Some of this new growth may be attributed to the announcement in March that the Palm Beach Gardens-based company acquired Riviera Beach-based Fischer-Clark Construction Inc. for an undisclosed sum.

In actuality, Daniel S. Catalfumo, the company's founding owner and president, tells GlobeSt.com the increase in new business comes from an onslaught of demand for the company's services. The demand is so intense Catalfumo is now negotiating the acquisitions of two unidentified commercial general contracting companies.

"Negotiations are likely to result in something productive in the third quarter," he tells GlobeSt.com. The acquisition of additional capacity is expected to target existing demand mostly in South Florida, Catalfumo says, though the company is now building in nine states.

"We have so many repeat clients that they're asking us to follow them where they go," he says. "About 70% of our business is from repeat customers."

Next month, for instance, the company begins work on the first of seven time-share resort buildings--at a value of about $5 million per building--for Marriott International Inc. in the Doral submarket in west Miami-Dade County.

That contract is a direct result of the company's work for Marriott on three timeshare resort buildings--valued at $10 million a piece--on Singer Island in Palm Beach County.

It's not just demand from the hospitality industry, as the company is working on projects ranging from medical to industrial to retail. "I'm not sure what market isn't hot for us right now," Catalfumo tells GlobeSt. "This year our growth is absolutely staggering."

Demand for interior office renovations, for instance, compelled the company to hire a construction team that works solely on such projects at night and in the evenings around the tenant's schedule. "The tenant sometimes doesn't even know we're there," Catalfumo says.

To meet such the growth, the company also has waged an all-out effort to attract top talent--from senior executives to laborers. In acquiring Fisher-Clark, for instance, Catalfumo gained a wealth in knowledge and networking contacts through Steve Fisher, the former Fisher-Clark chief executive officer who now works for Catalfumo as an executive vice president.

Just recently, the company hired Steve Axe, a long-time construction industry specialist, as a senior project manager.

"We're constantly in the market looking for talent," Catalfumo says. "We have 20 open job positions." Despite such demand, Catalfumo acknowledges he must consider limits on the company's growth to maintain the efficiencies he now can offer.

"The $200-million market is probably where we want to be--so we can still have that day-to-day contact with my clients," he says. "We're not looking to be the biggest; we're looking to be the best."

Instant Insights /

GlobeSt.com EXCLUSIVE: Catalfumo Considering Additional Acquisitions

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