Feature Story
GCM Contracting Solutions, Inc. Builds on Concrete Foundation as Area’s Leading Tilt-Wall Contractor
By Elizabeth W. Pearce

If you equate industrial buildings with unattractive steel and metal structures, you’re not alone. However, GCM Contracting Solutions, Inc. (GCM) is working to change the face of large commercial projects in Southwest Florida and beyond through tilt-up concrete construction.

Established in 1988 by Owner/President Robert Brown, the Fort Myers-based company works primarily with general contractors on largeÊcommercial projects, providing finished concrete shells and erecting structural steel. In recent years, the company has grown steadily as the local market has started catching on the tilt-up concept. As a result, some of the area’s newer warehouses, distribution centers and other commercial spaces are looking more attractive to owners, real estate investors and property managers, as well as to passersby.

In fact, many people see tilt-up concrete construction every day without even knowing it. In Lee County, high-profile tilt-up projects include Page Field Commons on U.S. 41, Chico’s World Headquarters on Metro Parkway, the U.S. Postal Service distribution facility off Daniels Road near I-75, and Ted’s Sheds, Inc.’s manufacturing plant off I-75, between Exits 23 and 24.

 “Warehousing and distribution centers are starting to move away from the traditional steel/metal buildings and toward tilt-wall concrete,” said Jerry Rhodes, project manager for GCM. “With tilt-wall, you get a concrete wall that’s 7 or 8 inches thick compared to metal that’s not as thick as a cardboard box. Not only is concrete more secure, it’s more durable and it’s easier to maintain.”

Concrete walls also help lower heating and cooling costs because of their thermal mass. In addition, insurance premiums tend to be lower, as concrete is resistant to storm and wind damage, and offers considerable protection against theft.

For the uninitiated, tilt-up construction is a method of building that was developed approximately 100 years ago and refined during the 1940s and ‘50s. With it, all concrete building materials are cast on site and lifted (tilted) into place.

The process begins by pouring a slab floor, which serves as a casting platform for the slab walls. The walls are poured one panel at a time, typically measuring an average of 35 by 25 feet, although some are as large as 40 feet by 40 feet. During this process, patterns, textures and other decorative embellishments can be cast into the concrete to easily create an aesthetically-pleasing look.

Once the panels are cast, large cranes lift and place them. To secure them, the panels are welded to the steel roof frame and bolted to the floor. Finally, the exterior is waterproofed and painted - no stucco or additional finish required.

While most commercial contractors are familiar with tilt-up construction, it’s a method that has been slow to catch on in Southwest Florida. In fact, GCM is one of the only Southwest Florida contractors that acts as a single source for clients who want a complete design/build package - concrete slab and walls, structural steel frame and roof - ready for interior buildout.

One-stop shopping is exactly what Glenn Caudill, CEO of Ted’s Sheds, was looking for when he wanted to relocate the 30-year-old company from Bonita Springs into larger facilities in Fort Myers. In January, Ted’s Sheds moved its administrative, production and shipping operations into a new, 107,000sf manufacturing facility, which GCM designed and built.

“The bulk of our building is concrete, so rather than work with a general contractor and (concrete) subcontractor, I was interested in working directly with the source,” said Caudill. “I knew (GCM) had done tilt concrete work for other general contractors on buildings larger than mine, so I felt they could do the best job. They were honest and fair. I’d work with them again.”

More often, GCM does the concrete work for other commercial general contractors, such as Bundschu Kraft, Inc. in Fort Myers. In August, Bundschu Kraft completed construction of West Coast Roofing’s 20,000sf headquarters and warehouse in the Alico Industrial Park. The company hired GCM to provide the concrete shell after West Coast’s owner specified tilt-wall construction.

“We couldn’t do masonry because of the wall heights and (our client) didn’t want a pre-engineered steel building,” said Dan Kraft, Bundschu Kraft co-owner. “GCM had done conventional concrete and masonry work for us in the past on large projects, but this is the first time they’ve done tilt-wall for us. They did a great job - the quality was excellent.”

According to Kraft, tilt-up construction is ideal for large, open commercial spaces of at least 30,000sf that don’t require extensive plumbing lines and pipes. Generally, he said, the higher the walls and the greater the floor space, the better.

“To make tilt-up viable in terms of cost requires larger buildings and a more sophisticated product, which is why it’s just coming into its own in Southwest Florida,” said Kraft. “Increasingly, it’s being used for big-box retail and other commercial projects, as well as for warehouses.”

Faster delivery and lower costs prompted Paul Krackhardt, president of Beldon Morris, to use tilt-up concrete when he built a warehouse for a client in 1999. The industrial builder hired GCM to design and pour the concrete shell for a 30,000sf dock-high warehouse in the Jetport Commerce Park in Fort Myers.

“What we’re most concerned with is finishing on time and on budget,” said Krackhardt. “They (GCM) did both. They did an excellent job on the quality, too, which ranks high with us, as well.”

According to Rhodes, costs are easier to contain with tilt-up concrete because there are fewer variables and the construction procedures are relatively simple. Further, the material and labor costs involved are usually more competitive than other forms of construction, because transportation, manufacturing and other expenses are reduced or eliminated.

“Tall buildings require scaffolding,” he said. “But with tilt-up, we’re not working in the air. We do everything at ground level. In fact, the only time we get on a ladder is to take the braces off after the walls are up.”

Also, despite the permanent quality of concrete construction, tilt-up wall panels are surprisingly easy to move in case a building expansion is needed. “It’s a fairly simple process to cut them loose,” said Rhodes. “Once you’ve done that, you can pick the panels up, move them and reuse them where they’re needed.”

Approximately 50% of GCM’s work is out of town, predominantly in fast-growing areas of Orlando and West Palm Beach, as well as the port cities of Miami and Tampa which require enormous amounts of warehouse space. The size of GCM’s average tilt-up project is around 70,000sf, although the company has worked on structures as large as 400,000sf and as small as 10,000sf.

Currently the company is building a 500,000sf manufacturing facility for National Gypsum (a leading drywall manufacturer) in Tampa, among others. To stay competitive, the company’s 75 employees include in-house crews based outside Southwest Florida.

Local contractors are beginning to take notice. Rhodes said that in this area, the tilt-up industry has been “coming on gangbusters” in the last three or four years. During that time, GCM has grown at an annual rate of approximately 20%, despite increased competition. Last year, the company reported sales of $12 million, a figure it expects to top this year.

“We don’t have as many distribution centers here, but we’re starting to get the manufacturing business,” said Rhodes. “And some of the commercial and light industrial (owners) are starting to look at tilt-up.”

GCM is also doing a good deal of work for the Real Estate Investment Trust industry, which Rhodes said recognizes tilt-up as a blue-chip, investment-grade property. “It’s a high-quality product that draws better (lease) rates than a metal building and is easier to maintain. It’s also faster to put together than a stucco or block building.”

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