P.B. Brown LLC

P.B. Brown LLC has established itself as a leading design-build contractor in industrial construction in the Southeast. Headquartered in Winter Garden, Florida, P.B. Brown also maintains an office in Los Angeles and the company has completed work in 12 different states.

Founded in 2009 by Paul Brown, P.B. Brown began as a one-man operation and has since grown to 30 full-time employees. Brown has assembled an experienced executive team — he and his colleagues have commissioned construction projects with a combined value of more than $5 billion. “We all have experience working on construction projects from coast to coast that range in dollar amounts from $2 million to $200 million,” says Brown.

As a design-build firm, P.B. Brown retains a staff that includes a team of full-time architects, which enables the company to work with a client from conception and obtaining permits all the way through to completion. “That’s our biggest asset to the owner,” adds Brown. “We’re equipped to handle anything.”

As a general contractor completing work in multiple states throughout the country, P.B. Brown has established a solid network of subcontractors and suppliers that the company is able to call upon when needed. In addition to design and construction management, P.B. Brown self-performs low-voltage electrical work on all of its projects.

P.B. Brown’s mission is to provide efficient and cost-effective solutions to its clients. With a vision to deliver more than expected, the top priority on every jobsite remains the safety of employees, subcontractors, suppliers and customers. P.B. Brown is constantly educating and updating employees on the most current industry safety methods and procedures.

A growing company

Currently, P.B. Brown is working in eastern Pennsylvania, constructing machine shops for large industrial clients. These projects have presented an opportunity for the company to implement its three-dimensional design department to create shop layout and determine operational needs and solutions before construction.
“The ability to use three-dimensional designs makes things a lot more efficient than it did 10 years ago,” says Brown. “We’re able to use all those design models to do takeoffs and procurement among other things of that nature.”

In Auburndale, Florida, P.B. Brown recently completed the conversion of a 100-year-old citrus packing plant into a self-storage facility. As is the company’s standard procedure of guiding its clients through each phase of the project, P.B. Brown was responsible for all coordination and approvals from the Florida Historical Preservation Society and municipalities. Several challenges were presented in the project, such as preserving the historical importance of the building while updating all structural components to modern building codes.

Over the last century, the structure had sustained severe damage due to multiple hurricanes, which local carpenters and blacksmiths were hired to fix by recreating exterior doors and hardware to emulate period-specific materials. In addition to being added to the U.S. Historical Preservation register, the project was awarded the city’s Beautification Award as well as the Developer of the Year Award.

A bright future

P.B. Brown consistently maintains a solid backlog of work. The company will soon be involved in numerous projects with a storage company based in Fort Myers, Florida, called iStorage. Brown’s team will be completing multiple units for the company as it embarks on a nationwide expansion. “We’re looking forward to working with iStorage,” says Brown. “It’s a solid cluster of projects that will keep us very busy.”

Starting a construction company at the peak of the recession was no easy task for Brown. He credits integrity and targeting an industry-specific market for the success of P.B Brown. With the economy bouncing back, Brown is optimistic about the future of the industry, specifically the commercial sector. “With all of the companies that closed their doors during the economic downturn, it will be interesting to see who gets back into the industry,” says Brown. “I think if you have a niche and you’re an honest contractor you can do all right in this business.”

Brown began his career in construction in 2007 after graduating from college with a degree in construction management. With a passion for the industry, he has enjoyed watching his company grow and present opportunities for employees to take part in its success. “I love watching the size of our projects increase and seeing how the people around me step up and overcome challenges that enable them to grow professionally and personally,” says Brown.

Brown plans to continue the growth of his company. With the ability to be selective of clients and projects, the company looks to double its annual revenue within the next couple of years. As a relatively young, successful company, P.B. Brown LLC remains an example of success stemming from quality and integrity.