Two seaports, an international airport, and rail and trucking facilities are luring online retailers and regional distributors into Atlanta in record-breaking numbers. As a result, the nation’s ninth-largest metropolitan area has the fourth-largest amount of industrial space. Almost 13 million square feet were filled in the first half of 2017 while 7.7 million square feet of speculative space were being built.
Danko Concrete Construction is perfectly positioned to capitalize on this growth, and not just because it’s located in Altanta. The 20-year-old company provides any combination of foundations, slab-on-grade, elevated deck, paving, and/or pit-and-trench work a client needs via turnkey solutions from estimating and budgeting to post-completion tenant fit-up. However, its specialty is large-scale buildings. Since 1998, the award-winning Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA) member has installed more than 20 million square feet of warehouse and distribution facilities throughout the Southeast.
One such project was Project Murphy in Lambert Farms Logistics Park in the City of McDonough, an Atlanta suburb. The 1.6-million-square-foot building is Georgia’s largest warehouse, requiring 1 million square feet of concrete pavement and 270,000 square feet of concrete panels.
Collaboration between general contractor and subcontractor on any project is paramount, but particularly so on such a behemoth. Two to three TCA- or American Concrete Institute (ACI)-certified superintendents were onsite at all times to reinforce communication. All superintendents are trained on the DANKO Way, best practices for forming, pouring, and setting panels.
“This was a fantastic project,” says Bill Clifton, who managed projects for several general contractors for 12 years before launching his company. He has a bachelor’s degree in building construction from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Master of Business Administration from Georgia State University. “It exceeded everyone’s expectations regarding schedule, production, and overall efficiency.”
“How a firm works with others to address problems is the true indicator of character,” says Tim Evans of Evans General Contractors, which has worked with Clifton almost since Danko’s founding on projects including design-build delivery. “Regardless of the challenge, their people step up to meet client expectations regarding quality, budget, and schedule.”
A CEO can’t be everywhere at once, so Clifton empowers employees. Many have been with him for more than 15 years. Danko looks for talent everywhere and supplements knowledge gaps with manufacturer-sponsored training and certification on things like mix design, curing, joint treatment, and hardener application. Danko’s a Ductilcrete Alliance member and has ACI-certified flatwork finishers working in positions ranging from technician to supervisor.
“We go out of our way to exceed the needs of our employees,” says Clifton, “and in turn they provide outstanding craftsmanship and quality that can’t be beat.”