NORTH LIMA – Pandemic disruptions notwithstanding, Joe Dickey Electric President Eric Carlson says 2020 was a record-setting year in the company’s 63-year history. Revenue was up 150% over 2019.
“We were blessed and fortunate to have contracts in place for some large commercial-industrial projects that were set pre-COVID. While we slowed down significantly in March and April, work rebounded quickly with what was already in place,” Carlson says.
Joe Dickey Electric is based in North Lima and serves the entire region with commercial, industrial and residential electrical contracting work.
The company employed 100 electricians before COVID. After a short downturn in work that brought them down to 68, it ramped back up to 170 at its summer peak.
Driving that growth were commercial/industrial projects at TJX in Lordstown, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Youngstown, Haltec in Leetonia and the Youngstown Waste Water Treatment plant.
“COVID presented its share of challenges, including the extra measures and costs required to keep everyone safe,” Carlson said. “But we adapted and worked our customers’ projects safely and productively.”
Three growth drivers that Carlson expects to build are residential services, the preventive maintenance division and pre-fabrication capabilities.
“On the residential side, our straightforward pricing model and responsiveness are resonating with consumers,” Carlson said. “We’ve got five vans on the road each day serving homeowners and we think we can grow it significantly higher.”
Dickey Electric engaged a new resource to lead the CurrentSafe preventive maintenance offering just before COVID hit. After re-imagining that role to account for a new, virtual selling environment, business grew to become an entirely new customer base for the company, Carlson says.
“There’s tremendous growth in pre-fab as well,” he adds. “That department has become a key part of our business, allowing us to perform more layouts and parts building in a controlled environment at the shop and sending it to the field. Doing that improves both efficiency and safety.”
On the horizon, Carlson says his company is excited to be part of the Ultium battery plant project in Lords-town and the emergency room renovation at Akron Children’s Hospital’s Beeghly campus, among others.
Dickey Electric remained a significant contributor to the community in 2020, as well. Not only is it extremely proud of the electrical work being performed at the Rescue Mission in Youngstown, some at cost or as a donation, the company’s United Way workplace campaign grew significantly in terms of both money raised and employee participation.
South Range schools and On Target were other beneficiaries of company giving.