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Sarasota Herald Tribune by Rich
Shopes
December 18, 2003
Company looks to grow with U.S. Home
The Manatee maker of concrete homes erects a test house, seeks a
deal
MANATEE COUNTY -- Efficient Wall Systems of Florida, the south
Manatee County company that makes houses from poured concrete, is
close to signing a deal with one of the nation's largest home
builders.
Herman Guevara, vice president of sales and marketing, says the
company is building a test house for national home builder U.S. Home
at the Heritage Harbour development at Interstate 75 and State Road
64 in Manatee County.
If U.S. Home approves of the work, Efficient Wall Systems could be
asked to build dozens of houses at Heritage Harbour and perhaps
hundreds nationwide.
That would mean the biggest deal yet for the year-old company, which
so far has built about 30 houses and commercial buildings in
Southwest Florida.
"This is a nationwide builder. We could grow with these guys
wherever they need us," Guevara said. "It also sends a message to
other builders that we've been called up to the major leagues."
The company installed panels to brace the wet concrete this week at
Heritage Harbour's Harbour Cove subdivision. The concrete will be
poured next week.
"If this works, it definitely is something that could take off,"
said Brandon Allen, a construction supervisor for U.S. Home.
He said the company is closely monitoring the project's quality and
timing. One advantage, Guevara said, is that poured concrete houses
require fewer workers and can be built faster than houses made from
concrete block.
The cost is about the same, he says. Also, the company maintains
that its houses can stand up to 250 mph winds and resists mold.
Efficient Wall Systems prefabricates its panels and trucks them to
job sites.
Metal studs spaced 10 inches apart, a hard stucco backing and
compressed leak-proof foam brace the concrete as it is drying.
The company opened its Florida office in November 2002 after being
based for six years in Michigan.
There it sold about 200 wall systems, mostly for basements in that
state and elsewhere in the Midwest.
Guevara said sales will reach about $1 million this year and about
$3 million next year.
At some point, he said, the company might have to expand.
"We're thinking about opening a plant in Fort Myers," he said.
"We're not sure yet whether we want to operate one large facility or
a number of regional facilities."
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