Cahill Corporation

In Akron, Ohio, Cahill Corporation is a go-to mechanical contractor for specialized process piping service and design-build delivery with more than 120 years under its belt. Cahill’s roots trace all the way back to 1895 and today clients still trust the firm, led by Ed Huth and Bryan Rogan, for expert industry know-how.

“We are well versed in the private commercial and industrial field,” says Huth, co-owner of Cahill alongside Rogan. “We do a lot of process end and specialty work for our customers, including piping, refrigeration and HVAC.”

Running steady

Based in Akron, Cahill is a member of the area Mechanical Contractors Association (MCA). MCA of Akron is an organization dedicated to serving the needs of Union #219 contractors, who install heating, ventilation, air conditioning, process piping and refrigeration units.

Unlike some contractors Huth says Cahill hasn’t faced the same skilled labor shortages some MCA members have struggled with in recent years because the company maintains a core crew year-round.

“Generally we stick to the Akron area, but we’ll go where our customers want us to go – we’ve traveled to Dayton, Cleveland and Canton in the past,” he notes. “We recently ramped up our staff to 100 people for a large project, but no matter the backlog, we run a core crew of 15 to 20 steadily. This helps us maintain a workforce because when people come on board here, they want to stay here.”

Rogan and Huth, who have a combined 60 years in the mechanical industry, came up through the trades themselves and emphasized the importance of a multifaceted team. “We’re fortunate to have a nice blend of younger apprentices and veteran employees who have been with us for 20 to 30 years,” Rogan says. “Ed does a good job letting our foremen and apprentices know what’s expected.  We make sure everyone is well-versed.”

In-house design delivery

With such extensive experience, Cahill’s team is entrusted with a range of complex design assist and design-build projects. “Clients rely on us for vessels, high temperature and fluid work,” says Huth. “We facilitate the design and layout on the construction side. We’ll go in and figure out how a system is going to get rigged and installed and work hand in hand with consulting engineers and plant engineers in equipment and material selection.”

“Owners have confidence in us to do our own sketches for $40,000 to $60,000 jobs,” adds Huth. “Our reputation is very good and it’s one reason private customer turn to us repeatedly for this type of work.”

Cahill self-performs 100 percent of specialty piping and plumbing in-house, and subcontracts sheet metal, insulation and controls services. The company’s current customer base is broad – chemical plants to industrial facilities, hospitals, education and steam and chilled water utilities; any facility that requires complex piping.

“We recently completed the change-out of three huge chillers for one client, and completed a new major process piping project for another,” says Huth. “There isn’t a single facet we concentrate on; we’re very flexible and open to everything. One day it may be stainless steel welding for a chemical plant to medical gas and oxygen for a hospital. It’s the ability of working with our clients and being part of the team that we truly specialize in.”

One of Cahill’s more recent sizable projects is the company’s involvement at Akron Children’s Hospital and The Kay Jewelers Pavilion project. “Due to the sheer size of this $30 million project, Cahill hooked up with MMC Contractors, a national player,” shares Huth. “We ramped up our labor force to put up the tower – up to about 100 employees. Cahill stepped up to handle a lot of scheduling and manpower challenges.”

Cahill also utilized its local fabrication shop to prefabricate components of the 415,000-square-foot children’s hospital tower. “We leveraged our fab shop to accelerate the timeline of the job,” points Huth.

Along with MMC, Cahill and the project team utilized the integrated project delivery method, combining lean construction practices and goals of LEED Silver ranking. “The projected opening date of the tower is July 2015,” notes Huth.

But this project isn’t the only time Cahill has stepped on the Akron Children’s campus. “We have completed other OR changeovers, plant renovations and satellite work for office buildings of all our local hospitals,” adds Huth.

Repeat clients have moved Cahill forward through lean times. “It’s certainly a competitive marketplace where people are watching their dollars more closely, but there have been more capital improvements and upgrades in the last several years and our repeat private clients have kept us going strong,” says Huth.

By fostering repeat relationships through expert service, Cahill Corporation remains the Akron area go-to mechanical contractor.