will save them money," Doerger says.
PEDCO also launched a training program on sustainable design and LEED accreditation and increased its commissioning services, which strive to ensure buildings run at maximum efficiency.
With a growing number of universities vowing to achieve LEED certification for new campus buildings and an increasing number of governments at all levels instituting LEED initiatives, PEDCO believes this is not a passing trend.
"Our clients are looking for opportunities to save money," Doerger says. "We are able to do that by looking for new sustainable and energy-saving techniques. We make sure our employees stay on top of current trends so we can offer our clients exactly what they want. Any successful company is going to be better tomorrow than they are today."
By Evan Wallis