Our History
A Dream was Born
How did Structural Buildings begin?
Starting this company seemed like the natural thing to do. Post-frame construction was all I knew, and I was excited to do things my way. Over the years, we worked hard and refined our practices. It was just what we did at the time, but looking back, we did happen on a few “firsts.” In the beginning, we had our own lumberyard, Metawood, so that we could be competitive in purchasing our own supplies. We also did our own engineering and computer drafting in-house, and consequently were one of the very first companies – if not “the” first – in St. Cloud area to have CAD (computer-aided design). It was a big deal. We also found ourselves demanding higher quality materials from our suppliers and with them developed new products. For example, we were the first in the state to use glue laminate columns and to offer 28-gauge steel panels for our post-frame buildings as standard.
What is your key to success?
The older I get, the more people ask me, ‘to what do I credit my success?’ First of all, it’s not “my” success, but “our” success. I have always involved my team of employees in decisions and they have been a big part of the company’s growth. Another key part of Structural Building’s success has been fostering good relationships with our customers and suppliers. And although a lot of companies say they care about their customers, we truly do. I encourage my employees to go the extra mile for our customers because it is always, always worth it.