With an experienced work force, specialized equipment and superb reputation this Ontario contractor has emerged as a leading industry specialist
Written by Kevin Doyle & Produced by Sabah Choudry
When it comes to providing alternative excavation methods throughout Ontario, hydro excavation specialist MCS Construction of Gormley is often the preferred contractor called upon to perform jobs across a breadth of sectors.
Established in 1999, MCS is a full-service company providing services under its Hydro X brand for contractors and facility owners in the construction, utility, industrial, engineering and transportation industries. In hydro excavation, high-pressure water and a powerful vacuum are used to loosen ground soil and deposit it into a self-contained debris tank for transport. The method is increasingly popular when locating and excavating around sensitive underground infrastructure (gas, electrical, phone, cable).
“We’re a full-service company – we just don’t suck up dirt,” says Operations Manager Mario Musto. “We have dump trucks and excavation equipment and can take on all kinds of work. We can take care of it all and there aren’t many of us who can do that. We do a lot of work for emergency work contractors in Toronto and with specialized companies as well.”
MSC Construction is also an innovator. As a means of controlling its own costs and providing top-shelf service to clients, the company works closely with manufacturer Vac-Con of Florida to design specialized equipment sold through CM Equipment in Quebec.
“Basically when we started we were buying product off the shelf, so to speak. You can spend anywhere from a half million to a million dollars on one truck so today we work hand-in-hand with the manufacturer to design trucks based on what we think we need,” Musto explains. As an example, he says the company is using 16-yard (approx. 21 tons) debris bins while the industry average ranges from 8 to 12 yards.
A union shop (Local 183), MCS Construction employs approximately 40 and, Musto says, has weathered the economic downturn fairly well. “It’s been difficult bidding when it comes to municipal contracts and the industry has been slow in general. It’s been a bit of a rough ride but we’re doing pretty well,” he says.
THE PROCESS
When compared to traditional excavation methods, Musto says the number one advantage of hydro excavation is that it is non-destructive. “When you’re working in downtown city corridors, there isn’t much room to dig or to bring in big excavators. We can pull up with one truck, dig and contain the dirt and then transport it. It’s clean and it’s neat, that’s the main thing,” he says.
The process is deceptively simple. Directed pressurized water is used to loosen ground soil, turning it into a sludgy slurry that is then vacuumed up. Not all jobs, however, are straightforward and simply executed.
“When you’re working off big bridges 50 to 60 feet down with a caisson machine (watertight chambers used to carry out construction work under water) you’re submerging a tube underwater and sucking silt off the bottom. It’s hard to see what you’re doing. Jobs like that are pretty intricate,” Musto says.
“When we’re working in hydro stations, safety is of the utmost importance. With that type of voltage (250,000kvs), if you touch it, you’re dead,” he adds.
DAY TO DAY
MCS Construction has developed a stellar reputation in its decade of operation and its commitment to quality is well-known throughout the province.
“We travel everywhere, as far as eight hours north as well as to Windsor to Niagara Falls. Our reputation is very good – that starts at the top and works down. We have a great team of guys and it has taken 10 years to get them. Our service is impeccable. Most times, if someone is in a jam and we can get there in an hour, we will. However, we’re honest about it – if we can’t get there, we say so,” Musto says.
Because of its non-destructive nature, Musto says hydro excavation complements sustainable building practices. “There are areas now where you can’t dig with conventional equipment. When we’re excavating, we can run our hoses a couple of hundred feet and stay far away. We don’t have to drive our equipment over environmentally sensitive areas.”
In addition to 10 vacuum trucks, the company has a range of dump trucks, excavators and bulldozers in its fleet. The company maintains a 4-bay service garage on site and employs two full-time mechanics. A licensed diesel mechanic himself, Musto says he’s “done it all just to keep service going.”
The company has zero tolerance for safety violations. Before becoming a union shop it had its own safety council and would bring in outside parties for monthly training and site audits. Now it takes full advantage of programs offered by the union. “Our sector is actually pretty new and I’m working with the union to help develop programs to train people on this equipment,” Musto notes.
PEOPLE, ETC
The company’s stable and experienced work force allows it to take a bit of a different approach than most when filling vacancies. “We often will take guys with no experience in the industry. They come with no bad habits and we can train them to the best of our ability and see how it works out,” he says.
As the recession subsides and work levels ratchet up, Musto envisions the potential for expansion. “I’d like, if possible, to see us put satellite stations in other parts of Ontario and perhaps in some different provinces,”
he concludes.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
COMPANY NAME: MCS Construction
OPERATIONS MANAGER: Mario Musto
OPERATIONS: Hydraulic excavation specialists
ESTABLISHED: 1999
EMPLOYEES: 40
REVENUE: Private
www.multiconstructionservices.com
View Digital Corporate Profile of MCSConst in Construction Digital October 2009