If George Pontikes Jr. is right and his Satterfield & Pontikes Construction Inc. surpasses $200 million in revenue this year, his fascination with technology will have paid off big-time.

After speaking with the dynamic president and CEO, it's not difficult to image how the Houston-based company managed to mushroom from a start-up company little more than a decade ago into a leading commercial contractor with $165 million in revenue last year.

The company ranked 23rd on Texas Construction's list of the state's top contractors.

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When Pontikes founded the company in 1989 his penchant for the latest technological methods of project delivery made him something of a maverick in the construction industry.

"From the very beginning, we invested heavily and utilized the technological tools that were available, and we've enhanced them," Pontikes said. "We just happened to have the ability and interest in using automated tools."

Construction industry professionals are often perceived as conservative, and there was a time that Pontikes didn't differ from that stereotype. However, with the establishment of Satterfield & Pontikes, he needed to be extremely efficient, and technology was crucial to survival.

"It's my belief that to continue to prevail and prosper in the construction industry, you've got to grow," he said. And he added that technological innovation married with quality and integrity is the key to growth.

Pontikes makes the argument that construction, what he calls one of the most fragmented industries in the country, has failed to embrace a collaborative effort to develop technology. "That's why we don't have the efficiency achievable in today's world," he added. "In other large components of the gross national product-such as retail, automotive, manufacturing-there are a handful of huge companies that do a majority of the business. In construction, there are thousands of construction firms in Texas alone."

It's Pontikes' contention that the construction industry will be forced to streamline and utilize technology more efficiently because the market will demand it. And Satterfield & Pontikes appears to be leading the way.

Early on, the company developed its own Internet-based project documentation process, which allows for seamless, integrated field documentation, the CEO said.
The streamlining makes quicker, more accurate information flow possible and allows customers to review certain types of project deliveries. "With the architect-engineer team, it's a tremendous asset, because they can have a question answered from a job site within moments," he added.

Satterfield & Pontikes also routinely uses 3-D modeling for scheduling, pricing and constructability, something that Pontikes said would be a standard in the future. "In time we will see more utilization of what is already evident in the manufacturing and industrial sector," he added. "Technology in the future is going to streamline the process and design better cost data that will ultimately deliver a better project."

"I believe we have been an innovator in technology in the construction industry," Pontikes said. "The goal is to improve the process, so you can ultimately provide better service to customers at a lower cost. I think we'll see an explosion of that during the next three or four years."

While the majority of design teams budget a job on an overall square-foot basis based on the cost of the last similar project, Pontikes thinks there are better ways.
"With the use of technology such as a parametric estimate, you can look at the cost related to a specific object versus total square foot. cost of the last project," he said.

Pontikes said he believes that estimates based on more specific parameters will have better results, and that the earlier in the project those issues are addressed, the more effect they will have on the overall outcome of the project.

Of course, the most state-of-the-art technological advances are useless unless they are backed by expertise and reliability.

Satterfield & Pontikes has built a reputation for timely, quality construction of commercial, educational, industrial and institutional buildings.

"We like to say, 'We deliver no matter what.'" said John Marshall, business development director. "That is our mission. It is not tied to any sort of industry or any particular type of construction. If we take on a job, we will do it."

The company strives to complete every project on time. "S & P always delivers, no matter what," Marshall said. Since its inception, Satterfield & Pontikes has followed a pattern of sustained growth, continuously expanding its capabilities, skills, project size and complexity. Although the company was weaned on a hard-bid market, Satterfield & Pontikes is comfortable in any delivery method, Marshall said.

"We have the breadth and capability to handle alternate delivery methods, which require a more flexible contractor," he added. "Not only do you have to have a good price, you must have a good resume and understand the owner's needs and be willing to work to meet those needs."

Satterfield & Pontikes is particularly proud of its many school projects. "Our feeling is that if we can demonstrate our expertise in this area, we will be taken seriously about our capabilities," Marshall said. Since a school is something that most districts will only construct once a generation, "the owners aren't experts in construction and it becomes a learning process in how to interpret and meet their needs," Marshall added.

In addition to schools, Satterfield & Pontikes has taken on an interesting mix of projects. Last year the company completed a $25 million portion of the new Jack Evans Dallas Police Headquarters. The 369,000 sq.-ft. building was the first major green project for Dallas.

The building and all the materials in it had to meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, as set forth by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Satterfield & Pontikes is currently working on two renovation projects for the Dallas Independent School District and was recently awarded a $40 million contract for the renovation of the Harris County Juvenile Justice Center.

In February, Satterfield & Pontikes completed construction of a multibuilding campus for the Laredo Community College.

Although the bulk of Satterfield & Pontikes' work is in Texas, the firm is licensed to work in 16 states. One out-of-state project is the International Polo Club in Palm Beach, Fla., which will host the U.S. Open Polo Championship this month. The company plans to expand its water and wastewater-treatment construction capabilities, add to its higher education work, broaden in the public works area and take on more medical work. "We've got a big appetite, Marshall said. "We like to do everything, but we take a good, focused approach."