Culy Contracting Inc.: The First of Many Years to Come for a Newfound Niche

Culy Contracting Inc. (Culy Contracting) hit its one-year mark in April 2013. Although the Indiana-based company just wrapped up its first year, Culy Contacting has already established a trusted named for itself in the water and sewer construction industry through innovative technologies. As a spinoff of the original Culy Construction & Excavating, Culy Contracting combines the experience of a talented 60-plus veteran team and expert leadership.

Brothers Chris and Ron Culy grew up as Indiana farm boys. After being exposed to basic farm equipment their entire lives, the brothers wanted to work with heavy equipment. The pair set out right after high school to build their own excavation and construction business from literally the ground up, with no formal training.

“Ron and I founded the original company over 30 years ago,” recalls Chris, president of Culy Contracting. “We did most of our learning on the job. Over the years we diversified into other areas besides excavation, and eventually decided it was time to split into two separate entities. Ron continued to take on our power company contracts, while I established Culy Contracting to work in the water and sewer construction and maintenance sector in April 2012.” The two companies remain connected, sometimes sharing equipment and labor if duty calls.

Today, Culy Contracting provides water and sewer construction and maintenance along with site development services, concrete work and steel building construction within Indiana and Ohio, as well as specialty services throughout Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Kentucky. The company has access to many large markets within close proximity. “Within a 90-minute drive, we can reach all of the big cities,” says Chris, “from Indianapolis to Columbus, Ohio and from Ft. Wayne, Ind., to Cincinnati and all the smaller towns in between.”

Making a Lasting Impression

According to Chris, Culy Contracting is the region’s go-to maintenance provider due to the company’s outstanding reputation. “When we perform a new installation, we make sure we leave a good impression,” he explains. “That’s why customers want us to keep coming back to do maintenance and repairs.”

The company has also drawn attention by investing in industry-leading technologies. One of such investments is in manhole/concrete rehabilitation with Madewell Products, of which Culy Contracting is the only certified installer for both Indiana and Ohio. Another of the company’s investments is in trenchless point repairs for sewer lines by Pipe Patch, in addition to vacuum excavation, sewer cleaning and televising for sewer maintenance and repair. Additionally, along with live tap for water line connections, line stops for water line isolation and the hot-on-the-market valve insertions.

“Valve insertion is a state-of-the-art technology,” details Chris. “We can insert a valve into a live water main without disturbing the flow. We are the sole supplier and installer for the TEAM valve insert product throughout Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Michigan. We’ll go about anywhere in the Midwest with these special services and still be competitive. We’re able to do so by working with some of the best manufacturers.”

Calling on Culy

Although Culy Contracting was formed just recently in 2012, the company has years of prior water and sewer main installation and repair experience. “Back in 2008 we relocated over 8,000 feet of water main for Indiana America Water Company,” recalls Chris. “The state highway department wanted to widen U.S. 27 through Richmond, Ind. It was an intensive seven-month project.”

Chris is proud to note that Culy Contracting is now gearing up to install over 11,000 feet of 16-inch water main in spring 2013. “It’s our responsibility to get the job done in a timely manner with the best quality we can give,” details Chris. “Although we do a lot of new installations, we truly set ourselves apart by specializing in repairs and maintenance.”

The company recently applied a line stop on a 24-inch concrete water main, and made the needed repairs. “We received a call from the water department at 2 a.m. that they needed this broken water line repaired, so Culy Contracting responded to the call,” Chris details. “We installed a 24-inch line stop to get the water flow under control, and then made the necessary repairs that it took to get the line back up in full operation. This was all done and completed in a straight 30-hour shift without impacting any of the water department customers. When talking about large diameters line stops, anywhere from 14 to 42 inches in diameter, aside from a handful of other contractors in other parts of the country, we’re the only ones who are capable of this large-scale work in this area.”

However, that is not all the team at Culy Contracting has in store for the upcoming season. “We are now working on a manhole rehabilitation project in Indiana where we are installing new castings and are lining the interior of approximately 300 manholes with mainstay Madewell Products along with various pipe repairs by using the Pipe Patch system,” says Chris.

During troubling economic times, staying innovative is what keeps Culy Contracting operating. “We’re simply taking the market we know well and diversifying the best we can in order to attract customers and remain profitable,” shares Chris. “Luckily, we integrated these special services into our line before the economy turned down and new construction slowed down.”

The team at Culy Contracting recognizes that success is derived by great people and good relationships. “We would like to thank all our employees, suppliers and professional people for standing beside us and helping make Culy a well-known name in the industry,” says Chris.

“Thanks to all customers and all employees, as well as our insurance agency The Thompson Group, our information technology [IT] specialist e-Keepers, our accountants Whitinger & Company, Old National Bank, CAT Finance, MacAllister Machinery, Utility Supply Co., Utility Pipe Sales, Madewell Products, Pipe Patch, TEAM Industrial and Rockford Steel buildings only to name a few.”

The Culys have ignited a family tradition into the second generation, who is planning on continuing the family legacy for many years to come. In the meantime, Culy Contracting Inc. continues to build on a trusted reputation while diversifying through the use of industry-leading products.

For more information about Culy Contracting Inc., please visit: www.culycontracting.com.