ForConstructionPros.com contributing editor Diana Henry recently spoke with Mark Scroggins, owner of MDS Construction, Danny Galindo, superintendent for MDS Construction LLC, and Brandon Summers, USG Gypsum Commercial Sales Representative, in Visalia, California. This is a shortened version of their conversation.
Mark Scroggins: I've been working in this business well over 60 years, and I learned all aspects of the business, from installation to distribution to manufacturing to builder to contractor. There's a need for real professional contractors because a lot of contractors fly by the seat of their pants. And that's why the business actually started. We've grown exponentially to approaching 70 associates. We're a high-volume residential contractor. We install drywall board, we tape texture, and we also do painting. That's all by design because I want to keep it in house. I don't subcontract anything up in twelve.
Brandon Summers: In 12 months, they’ve done a little over 1,200 homes, so you're talking about 100 houses a month. When you talk about business days at 20, doing the math, that's five houses a day that are getting done. In terms of what USG thinks of that, five houses is three trucks of drywall.
Mark: I thought about, how can I differentiate myself? How can I be just not another drywall guy? What my competitors do is they piecemeal the product. They have x manufacturer for board, x manufacturer for mud, they have x manufacturer for bead. And speaking with Brandon, he transitioned into USG and he goes, “Hey, man, I’ve got a good deal for you. What about being a single source?” And I go, “That works.” That's kind of how this relationship started and how it's blossomed.
Brandon: In this business, you can't build a doghouse without an issue. This is construction. There's going to be an issue when you're building houses or structures from the ground up. It's not is there going to be an issue, it's about how do we handle it when there is an issue. And that's what I've tried to do at USG, is provide that service of being able to handle issues myself, along with our team, all the way from our technical support to our guys in the field.
Danny Galindo: Brandon is one of the first guys I call or text (from the jobsite). He gets back to me within an hour if he doesn't answer right away. USG is huge, and you feel the support. I worked at other companies, too, and there was pretty much no support. You had to call two, three guys just to get a hold of somebody, and then for them to come out, it was just a problem. And with USG, we don't have that problem. They'll come the next day or within a few days and we have an answer. And that's pretty much what separates them from everybody right now.
Brandon: How do we get guys like Danny – the guys in the field – to buy into that? We've got to set ourselves apart, and that's our people. What USG does really well—and it resonates with our customers — is they empower their people to get out there and go do this and know that you've got this global giant supporting you. (Mark and Danny’s) guys have told us out in the field that is why they like (USG’s) product. We have taken that real-life testimony and used it to help convert other (companies) over to our product, which is why I'm so invested in MDS’s success, because it's helped me, too. And I think we have helped Mark as well.
Mark: It's been a good ride, and I feel like it will continue to be a good ride. They're going to be part of my portfolio.
Brandon: Mark's helped me in my career and I've helped him, and we bounced a lot of things off each other over the last several years. And I've been here from minute one supporting him personally and professionally, and that's not going to waver at all. I'm excited to see where these guys go. He's got great people working for him. I knew that they were going to grow they were going to be successful, and I wanted to ride that wave.
