ARB Inc.

ARB Inc. (ARB) represents a collection of some of the most talented and determined construction professionals in the industry. The company has gradually grown to encompass multiple disciplines in several locations across the state of California since its 1946 founding. ARB maintains both an industrial group and an underground group and works primarily with large public and private utilities, as well as a wide variety of heavy industries.

Both divisions proudly reflect the legacy of ambition, open communication and commitment to safety that sets ARB ahead of the competition. The company’s breadth of expertise and capabilities enables it to tackle a broad array of concerns for every client, making ARB one of the top choices for projects that are anything but cookie cutter.

“We’re a full-spectrum, diversified construction company with the capabilities to handle all types of construction, including civil construction, underground projects, industrial projects and steel fabrication,” expands Gregory Dahl, vice president of ARB.

ARB headquarters are located in Lake Forest, Calif., but the company maintains additional offices in the California cities of San Francisco, Bakersfield, Pittsburg, Ventura, Carson, El Cajon and Corona, as well as in Conroe, Texas.

The company’s industrial division specializes in wastewater and water treatment plants, petrochemical facilities, power generation and structural steel. ARB’s underground division specializes in conduit work, water and sewer, gas distribution, pipeline work and horizontal directional drilling. ARB’s divisions are independent entities, though each retains the ability to collaborate closely on a given project, underscoring the company’s reputation for effective, focused teamwork.

Whenever, Wherever

The bulk of ARB’s work is concentrated in the major industrial centers along the West Coast, but ARB has traveled across the country and will travel as far away as feasible to meet a client in need. In fact, ARB’s success and growth in recent years is partially attributed to such efforts, which have established the company’s loyal clientele.

“We’re fortunate enough to work with many of our clients on a multiyear basis, which allows us to bridge slower periods, but it also allows us to build relationships with clients for the long-term,” admits Dahl.

The long-term nature of ARB’s work ensures the company is continually aligning itself with the client’s needs and reassessing priorities in anticipation of industry-wide changes. Beyond the ability to navigate the hundreds of new regulations that are adopted each year, ARB has survived over 65 years in the industry in no small part because of the company’s focus on the health and safety of its employees. ARB invests in a robust safety program built on the belief that every accident and exposure risk is 100-percent preventable. The company continually updates its safety training programs to reflect the most stringent standards on a federal and state level, while also empowering its professionals with the most advanced safety equipment available. ARB also maintains a fleet of more than 2,000 pieces of construction equipment, which serves to both improve reliability and control costs by eliminating the need to continually lease highly specialized equipment.

At any given point the ARB team will be juggling a wide variety of projects, while never compromising safety or quality. ARB’s executive management team continues to take a hands-on approach with every client. “Mostly I’m concentrating on managing operations and interacting with our customers, but I started out as an estimator in this industry and I still do estimating from time to time,” admits Dahl.

ARB’s personalized approach has attracted the attention of major utility companies, including Southern California Gas Company and PG&E. ARB is currently engaged in multiyear contracts with both companies to complete a variety of work, including distribution gas and electric projects and gas transmission projects. The ARB team has also built compressor and pump stations and storage facilities.

Handling High-priority Projects

Meanwhile, ARB has also become one of the most active construction companies working to upgrade existing infrastructure in response to increasing governmental regulations and oversight.

“We are currently working with PG&E on a multiyear basis to replace some of the older copper gas service lines in their system and we have actually been able to bring the cost of these service lines down in the process,” explains Dahl. In one case ARB was able to utilize the team’s skills in horizontal directional drilling to replace some 210 services to residences in a highly congested area of San Francisco, which enabled the team to minimize the amount of excavation needed to install 5,000 feet of 2-inch polyethylene natural gas pipe.

The future looks ripe for ARB to continue growing in the years to come, as 2010 and 2011 proved to be busy and productive years on the distribution side of the business, according to Dahl. “Part of that growth was the result of increasing regulation from state and federal agencies, but public awareness, especially following the San Bruno incident, really accelerated that drive as our clients continued rolling out initiatives to ensure the integrity of their systems,” adds Dahl.

ARB is already inching its way into a new specialty as utility companies continue to replace older plastic pipe used for natural gas distribution lines with newer and more durable plastic product. “Not all of those lines will need to be replaced, but some percentage of them will, and now is the time to strategize on ways to drive the cost down while maintaining quality workmanship and our commitment to a safe workplace,” asserts Dahl.

With over 65 years of experience and a proven commitment to evolve in anticipation of future client concerns, the ARB team is poised to continue finding success in all four corners of the country. Expanding its team and operations, ARB Inc. will ensure its legacy of personalized service and proven performance lives on for decades to come.