Timbil Mechanical LLC

Established in 1989, Timbil Mechanical LLC (Timbil) is a growing commercial mechanical contractor based in Boonton, N.J. Bill Ross Sr. founded the business 25 years ago with the goal of building strong relationships with customers throughout the five boroughs of New York City. Today, he is still active in the business and works alongside his sons, Bill Ross Jr., current owner and president, as well as Tim Ross, executive vice president. With a crew of approximately 75 employees, Timbil performs a wide range of HVAC installations and services.

“We offer turnkey mechanical solutions,” Bill Jr. explains. “We do our own drafting, project management, estimating and fitting in-house. We also work with insulation, sheet metal and controls contractors to provide a comprehensive mechanical system for our clients.” Strong and longstanding relationships with these partners have helped the business maintain growth and turn around projects that customers are happy with.

An approximate 90 percent of the company’s work is for repeat clients, which include major contractors, business owners and local governments, among others. The Timbil team’s projects are diverse, with a portfolio consisting of financial centers, warehouses and zoos. The company has high-volume capabilities, although Bill Jr. takes pride in his team’s ability to operate as a family business. The Ross family places high value on safety, quality and integrity, creating standards of excellence that shine through on each and every project.

Innovative projects

Timbil’s portfolio encompasses a broad range of unique and challenging projects. Recent work includes a contract at one of the largest ice storage facilities in Manhattan. “This project was for a customer that has worked with us for 25 years,” Bill Jr. explains. “The building houses 134 storage tanks. All day, the tenant operates regular chillers in the building to make ice. At night, the building runs off the ice melt, instead of running equipment and employing people to keep the operation going. This is a unique system and the payback was fast. This is a very efficient process, but the reason most of these buildings don’t have it is, because of all the real estate required for the storage tanks. This is the biggest building besides the Trade Center in downtown Manhattan.”

The crew is currently working at the World Financial Center, which is the largest project on the docket. The owner has decided to renovate all the lobbies and infrastructure. Timbil’s scope of work includes new air handlers, coils, lobby renovation and cooling towers for the building’s three towers.

“This has manifested into a big project,” Bill Jr. explains. “It started out as a few smaller contracts, but the owner is trying to compete with new tenants. In order to compete for tenants all the systems have to be upgraded. The finished project will feature all new lobbies and infrastructure while meeting and maintaining all new green requirements.”

One of the more unusual facilities the team has worked on is the penguin exhibit and walrus aquarium at the Central Park Zoo. “This was a really interesting and challenging project,” Bill Jr. explains. “We replaced the chillers for the main air conditioning that keeps the penguins cool. We also installed a redundant backup system, as well as the associated piping and controls. We took care of both at the same time without disturbing the well-being of any penguins. The logistics were difficult and the zoo had to transfer penguins between a holding pen and the main exhibit. We completed the job in six months.”

Growing and greening

Bill Jr. and his team continue to evolve as Timbil grows. With low-energy products taking on a new role in building construction, the company is keeping up. The crew frequently works with clients and strategic partners who value and require more environmentally friendly systems. “We are putting in more efficient units,” he elaborates. “We are using green products in more and more of our projects and we have seen huge growth in that area over the last few years.”

And there is a reason behind Timbil embracing the green movement. “Green technology has really taken off,” Bill Jr. continues. “I think a lot of people don’t realize it yet, but this equipment is the future of our industry. Our environmentally friendly construction and maintenance practices are LEED-certified by the U.S. Green Building Council, and our environmental consciousness brings tax credits to our clients, ultimately paying for their HVAC systems.”

The company is also affiliated with several organizations that support Timbil’s growing mission. The business is signatory to the Local 638A Steamfitters Union, providing trained and skilled workers for the team’s many complex HVAC projects.

Furthermore, Timbil is also a member of the Mechanical Contractors Association of America, the Mechanical Contractors Association of New York and the Greater New York Welding Chapter. These affiliations help keep Timbil abreast of changing trends and regulations while providing professionals with a say in legislation. Membership offers education and networking opportunities that have helped Timbil establish lasting relationships with clients, strategic partners and suppliers alike.

Standing out in a crowd

All of the company’s capabilities and connections have allowed Timbil to experience steady growth for more than two decades. While an expanded reach opens up new opportunities to the team, Bill Jr. says massive growth is not a top priority. “We don’t need to be the biggest contractor out there,” he explains. “We want to provide value. We do not offer the cheapest services in town, but we do the job right.”

This positive attitude has won the company several awards over the years. In 2009, Timbil received the Community Service Award Best of New Construction and Renovation from the Building America Network. The network selected Timbil for a role in the construction and renovation of the World Financial Center. In 2002, the New York Construction Review recognized the team with the award for Most Innovative New Construction and Renovation Projects. This award celebrated the company’s work on the Winter Garden HVAC system.

Bill Jr. chalks up most of the company’s success to his team. After 25 years in business, he explains that Timbil has a great client base and great longtime employees. “They take these projects from start to finish on time and on budget,” he elaborates. “We have a 90 percent repeat customer base and that record says a lot. We have a good reputation and we truly care about the end product. We treat the buildings we work in like they were our own homes and that is why we are successful.”

In the coming years, Bill Jr. and his team are staying the course. He has no plans for major expansion, only steady and controlled growth. The company has a large backlog of projects coming down the pipeline. Strong relationships with clients keep the opportunities rolling in. Whatever the future holds, be it another penguin cooling system or HVAC upgrades for a large office building, Timbil Mechanical LLC is well-suited to take on the next challenge.