Growing with Butler W.K. Thomas builds its niche from the ground up
Even as a child, Brent Thomas took pride in the family business.
He'd play in the dirt piles on a construction site while his father, Bill, and his crews worked to erect custom houses and commercial buildings in Butler County.
He'd see the homes and structures his father's company, W.K. Thomas & Associates, completed and marveled at them.
“It was a fun job for your dad to have,” Thomas said.
As a teenager, he was introduced to the inner-workings of the company.
The hard labor. The nitty-gritty.
“In high school, I waterproofed foundations and got into all the dirty work that no one else really liked to do,” Thomas said. “We saw it all. Dad put a lot of long hours in and he laid the groundwork.”
For Thomas, that experience was invaluable.
But when it came time for him to join his father at W.K. Thomas, a general contractor, construction management and design-build company that had transitioned to mostly commercial jobs, he initially balked.
He thought the construction business too uncertain and too susceptible to uncontrollable market forces.
Recessions. Market volatility. Peaks and valleys.
Unpredictable.“I wanted something more stable,” Thomas said. “I just wanted to get a business degree and go to work for someone.”So, he went out on his own. After graduating from Grove City College, he got a job at a company and watched it go through mergers and restructuring.Soon, he discovered it wasn't for him.“I kind of realized corporate life wasn't the thing I was interested in,” he said. “I thought, 'You know, there isn't any sure thing.'”Even when Thomas came home to work alongside his father, he wasn't convinced it was a sure thing.His plan was to see how it went for a couple of years. If he liked it, he'd stay. If he didn't, he'd go off on his own again.He liked it. And 21 years later, Brent Thomas is running the company his father founded in 1974.Bill Thomas began the business with one project, the Meridian Volunteer Fire Department, and it has continued to grow from there.In the 46 years since, the business has flourished.Even this year, in perhaps one of the most volatile times in the company's history due the coronavirus pandemic, it has found a way to thrive.
And keep building.“It's certainly unlike anything we've ever had to go through before,” Thomas said. “Trying to keep the job safe and keep everyone distanced on the job is a worry. The economy now, though, seems better than what I would expect.”Thomas was concerned, however, in March when clients were understandably skittish as the state shut down because of the pandemic.But slowly, as things improved, they returned.“The last couple of months they've come back around to say, 'Hey, my business is doing well — in some cases, it's improved — so let's just keep on moving forward with the projects,'” Thomas said. “This is turning out to be a pretty good year.“What we're seeing is interest rates are as low as they're ever going to be,” Thomas added. “If they can take advantage of that now, I think they know they'll be in a better position when this is all over.”Thomas said the company currently has a handful of projects in the works. Each is unique.For Thomas, it's about getting down to what the client wants the most out of their new space.That can be a process in itself. There are a lot of factors Thomas and his team must sift through to find the best fit for the customer.“The first thing we ask is, 'How are you using your current space, and what don't you like about where you are now, and what do you want from your new building?'” Thomas said.
Once that is decided, the design begins.W.K. Thomas works with an experienced team of local architects, engineers and subcontractors from start to finish.“We have great people,” Thomas said. “We have a very loyal group of subcontractors. Our electricians are third generation. Our framing guys and concrete guys are third generation. We've been working with them all this time.”Sometimes, the hardest part of a job is patience.Depending on the size of the project, it can take up to six months to get the proper permits before construction can even begin.Once it starts, however, a structure goes up quickly.“We can build the building usually quicker than we can get it approved,” Thomas said, smiling. “Within a month, we have steel up and maybe a roof on it. People are amazed.”They're not the only ones who are amazed.
W.K. Thomas has been nationally recognized. In 2018, the company was named to the Metal Construction News Top 100 Metal Builders list.Also in 2018, W.K. Thomas was named 2018 Butler Builder of the Year.Butler Builder produces pre-engineered steel buildings.“We're the only Butler Builder that's in Butler,” Thomas said, chuckling. “It's kind of neat.”What's also neat to Thomas is driving around the area and seeing all the buildings W.K. Thomas has constructed.Thomas' 19-year-old son recently put pins on a map of Butler County. Each pin represented a building W.K. Thomas was responsible for in the area.“It filled up quick,” Thomas said. “It's probably one of the more rewarding parts of the job.”Like his father, Brent Thomas is not putting pressure on his children to follow in his footsteps.He remembers the light touch his father used when he joined the company 21 years ago.“My dad was really good about things,” Thomas said. “Maybe he always thought it was going to work out and it did. He wasn't a micro-manager. He let me come in and learn the ropes and kind of set my own path. For that, I'm grateful. He wasn't always looking over my shoulder.”But there was pressure.“His name's on the business,” Thomas said. “So, there's that aspect.”Thomas wants to see the company continue to grow.Projects have branched out into Allegheny and Beaver counties. He's fielding lots of calls from places like Moon Township.“If you don't try to continue to grow, you're probably going to fall behind,” Thomas said. “We're like the right-size contractor. We are small enough to be personal. You get real personal service and we have enough experience to get the job done. We're not building skyscrapers — we're not competing with those guys. We're in a good niche, and as long as Butler keeps growing, we'll be growing with it.”
