Wall-To-Wall on the East Coast

Quantum Construction
Written by fmgadmin

We all remember that ‘early-bird-catches-the-worm’ story. And we also know that there are exceptions to the rule – if, for instance, you’re the kind of bird who prefers doughnuts for breakfast or work better by the flame of the midnight oil. Having said that, people often forget that the essence of the original sentiment holds true across many areas of business – especially in choosing a construction partner.
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For experienced project owners, getting the right professionals in from the start makes all the difference as it saves both time and costs later in the process. This is exactly why industry leading Quantum Construction, LLC prefers to get in early during the planning process, to optimize projects and save owners money by tailor-making custom solutions to suit each individual project.

Quantum Construction gives fresh meaning to being customer driven. This company takes caring for customers to the next level by leveraging its vast experience in construction, precast and design into a premier turnkey operator in central Florida. The team shares its expertise and product knowledge generously and is known for its reliability and integrity.

Customers also benefit from the company’s multi-talented private equity construction portfolio which offers the best of modern masonry construction and precast concrete. It pairs traditional materials and quality with custom-developed techniques to produce innovative products and construction methods that are unique to the industry.

With its headquarters in Sanford, Florida, Quantum Construction, LLC was formed out of two major acquisitions and offers full-service precast concrete construction, masonry and hardscape contracting.

With the acquisitions of Precast Specialties and Seminole Masonry, Quantum Construction is super-charging decades of experience in concrete and masonry, incidental precast, hardscape, and commercial masonry construction.

This agile structure has put Quantum Construction at the forefront of entrepreneurial and growth diversification in the industry. “Our focus is unique in that we work on commercial buildings, residential developments, the road and highway market, as well as on public and private utility projects. Nobody covers those market segments with the package we have,” says Jim Park, Vice President of Sales and Business Development.

Within this wide range of services, clients also benefit from Quantum’s commercial masonry division. It provides Division 4 subcontracting for the commercial and industrial markets. In addition, its specialty division includes the erection of architectural precast and masonry privacy walls, security walls, and retaining wall systems. The company also proudly installs structural elements of, buildings, such as innovative, proprietary precast elevator and stairwell shafts for which the team has become particularly famous across the East Coast.

The company’s clientele includes general contractors, land developers and builders, who especially favor Quantum’s hardscape services for turn-key entry features and amenity-building skills. These capabilities include an enormous list of related structures and complementary materials, such as pavilions, pavers, decks, decorative stone, walls, entry features, fountains, sidewalks, park areas, playgrounds, and more.

Through Precast Specialties, Florida’s largest producer of concrete, storm-strength electrical distribution poles, Quantum Construction also serves public and private utility companies. The company is the go-to producer of concrete electrical and utility poles and foundation bases, with over 300 electrical supply wholesaler and contractor customers – including Florida’s largest electric utility company. Under Quantum Construction, both Seminole Masonry and Precast Specialties plants are Florida Department of Transportation approved precast concrete providers. With that certification, Quantum likewise provides the broadest concrete package for Florida’s transportation builders, including poles, piles and sign post foundations, noise barriers, retaining walls and panels, temporary barriers, and more.

In order to ensure smooth day-to-day operations, the company is divided into four divisions, namely structural precast and erection services, commercial masonry and construction, concrete utilities, and specialty hardscape and turnkey common area construction work. For the latter, the team obtains all necessary permits pertaining to land development and self-performs most of the work, only employing subcontractors on occasion.

Quantum is also becoming famous for next-generation innovation on its installation of proprietary precast wall systems developed for Homeland Security, where entire sites are flanked by secure perimeters. “Our walls are designed to withstand in excess of 194 mph wind loads, 50 caliber ammunition fire and are rated to level 7 ballistics as well, so they’re pretty unique. We’re the only company in the country that casts these walls vertically with architectural form liners on both sides,” says Mark Shumate, General Manager. This means that although the company is not alone in meeting the performance specifications, its installation system is the fastest, rendering a solid and uniform product.

A big area of growth has been Quantum’s precast elevator shafts. As mentioned earlier, these have become so well-known and trusted that word has spread and contracts for these are coming in thick and fast – and the reason for this is plain to see. Traditionally, in four- to five-story structures, standard shafts installation can typically take up to three weeks, as opposed to three days with Seminole Masonry’s incredible precast methods. This method is also much stronger, as the elements are cast at a minimum compressive strength of 6000 PSI (pounds per square inch) in contrast to traditional reinforced masonry that utilizes 1800 PSI concrete block reinforced with 3000 psi grout. “Our method offers more than double the compressive strength than that of the performance specification standards of reinforced concrete masonry,” says Shumate.

