Chesapeake Sprinkler Company

Chesapeake Sprinkler Company (CSC) has been offering unique fire-protection services in the Baltimore, Md., and Washington, D.C., metropolitan areas since 1978. The family business has been growing steadily with a growing market and repeat clients.
Jim Anderson, president of CSC, grew up in the business and now leads a team of 150. Anderson leads the crew in fire-protection installation and service projects small and large. CSC operates out of locations in Odenton, Md., and Ashburn, Va.
While the business is still family-operated, CSC began an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) in 1998. As of 2001 the business is 100 percent employee-owned. The ESOP gives employees a larger hand in the company’s operation, a quality that has boosted tenure.
Many employees have been with the business for over a decade, making CSC one of the most experienced fire-protection companies in the region. “Our timeliness sets us apart from other fire-protection companies,” explains Anderson. “We get the job done.”
Complex Design, Stellar Service
CSC offers design and installation services, utilizing unique automated systems that have been developed in-house over the years. The systems increase the company’s efficiency and offer the team a further competitive advantage over other contractors. Focusing on service, maintenance and safety, CSC seeks to offer the best full-service fire-protection in the region.
The business designs, fabricates and installs unique fire-protection systems. In-house, the team has built a strong reputation with matching capabilities. CSC offers piping, valves, water and chemical retardants for commercial buildings, laboratories, schools, government facilities, apartments and condominiums, as well as some smaller residential customers.
Over the years, the team has been involved in a number of unique projects in a range of markets. CSC has worked in a number of regional schools, including Wardman, an eight-story luxury condominium, as well as Woodson High School and Dunbar high schools.
Commercial projects the team has tackled include retail spaces varying in size. On the larger end, the team has ramped up fire-protection capabilities at the Westfield Mall in Annapolis, Md., and performed renovation work at Springfield Mall in Springfield, Va. Some of the team’s more unique projects in the region include National Public Radio’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., and Waugh Chapel in Odenton, Md.
Adapting to a Changing Market
The team’s market continues to expand, despite the recent economic downturn. Over the next few years, Anderson expects growth in the apartment and education sectors. “We are hoping the private sector comes back a bit more,” he explains. “We are looking to do more commercial work, such as office buildings and parking garages.”
The recovery has been slow but steady. As companies and banks open up more money, many businesses are scrambling to make upgrades to buildings that have been put off for years. As this trend continues, CSC can expect the private sector work to pick up. For the time being, Anderson and his team remain focused on organic growth and controlling quality, as well as costs.
In August 2013, CSC celebrated 35 years in business; the years passed have allowed the company to build strong relationships with clients throughout the region. The business has a reputation for quality and efficient service, innovative design and competitive pricing that continues to attract new and repeat customers. As the company enters four decades in business, Anderson and the Chesapeake Sprinkler Company team continue to work toward building upon the family business through service and integrity