One Year, Three New Facilities: Greenberry Industrial is Booming
In the couple of years after the economic downturn of 2008 Corporate America didn’t spend much on facilities. But now the pent up demand for newer safer and larger facilities is causing many companies to address industrial maintenance and expansion 
needs notes Greenberry Industrial’s President and CEO Jason Pond.
And Pond should know.
AGC-member Greenberry Industrial’s phone has been ringing off the hook lately so much so that the full service heavy industrial fabricator and constructor last year opened a new 32500-square-foot fabrication facility with deep water access in Vancouver WA. Then just last month Greenberry opened up a new 42000-square-foot fabrication shop and office space in Ferndale WA.
But even that’s not the latest move for Greenberry. On Oct. 4 the Port of Bellingham approved two lease deals involving the firm: A 45000-square-foot port-owned warehouse and land at the Bellingham Shipping Terminal for Greenberry and a lease for 315 feet of shipping terminal dock space for Superior Energy Services a Louisiana-based corporation that has hired Greenberry to build modules to be installed on a safety response vessel that will operate in offshore drilling locations.
“We expect our enhanced local presence to pave the way for new opportunities in the oil field petrochemical aerospace energy pulp and paper port terminals and high technology industries” Pond says. “We plan to expand our local talent to augment our resources.”
In addition to facilitating additional opportunities Greenberry’s new facilities will allow it to better serve its current client base which includes Shell Tesoro ConocoPhillips Boeing the Army Corps Hanford Weyerhauser and more.
“We’re seeing an uptick in long-lead procurement” Pond says. “That’s one of the reasons we’re making these investments. We’re getting the work.”
Data compiled by AGC of America Chief Economist Ken Simonson bears out Pond’s optimism: In the last year the power sector (including oil and gas structures) has been the strongest of all construction sectors nationally with spending growing a whopping 19 percent.
Pond says Greenberry is well positioned to take advantage of this growth. “We’re part of a very narrow group” he says. “To be successful you have to be pretty large have the expertise and have solid safety and quality programs. We’re there. And we can do so much of the work ourselves from project management to piping fabrication and more.”
Greenberry Industrial was founded in 1974 by Robert Pond in Corvallis OR. Originally named Greenberry Tank & Iron Company Robert founded the business to build fuel storage tanks. Robert’s son and UW grad Jason has been involved with the company since the beginning starting as a steel and tank fabricator.
The business grew and so did Jason’s role within it. Jason bought the company from his father five years ago and he notes that he is now the majority shareholder among 11 owners/key personnel.
Greenberry now manages and provides all structural civil and mechanical disciplines in industrial construction including boiler making civil and concrete heavy rigging millwright and equipment setting pipe spooling modules and steel erection.
A long-time member of the AGC’s Oregon-Columbia chapter Greenberry’s expanded Washington State operations prompted it to join AGC of Washington last year. It’s quickly become an active member having qualified for both AGC Safety Team and AGC Group Retro. Pond also cites education programs by AGC and the AGC Education Foundation especially management and leadership training as particularly valuable.
What’s the key to the company’s success? “I know my limitations” Jason says “So I have hired great people. And then it’s our diversity in services clients and geography.”
Photos: Congressman Rick Larsen recently toured Greenberry’s new Ferndale Facility. In top photo Jason Pond left visits with Larsen. In bottom photo Larsen chats with Greenberry’s Chris Murray and Steve Parfomchuk.