Mayer Electric Corp.

Mayer Electric Corp. (Mayer) has resided as one of the Twin City’s foremost providers of commercial, industrial and residential electrical design and installation for over 67 years. The Minnesota-based contractor has acquired some of the most talented electricians in the business since inception, and continues to treat such partners like a second family.

A Not-so-typical Beginning

There is one unique aspect of Mayer’s history that many might not realize; that being, at one point the company was completely women-owned. “My father joined what was then Mayer Electrical Inc. in 1961,” recalls Martin Holm, current president of Mayer. “The original company got its start in 1946 by building homes post-World War II for soldiers during the housing boom. By 1977 the Mayer brothers wanted to sell the company, so they offered the ownership to their three electricians, my father being one of them.”

Holm goes on to explain how the union regulations at that time prevented owners from working in the field, so the partners found a loophole. “My father and his two business partners brought on their wives to own the company,” reveals Holm. “It was a resourceful way to work within the union rules and help establish the company with the advantage of being a woman-owned business.”

Though the company’s beginning was atypical, Mayer has continued to prosper throughout the years. “In 2007 my brother and I took over the business from our father,” continues Holm. “With the third generation on board and two nephews in the business, we’re focused on maintaining family ownership. We’ve made it so far through keeping a good reputation as an honest, straight forward contractor that provides outstanding service and quality.”

The Skilled Second Family

The company currently has about 39 electricians, totaling an approximate 50 employees who remain busy at all times. “We focus on our core group,” shares Holm. “They’re a part of our team and now a part of our second family.”

Mayer has a remarkable employee tenure rate with over 55 percent of the company having a decade or more of service experience. “Actually, we recently had a wave of individuals retire,” admits Holm. “Just a couple of years ago it was closer to 75 percent of the staff having 10-plus years of experience with Mayer; that’s hard to come by in this industry.”

Holm admits the Mayer’s highly skilled pool of talent makes for quite the competitive advantage. “It comes down to really knowing our customers, because we’ve been on a job several times before,” he says. “When you have electricians who’ve worked on the building for 10 years or more they begin to understand the history of the site and can make the most cost-effective decisions for the future.”

However, Holm is confident in the team at Mayer. “Our strongpoint is we truly know and care about our customers; it’s great for the customer and us,” he adds. “We have customers who’ve been with us for over 40 years.”

Expert Electrical Contracting

Mayer provides maintenance services, as well as installation in a wide range of markets. The company specializes in commercial and industrial manufacturing, office and tenant build-outs and design-build projects. Mayer also has a special skill set when it comes to motor controls and manufacturing processing. “Our knowledge of fine motor controls sets us apart, because it’s really a specialty in this industry,” adds Holm.

Holm and the team have a good sense of how to move forward, effectively. “It’s good to have a balance and be able to operate in multiple markets when projects come and go and they’re lulls in the industry,” Holm explains. “We can cushion the blow when a sector is down by moving into another because we’re diverse and flexible.”

One of Mayer’s most recent total renovation projects totaled well over $1 million in electrical work alone. The Marriot Northwest Hotel in Brooklyn Park, Minn., consisted of a full-scale electrical revamp. “For one of our largest projects to-date, I think it turned out beautifully,” shares Holm.

After nearly seven decades in business, Mayer saw some of its toughest times in 2008. “That was the beginning of a really tough period,” explains Holm. “The commercial market in this area was hit hard, but by 2009, we had made a lot of good corrections that have allowed us to see the bottom line and pull through this recession.”

Holm believes Mayer’s advantage is partially necessity. “No matter what, companies need to maintain their facilities,” he says. “Even when people were pinching pennies, maintenance is required for safety and preventative reasons. Our service sector has helped us survive.”

2013 is on pace to be one of Mayer’s better years, and Holm is confident the company can uphold its well-respected reputation in the Twin Cities. “Our strong customer base continues to have faith in us,” he shares. Mayer Electric Corp. remains a force in electrical contracting through industry leading skill and family values.

For more information about Mayer Electric Corp., please visit: www.mayerelec.com.