Quantum’s business is not all about walls and elevator shafts, either. Quantum’s two complementary companies are each known for their own sterling contributions to the market. Precast Specialties was founded in 1951 as a precast and prestressed structural concrete contractor in South Florida. It has been operating its current 75-acre Fort Pierce production facility since April of this year. In addition to concrete poles and bases, it is exceedingly relevant for fabrication and erection of precast parking garages, hollow core floor slabs and other structural elements. Acquired in 2017, Seminole Masonry was established in 1998 as a hardscape specialty contractor, shares its reputation for reliability and superb quality and has run its 23-acre production facility from Sanford, Florida since 2015. The outfit has grown into the largest precast concrete privacy wall provider throughout Central Florida and continues to grow exponentially.

“In combining these two companies under Quantum Construction, we’ve certainly built on our quality and customer care philosophy. It has made us overall leaders in wall construction, but we couldn’t have done it without our 500 team members,” says Shumate.

Shumate started out with Seminole Masonry just over six years ago. “I was brought in to help encourage growth in the precast concrete division as the company was mainly focused on masonry at the time. We’ve achieved this growth through improving our capacity from precast architectural perimeter walls into a whole portfolio of products, which I was directly responsible for developing,” he says. “So, the elevator and stair shafts and precast wall systems were all added during this time. I also founded the commercial masonry division within the company,” he adds.

“We are a very dedicated team. We really support and facilitate the company in its development as we are focused on exponential growth driven by innovation in order to serve the state of Florida. We’re all very excited about our growth rate,” says Rose Cefalo, Marketing Coordinator. The company’s project teams consist of production, fabrication and manufacturing members, a quality control team, construction management, and crews. It also has its own in-house sales and marketing team as well as business development teams, and engineering and technical support staff who contribute both pre- and post-production. A customer care team as well as finance and accounting complete the company.

“We’re building the future with some of the industry’s top-line talent. Understanding the finite detail, while achieving the big picture goals, is what our teams are designed to do. Our proactive approach is integral to each individual project’s success, and what leads to our market share growth,” says Park.

Needless to say, these two industry legends have every possible certification to ensure customer safety and a quality product. Both plants are highly accredited, enjoying membership in organizations such as the National Precast Concrete Association (NPCA), the Precast-Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI), the Mason Contractors Association of America, Masons Association of Florida, Associated Builders & Contractors, Inc. and the Florida Transportation Builders Association membership.

With such excellence, reward is never far off and Quantum Construction has its fair share of awards to show for its dedication to quality. One of its proudest moments came when it was recognized by the Construction Association of South Florida with the Craftsmen’s Award for its work on the Paseo del Mar parking garage in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. “This structure was erected around existing buildings on three sides, with only inches of clearance. We met all challenges, in design, clearance and completion timeframe. Everything had to be exact to meet that footprint and we did it,” says Cefalo.

While this was a spectacularly complex project, the NOMA Parking Garage in North Miami Beach was the company’s largest project ever, a precast structure featuring 159,788 square feet of parking deck. Another great achievement was its project at 420 East Church Street where it turned 300,000 masonry blocks into a whopping 9-story building for Balfour Beatty – and the list continues for nearly as long as its walls do. “Everywhere you drive in Central Florida there are miles and miles of our precast walls,” says Shumate proudly.

It is for this reason and many others that Seminole Masonry is regularly ranked as one of the NPCA’S top 20 plants in the country and continues to grow. With its shafts having become a phenomenal favorite on the east coast, projects ranging from multi-family complexes to low- and mid-rise commercial buildings are signing up for this deal.

Quantum Construction is driven to continue distinguishing itself as the state’s pre-eminent precast concrete sub-contractor and provider. “With an achievable goal of doubling the business, our growth aim is to enhance customers and the customer experience. We will accomplish this in three strategic ways: market share growth sustaining and growing our current offerings; continued addition of complementary products, trades and acquisitions; and driving growth into new markets. This includes strategic growth in the design/build market segment, and expanding our relevance in the highway market,” says Park.

By going all these extra miles, Quantum Construction is doing not only the state but also the country proud.

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