SWAT Environmental

For more than 25 years, SWAT Environmental (SWAT) has been providing vapor intrusion mitigation and remediation services for customers all over the United States. Founded in 1988, the business has grown to include 40 service centers spanning from Massachusetts to Missouri and Washington State. Gordon Satoh, managing director of commercial markets for SWAT, oversees a large, nationwide team. He has been with SWAT since 2011.

Approximately 70 percent of SWAT’s business is residential sales driven; however, a large portion of business comes from the commercial building industry. “Our commercial work is primarily made of larger, multifamily projects or commercial installations for radon and other volatile organic compounds,” says Satoh. “We install mitigation systems for properties for the Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD] and Federal Housing Administration [FHA] requirements. We help our clients reduce long-term liability in their markets.”

In order to cover a broad geographic area, SWAT collaborates with many local and national vendors. The savings from such partnerships allow SWAT to take on larger contacts in various locations for a lower cost to the client, while still maintaining a profitable business margin.

Recent work

In recent years, SWAT has been involved in a wide range of new construction, system upgrade and mitigation projects throughout the eastern half of the U.S. As a radon mitigation business, many of SWAT’s customers require privacy. It is of high priority at SWAT to help clients maintain safe facilities and residences with discretion.

For example, Satoh explains that the team recently installed a mitigation project involving potentially flammable subsoil vapors in high enough concentrations that there was concern for life safety and the health of the occupants residing in the structure.

“There was a very strict budget established and a very specific pathway was proposed by the state environmental authorities,” Satoh elaborates. “Our company was able to install a very high quality explosion-proof system addressing the specific needs of the site in an efficient and safe manner. We were able to provide a high-quality exterior appearance and implement new technology to minimize cost and impacts over time. This was accomplished in conjunction to conforming to federal and state requirements both from a regulatory and a financial accountability perspective. We were also able to coordinate with the residents of the structure to be able to address their concerns regarding reductions in the amount of traffic to a business in the building.”

SWAT’s ability to address the concerns of residents, while maintaining compliance, is just one of the special touches that allow the company a strong reputation.

Staying ahead

SWAT strives to lead the radon industry through quality workmanship and customer service. According to Satoh, such leadership sends a message to the entire industry. “A certain level of social responsibility comes with the radon business,” Satoh explains. “Our job is to be profitable, but we are trying to reduce cancer-related deaths. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer with smoking as the first and we hope we will have more influence in the future.”

The company is also working with national licensing agencies to help promote consistency and conformity across the radon industry. Satoh and his team offer a greater value than other competitors. With lower costs associated with the company’s services, SWAT has been able to mitigate more homes overall than any other radon mitigation contractor in the country. Such value attracts private and public clients, as well as nonprofits by helping stretch each dollar.

“I enjoy my job and it’s a tremendous opportunity to increase air quality for people,” Satoh explains. It is evident that Satoh takes great pride in his qualified team of professionally certified associates and is committed to providing the environmental solutions that improve air quality conditions for as many people as possible. Furthermore, SWAT follows standards set forth by industry bodies such as the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM); standards that help to ensure the quality of workmanship and a safer air quality for all.

SWAT utilizes innovative technology to help reach a higher standard of safety, quality and value. The company strives to stay ahead of new developments, using only top-of-the-line mitigation products. No matter what the scope of a project may be, clients have come to rely on SWAT for cutting-edge performance. These factors have kept the business ahead of other contractors, promoting growth across the country.

In the coming years, Satoh anticipates growth to continue. The business is expanding its geographic footprint and networking through trade organizations and customers. SWAT fosters strong relationships with clients often leading to repeat business and referrals. As the commercial market expands, SWAT Environmental is heading into a period of continued growth, providing high-quality and safe radon mitigation services with integrity and professionalism.