Masonry Magazine July 2004 Page. 14
Contractor to Contractor
MCAA member contractors respond to the industry issues of the day.
Ed Davenport - Davenport Masonry, Inc.
Davenport Masonry, Inc. (DMI)
Holt. Mich.
On May 20, Ed Davenport, Owner of Davenport Masonry, Inc., was recognized at the Tri-Centennial State Park and Harbor Dedication ceremony for creating a beacon of light, both figuratively and literally. Davenport Masonry has created not only the first masonry lighthouse on the Detroit River, but also the centerpiece of the City of Detroit's $500 million riverfront renovation project, set to be completed by 2006. According to Mike Piazza, Foreman of Davenport Masonry, "It is the simplest and trickiest building I've ever built. The lighthouse is a pure load-bearing masonry structure that has a base circumference of 16 feet that tapers to eight feet at the top no frames, anchors, ties, bolts, wire, flashing, weeps, grout or level reference points to work with. Not only did the five-degree vertical slope prove an interesting task bricklayers had to tape a wooden wedge to their levels to get the proper angle but try installing a rectangular door in a round building!" Davenport spoke to us the day before the dedication ceremony about this monumental project, being a mason contractor and the industry in general.
Masonry: How does it feel to have created the focal point of Detroit's $500 million Riverfront renovation project?
Davenport: It's flattering to have been a part of it.
Masonry: You don't build a mock lighthouse every day. Tell us how this project varied from traditional rectangular buildings that your crews are used to building.
Davenport: It was certainly a neat challenge. There was no block involved - it was all brick. It was circular and battered back, with the wall diameter varying from top to bottom. It was certainly a scaffolding and a site logistics challenge, and quite different from the typical job.
Masonry: DMI utilizes a web site and a marketing team. How has this been an asset to your company?
Davenport: It gives you exposure, and it raises your level of credibility. We associate with the Masonry Institute of Michigan, IMI, Mason Contractors Association of America, Michigan Mason Contractors Association, and the MCA, which is the Detroit union mason contractors. All of these groups have funding and, to some degree, have marketing responsibility.
I'm never ever satisfied, which is probably just me. So I decided that if I'm never ever satisfied, then maybe we need to take a run on marketing. Maybe we need to make that a part of our own company. So I'm not trying to take away from any of those other groups, but to see if we make it a part of our operation, if I could end up being more satisfied.
Masonry: Davenport's web site states that the company is "innovative and creative, using new processes such as access/egress, lightweight block, tower scaffolding, scaffold steps and more." Why do you think this is important to point out?
Davenport: I think it's important to try to lead by example. I would assume it's more fun to work for a company that tries some things that are maybe outside the box. Masonry has a reputation of being rather stoic and backward. I think it's important that our customers see that I think it's important to try to lead by example. We are trying to be more innovative and trying to do some things that are different in an effort to improve our company and our industry.
Masonry: What types of ongoing training do you offer your staff?
Davenport: We have done a lot of total quality management training that is very customer-focused, which I think is an aspect lacking in our industry. I think way too many contractors, either themselves or their employees, don't focus on the value of the customer. We do lots of different types of training to try to bring our people along. They are trying to get our people to understand our systems better.
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