Twin City Acoustics Inc.: Fine-tuning Specialized Service and a Family Foundation

Twin City Acoustics Inc. (TCA) is a Plymouth, Minn.-headquartered interior contractor specializing in the installation of acoustic products and ceilings. The company serves Minnesota plus the four surrounding states – Wisconsin, South Dakota, North Dakota and Iowa – from its main facility outside of Minneapolis-St. Paul and three satellite offices. TCA takes pride in providing hands-on client-focused service to the commercial, health care, governmental and institutional sectors, and it reinforces these best practices because it has remained family owned and operated for 40 years.

Founded in 1973 by Darryl Brinker and Dave Ehlers, TCA is currently conducted by its second-generation president, Dave Brinker. Dave began working at his father’s business, starting out as an installer in the late 1970s and making his way into the executive offices in 1985. “In 1991 my father retired, but he still makes frequent visits to the office a couple of times a week,” shares Dave.

Good People, Good Business

TCA has built its success around a team of good people. The company employees about 100 individuals; many among the staff have been with TCA since the beginning. “We have very little employee turnaround,” explains Dave. “There are at least 20 guys who’ve been with us for 25 years or more.”

TCA strives to provide creative, reliable and professional installation of acoustical products to the commercial construction industry, building on a four-decade legacy of delivering service and project satisfaction on projects large and small. “Experience sets us apart,” details Dave. TCA has a strong project management team with skilled construction personnel that represent a wide array of backgrounds, from acoustical design to application work.

The company self-performs almost every facet of its work, delivering results for architects, designers, general contractors and building owners. “We don’t really outsource anything,” shares Dave. “Architects control the designing, but we can always assist in the process.”

The TCA team provides information and collaboration for ceiling applications, wall projects and specialty material applications, including traditional treatments and unique design options. The company has expertise in wood, metal and traditional ceilings and wall panels, windows, doors and millwork, as well as specifically designed fabrics for acoustic environments.

The company relies on its manufacturers to provide quality supplies, and fostering these relationships is critical to TCA’s success. These valued strategic partners include USG Corporation, Chicago Metallic, Hunter Douglas, CertainTeed, Fabritrak, Clipso and Armstrong.

USG Corporation, a global leader in the design and production of ceilings and drywall, is one of TCA’s main suppliers. Partnering with USG allows TCA to ensure it will be able to integrate a quality, pleasantly designed, sustainable product. From high light-reflectance ceilings to high recycled-content ceilings, USG offers building materials that meet LEED criteria.

Diverse Portfolio

From airports to universities and churches to concert venues, TCA has a great depth of knowledge in all projects. “We do jobs that are $200 but also jobs that are $5 million,” shares Dave. No matter the job, TCA performs award-winning work.

In 1999 TCA was awarded the CISCA GOLD National Project of the Year Award for its work on the Main Terminal of the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. Winners are selected based on the project’s design, complexity and quality of construction. In 2012 TCA was also awarded the CISCA BRONZE for the company’s work at Bayer Medical and the CISCA GOLD for the Trinity Lutheran Church in Owatonna.

Recently, TCA finished another Minnesota project at the Duluth International Airport. This site consists of 25,000 square feet of custom wood ceilings and 10,000 square feet of specialized waved metal ceiling. “This was a huge undertaking, which we completed in about three months,” recalls Dave.

Projects more recently completed by TCA also include: the Best Buy Corporation corporate offices, United Health Group, the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, the Minnesota Wild Excel Arena, TCF Stadium at the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Twins Stadium, Regions Hospital and the Science Museum of Minnesota. In addition, the company has a project in March 2013 at the Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis.

Although the economy has created instability in many industries, TCA is maintaining its workload and doing well. “We almost have more work than we can handle,” Dave reveals. To further counter the economic downturn, however, the company has reached further into Iowa and North Dakota than usual to find jobs. “We’ve got a job in the works at the History Center in Bismarck, N.D.,” reveals Dave.

The Brinker name continues to imbue its third generation at TCA. Dave’s two daughters, both college graduates, are currently working for the company and his son plans on doing so after he finishes college as well. Drawing on a family-led and team-enriched commitment to excellence, Twin City Acoustics Inc. will continue to provide highly skilled services and specialized products that meet and exceed the performance and visual needs of clients.