– By Sunjay Mathuria
Since their modest beginnings in 1993, FundyPros Specialty Construction has grown into a leading one-stop shop construction company in New Brunswick that provides a variety of services. Centrally located to serve the entire province, FundyPros does it all: exterior finishing and interior finishing suited for each specific project they undertake. They recently completed a $7 million, 10-month contract to build a brand new, 64 500 square foot casino in Moncton.
“We’re very competitive, we’re quick and we’re good,” says FundyPros President, Mario Allain.
In 1993, Allain started out a small drywall company, using only his surname as the company name. As it grew, Allain decided to choose a name that better reflected the area he was servicing (New Brunswick) and re-named the company Fundy Drywall. However, soon Allain and his team began offering more services and again, the name changed. This time, it stuck: FundyPros Specialty Construction.
“It was more to push the different services that we were giving and not just drywall anymore,” says Allain.
Over the past 19 years, FundyPros certainly has grown and diversified and made a name for themselves.
The company offers a myriad of services for both exterior and interior finishings: drywall, stucco, plaster, flooring, ceiling work, steel studs, insulation and firestop.
FundyPros often takes on large-scale projects and has been involved in the construction of hospitals, schools, theatres, and office buildings.
Whether they are starting out a project from scratch (such as Casino New Brunswick) or renovating an existing building, FundyPros always practices effective time management. Their eight-month ceiling upgrade at Champlain Place, a shopping mall in Moncton, did not disrupt daily operation of the mall in any way.
FundyPros was involved in a number of renovations and value-added projects at local universities, such as a renovated cafeteria at the Université de Moncton and a fitness centre at the University of New Brunswick. No doubt, their work here made a difference in many students’ lives.
FundyPros is not only dedicated to doing quality work for their clients, they are also committed to ensuring staff from each department have sufficient training and background to do their jobs. They also invest a lot in safety training.
“We provide all the necessary safety requirements that are needed on our sites,” says Allain. Everyone who starts working for FundyPros must complete orientation and all the necessary safety training before they begin working.
Allain explains his company’s emphasis on the importance of safety at the workplace: “We want everyone to go home at night and come back to work the next day.”
With a major office in Dieppe, Allain says FundyPros is also planning to open offices in Saint John and Fredericton.
“We are expanding so we can get more local [in other cities]. I want that exposure on the local side so we can pick up even more business,” explains Allain.
The number of employees varies from time to time, but Allain estimates he currently employs around 210 workers.
And their work is being recognized outside of their home province, too.
In addition to the new offices in New Brunswick, Allain hopes to venture outside the province and is thinking of introducing FundyPros to other parts of Atlantic Canada, such as Newfoundland. “We’re getting all kinds of calls, so there’s always opportunity to expand out there,” he says.
Allain says the company has been invited to do projects as far as Calgary and Saskatoon.
FundyPros is all about giving back to the community. Allain himself is one the board of directors for a community health centre in his hometown of Bouctouche. The company also recently donated $100 000 to the construction of a large fitness centre in Bouctouche. They also support a number of local programs, such as co-operative education to expose students to the workplace and anti-poverty discussions with United Way.
A family-oriented company in a tight-knit community, Allain sees FundyPros getting “bigger and better” in the years to come.
“I’d like to double my volume in the next five to ten years,” says Allain.
So, why choose FundyPros for your various projects?
Allain puts it simply: “In this time and age, it’s our professionalism that sets us apart. We’re very professional in what we do and our reputation precedes us.”
With the talent and manpower, FundyPros has a growing and diverse portfolio.
And more and more people are taking notice.
“In my business, that’s how we get referrals. It’s through our reputation. We get the job done and we get it done well. We do it efficiently, we do it in a timely manner and we do quality work for a good price. What else could a client want?”
