Phaze Concrete Inc.

In 2003 the father and son team of John and Paul Beagley founded Phaze Concrete Inc. (Phaze). The family-owned and -operated business has grown for more than a decade, offering full-service concrete work for commercial construction projects.
“I started off working for a company in Salt Lake City,” says Paul, now president of Phaze. “My father has been in concrete since before I was born. He used to pick me up after school and we would do driveways together. We founded the business together, although my father retired in 2008.”
The team started with flat work projects, working its way up while building a portfolio. Today Phaze operates all over the western United States and into Ohio. “We have built a niche doing just about every type of commercial concrete work,” Paul explains. “We do tilt wall, post-tension slabs, you name it. We do a lot of parking structures and we offer better quality flat work than the competition.”
Over the years, the Phaze team’s experience, resources and capabilities have attracted a number of big-ticket contracts. This allows the company to cater to major repeat clients such as Winco, Wal-Mart and Family Dollar.
A Growing Portfolio
A strong reputation for quality work has allowed Paul and his crew to make major headway over the years. “We would take on jobs that were too big for us and grow to meet the demand,” he explains. “We tend to keep measured growth, but there have been times we have taken on more work than we planned. Winco emailed us a few years back for work on a store in Texas. We told them we were too busy, but they wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
Winco has developed a reputation all of its own for quality, in that the business demands near-perfection from contractors. So far, Phaze has completed slab work for two of the grocery stores; one in Dallas, Texas, as well as another in Bellingham, Wash.
“We are looking to perform another contract with them in the near future on a store in Duncanville, Texas,” Paul elaborates. “We make every effort to deliver the best quality work, even ahead of schedule. We get repeat business from nearly everyone we work with.”
Another major client in recent years has been Wal-Mart. Currently, Phaze has five contracts underway with the corporation. The business is on Wal-Mart’s alternate list for bids, and has been selected a number of times to perform contracts across the region. Other endeavors include a number of multifamily housing projects, such as high-rise apartment buildings and condominiums.
One project that particularly stands out to Paul was for Spaceport America in New Mexico. The Spaceport is a unique structure, designed to accommodate private and commercial space travelers. Currently the facility is wrapping up the first phase of construction, including an airfield, launch pads, hangars, roadways and emergency response facilities. The project has been featured on the History Channel. Phaze performed concrete work on the property’s terminal hangar facility.
Maintaining Quality
With approximately 175 employees, Phaze has a strong handle on quality. Despite a string of successes, the business has faced a number of challenges over the years. The economic downturn caught up with the business in 2010, requiring the company to downsize and micromanage costs. A number of major projects have allowed the team to grow again, although Paul sees many in the industry struggling. “The economy isn’t going to get better until our representatives learn how to work together,” he notes.
Some intense weather patterns have also affected business. “Tornadoes around Oklahoma City have presented some minor hurdles,” Paul explains. “They can make a real mess of a work site. We also had a slab poured for a Wal-Mart in Nevada. There was some crazy weather and the wind destroyed 23,000 square feet of work. The re-pour cost $110,000.”
Fortunately, the business has put a number of policies and practices in place to avoid any major crises. “We never leave a job without the general contractor or owner being happy,” Paul says. “We will do whatever it takes. We run an honest business. We don’t take advantage of our clients or strategic partners and we expect the same in return. We deliver consistent quality, because we employ good people and we pay them fairly. Our reputation is more important than money. We have a lot of young employees; half of our foremen are under 25, but they are dedicated.”
In the coming years, the Phaze team is looking at a steady pattern of growth. According to Paul, this growth began at the end of 2013, with another concrete power hitter, Jack Daniels Construction, merging into Phaze. This merger increased manpower by another 60-plus employees, and also expanded the company’s operations into excavation.
The team now offers four 3-D laser screeds, 20 10- and 8-foot power trowels, a 44 meter pump truck, as well as GPS guided road graders, dozers, excavation equipment, transport and haul trucks and much more.
The company is also expanding into bigger projects, such as civil engineering and high-rise buildings. Paul is excited about the new horizon of projects the company will be able to take on and complete. He considered using a six-month plateau to organize the business; however, demand tends to drive the company forward.
No matter how big the business gets, Paul is committed to the company’s mission. Phaze Concrete Inc. will continue to provide high quality concrete work that exceeds the expectations of general contractors and owners across the western United States.