by Matthew Guarracino
Last fall, 36 years after completing our first job at the Boston Marriott in Copley Square, JM Electrical announced a major milestone with the completion of its 20,000th project. This landmark project was carried out at a global biotechnology company’s gene therapy lab north of Boston.
From our modest origins in the mid-80s to servicing some of the most complex construction developments in the region, our company has grown and evolved. One of the biggest differentiators over the years has been the way we developed new areas of expertise and expanded our service offerings. As our clients became more interested in sophisticated, energy-saving systems that were better for the environment and for the end user’s bottom line, we were ready to meet their changing needs.
Making this transformation allowed us to take on many jobs each year at the region’s best colleges and universities; hotels and retail outlets; and hospitals, health care and life science centers; as well as service cutting edge companies residing in the Seaport and Kendell Square. JM Electrical ’s evolution required one thing: a robust investment in innovation. Today, our workers in the field utilize iPads allowing our foremen to see live snapshots of jobs in progress and remain in constant communication with our headquarters. From an installation perspective, Internet of Things (IoT) software and buildings with automated, smart features provide real-time updates from jobsites and facilities, so workers can remotely control settings. In addition, we currently use a program called Egnyte for companywide file sharing and leverage our accounting software to communicate, track, and automate change orders. Relying on these platforms allows us to make on-site technological and staffing adjustments instantaneously.
But our commitment to innovation goes beyond utilizing technology for internal purposes, such as streamlining how our people interact. It also provides a path forward in terms of the services we can offer customers. Currently, we are investing in a new facility designed to house our prefab production division in nearby Woburn, Mass. This timely venture will increase productivity by eliminating weather delays, creating greater efficiencies, abbreviating project timelines, and allowing for work schedules that accommodate the changing needs of our team. Equally important, prefab and modular construction offer many green benefits, including the ability to more easily recycle materials.
New digital tools such as Building Information Modeling (BIM) play a key role in the evolution of construction, helping contractors better visualize the scope of work, accurately estimate the cost of materials and labor, and eliminate waste. With its emphasis on precise advanced planning, today’s prefabrication models are increasingly innovative and economical. Additionally, this new offering will allow us to expand our apprenticeship program, hire new staff and give students the kind of real-world experience that will serve them when they enter the profession after graduating from a vocational training program, college, or institutions specializing in technology and the trades. In short, this new approach will drive greater innovation within our business and keep us current with the ever-changing construction industry.
In November, we announced the launch of a division focused solely on maintenance and recurring service. This new division offers direct, on-site service, helping building managers and developers avoid disruptions and added expenses, making the buildings we service run more efficiently. While perhaps not as flashy as a new technology, applying high-level recurring service and timely customer support to the business of commercial electrical installation is a different kind of game-changer, allowing our customers to save time and money while prioritizing on-site safety.
For over 35 years, JM Electrical has contributed to numerous high-profile projects that are visible across the changing Boston skyline. As we look to build on our legacy of service and innovation, we are proud to partner with developers and general contractors seeking more sophisticated technologies for their projects. Today, our company is uniquely positioned to install the latest devices and employ new software while also fine tuning our internal protocols through technology, enhancing our bottom line. Moving forward, embracing the benefits of new tech will provide clear and measurable insights that will shape the way we run our business and our job site engagements, all aimed toward the goal of delivering a higher level of service to our clients and the industry.
Matthew Guarracino
Matthew Guarracino is principal and CEO at JM Electrical Company.
