By Paul A. Johnson Jr.
President, Adolph Johnson & Son
MINERAL RIDGE – A pandemic again? With all the unfortunate and disruptive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s hard to believe that Adolph Johnson & Son & Co. was founded during the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1919.
Just as the company did 100-plus years ago, our dedicated office and field personnel continue to work to meet the construction services needs of businesses and institutions in the region.
Although obtaining PPE and disinfectants was challenging at first, adequate quantities were obtained to protect our employees and the people with whom they work. Measures to prevent the spread of the virus included the use of masks, frequent disinfecting, social distancing and temperature checks.
Adolph Johnson, a general contractor and design/builder, is considered an essential business. Still, in the early days of the pandemic, office personnel worked from home. Through remote access to our network, we maintained operations while having no more than one person in our building.
The Sheetz store in Boardman was completed on time. PNC Bank branches were remodeled by working at night. Alterations to Willard School in Warren were completed by segregating the work from populated areas of the school. More projects were performed – all by taking steps to accommodate each customer’s needs and circumstances.
Before the pandemic, we began using a comprehensive project management software system. This turned out to be fortuitous with the reduction or elimination of physical meetings. Documentation, communication and correspondence between all the many participants in the construction projects are accomplished efficiently via this technological tool.
The pandemic has presented some challenges. Postponed projects, extended material lead times and labor availability interruptions are all realities of the construction industry today.
With the eventual ebbing of the virus, we see the effects of a pent-up demand coupled with the economic development happening in the area bringing about robust building activity in 2021.