2020 has been an unusual year, to say the least. With construction deemed an essential business, our industry has fared better than many. Even so, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our work and our revenue in fiscal year 2020. Our year over year revenue decreased, primarily due to projects being delayed. Thankfully, these were not total cancelations, and even with this drop in revenue, Nabholz had a profitable 2020, once again ending the fiscal year with a strong balance sheet.
Financial figures only tell half the story, though. Time and time again, our team members, clients, subcontractors, and suppliers have adapted to work under these unique circumstances to keep our business going.
How Nabholz Employees Handled a Global Pandemic
Our environmental services group invested in equipment and training in order to provide disinfecting services to internal and external clients alike. This investment helped keep construction projects rolling whenever someone on a job site tested positive for COVID-19. Nabholz can now quickly deploy disinfecting crews to various parts of Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma.
In total, our environmental group has disinfected 38 job sites, client offices, Nabholz offices, and various pieces of mobile equipment. As a precaution, most of these sites continue to receive regular disinfecting services, which we plan to add to our ever-expanding list of services.
Project teams also stepped up to help clients deal with the pandemic. The University of Central Arkansas (UCA) in Conway hired Nabholz to complete an extensive seven-month renovation of Carmichael Hall — a three-story, 55,000-square-foot dormitory. Then COVID hit. UCA needed every available dorm room at the start of the fall semester so students could socially distance or quarantine. This, they thought, meant postponing the renovation. Instead, Nabholz presented a new timeline and delivered the project in only three months.
When a major railroad client experienced a temporary furlough due to the pandemic, we helped them make the most of this difficult situation by completing an extensive project on a very tight schedule. Our industrial team led seven different Nabholz service groups in repairing major foundation and equipment deficiencies in just seven weeks. At any given time throughout the $1.6 million job, there were 10-30 craftsmen working in a 42,000-square-foot area.
Derek Stout, a project manager for our construction team in Rogers, pitched a digital check-in tool that would allow workers to check in to job sites using their own cell phones. This innovation kept workers from having to enter the same small job trailer and share the same pen and clipboard to check-in, thereby eliminating this particular risk for exposure.
And when longtime client Arkansas Children’s feared a PPE shortage could impact their ability to serve patients, they contracted Nabholz’ millwork team to create a mobile COVID-19 screening booth. In the event of a PPE shortage, this booth would allow someone to connect a set of gloves and sit behind the plexiglass to screen patients and staff entering the building.
Despite 2020’s many challenges, our teams have continued to do what they do best — build-up, repair, and meet the needs of the communities where we live and work.
Events that Marked Nabholz’ Fiscal Year 2020
In fiscal 2020 (Oct. 1, 2019, through Sept. 30, 2020), Nabholz completed major projects, broke ground on new ones, expanded our own facilities, and more. Each quarter brought exciting developments to our ever-evolving company.
October 2019
Our Central Arkansas construction team broke ground on a historic expansion of the Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock.
December 2019
The Jonesboro construction group completed St. Bernards Medical Center’s new five-story surgical tower – a $103 million undertaking.
December 2019 and January 2020
Our Tulsa construction team completed work on Stillwater Public Schools’ new Westwood Elementary School and middle school addition and renovation.
January 2020
Our Lenexa, Kansas construction team completed a $130 million bond project in Jefferson City, Missouri. This included a complete overhaul of the existing high school, as well as construction of the brand-new Capital City High School. We won an ABC Award for the remodel of Jefferson City High School – ABC Heart of America chapter.
January 2020
In Rogers, Arkansas, we hired the first two youth apprentices from our new program that recruits students from area high schools. This program continues to expand.
July 2020
Nabholz began the expansion of our Jonesboro office.
September 2020
Nabholz broke ground on our first K-12 construction job in Tennessee — a new gym and performing arts center for Franklin Special School District.
March 2020
In Northwest Arkansas, we wrapped up construction on Berryville High School, the largest piece and culmination of a multi-phased project that included an athletic complex and middle school cafeteria.
March 2020
Nabholz began construction on the OKPOP Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
March 2020
Industrial and Service moved their Tennessee headquarters from Nashville to Portland. These groups increased their revenue by $2.7 million from FY 2019
May 2020
Industrial expanded its fleet by purchasing its first 100/140 Versa-Lift. The biggest forklift on the market, it can easily lift 100,000 pounds, or even 140,000 pounds with the base extended.
June 2020
The Oklahoma construction group began work on USA BMX National Headquarters & Arena, also in Tulsa.
July 2020
Our service team in Fort Smith moved to a new location on Zero Street.
September 2020
Nabholz completed an expansion and renovation of our Rogers campus, including the addition of a health clinic to further serve employees in Northwest Arkansas.
October 2020
Nabholz completed construction of the Saracen Casino Resort, a $350 million development in Pine Bluff, which was the largest commercial construction project completed in Arkansas in 2020.
