Category: News

This year marks Elm’s third year of assembling Welcome Baskets for incoming foster and housing-insecure students at Westfield State University, and once again, you came through with incredible generosity.

We proudly put together 20 baskets filled with essentials like bedding, towels, laundry bags, personal care products, desk lamps, fans and other back-to-school necessities. Thanks to your contributions and the generous support of an anonymous community donor, these students will start the year feeling supported and ready for success. The students who helped carry the baskets to storage were deeply touched—some even moved to tears. Every one of them was profoundly appreciative and overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers.

A special thanks to Paul Serafino for graciously allowing us to utilize space in the warehouse and for keeping everything organized and neat. We also want to give a big shoutout to Ethan, who expertly maneuvered the box truck through the tight parking lots at WSU like a boss and helped unload everything into the eager hands of the staff and students. Both students and staff expressed their gratitude for Ethan’s kindness and helpfulness.

“You have the power to exercise Stop Work Authority”

The Safety Department would like to remind all employees of the famous saying: “See something, say something.”

After our investigation into this summer’s incidents, it has been determined that a few — if not all — could have been avoided. We would like to remind everyone the importance of the morning Hazard Assessments, as well as Stop Work Authority. Things change through our day-to-day activities. A hazard may not have been present or identified at the start of the shift, but as you work through your day, it appears.

This would be the time to exercise your stop work if necessary, or at least bring this to the attention of your supervisor/ onsite foreman (see something, say something). Everyone in this company (first day on the job or 30-year employee) has the power to exercise Stop Work Authority if they feel that the working conditions are unsafe. It may not always be our work that presents a hazard. It could be other contractors or customers that create the hazard. Make sure we assess the entire work area, look up, down, left and right to identify ALL of the hazards that are or could become present.

We understand everyone wants to complete their project on time/on budget but we can’t forget this needs to be done safely.

Any questions you may have regarding safety should be brought to your foreman/on-site supervisor immediately. If you feel that your concern is not being addressed or resolved in a timely manner, contact the Safety Department for assistance. The Safety Department’s door is always open, 24/7 to assist you in any safety concerns/needs.

One of the company’s core values is SAFETY. Our goal is to send you all home the same way you came to work, Safe and Sound.

In this month’s employee spotlight, we connected with Ben Bricker — a superintendent for One Development & Construction — to learn more about his role with the company and more.

Q: How long have you been working at One DC?

A: Since December of 2023.

Q: What brought you to One/how did you get your start here?

A: I worked for ODC and ELM as a site-work subcontractor from 2018-2021. Since then, I’ve stayed in contact with Derek Helie, who ultimately offered me a job at ODC in late 2023. Fun fact: I worked with Dave Prentice and Brad Miller back in 2014 on an O’Leary project.

Q: Can you tell us a little about your role at One DC?

A: As a superintendent, my role is: to oversee the day-to-day operations and safety of the project, direct management of subcontractors, project planning and coordination and serve as the on-site point of contact for the client.

Q: What are some of the things you enjoy most about working at One?

A: I enjoy the people I work with. Dave Prentice and Santiago Perez are a pleasure to work with, and their support was vital during the first phase of the project. I also enjoy the ability to self-perform small projects as needed.

Q: What has been one of your most rewarding experiences at One?

A: My current project’s first milestone was based on a very aggressive schedule that required unorthodox and creative solutions to meet. It wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work by: Derek Helie, Tim Rzeszutek and Fred Benda.

Q: What do you like to do when you’re not working?

A: I enjoy spending time with my wife, working outdoors and target shooting.

Q: Do you have a particular hobby or talent that co-workers may not know about?

A: I’m left-handed.

By Brad Miller

One Development & Construction has partnered with Square One to rebuild their early education, family support and community outreach facility that was destroyed by the tornado that passed through downtown Springfield in 2011. The new facility is being constructed at 947 Main Street, where Square One has been headquartered since 1883.

One Development has been working with Square One for over two years developing concepts, plans and budgets to support Square One’s fundraising campaign. Fortunately, at the beginning of 2024 all of the hard work paid off and Square One was awarded major grants and multiple large donations which allowed the project to break ground.

One Development mobilized to the site in early May to begin excavation, processing and removal of over 4,000 cubic yards of unsuitable soil including debris and lead contaminated materials left behind from the previously destroyed structure. The site is challenging and it’s not because it’s big. The new building is wedged between Hubbard Avenue and Williams Street in an odd shaped, narrow urban environment. Careful planning, phasing and scheduling is critical to keeping this project progressing efficiently.

We now have most of the unsuitable soil work complete and are currently wrapping up subsurface drainage installations and beginning footing and foundation work. Steel erection is scheduled to begin at the end of September.

Square One’s new facility will be a 24,000 SF, 3-Story, Butler conventional steel framed building with an insulated metal panel exterior featuring brick and cedar plank accents.

The interior of the building will include four early education classrooms with direct playground access on the first floor as well as family and community support space. The second and third floor will have a gross motor room, multiple offices for support staff and flex and meeting space. The new Square One facility is scheduled to be complete July 2025.

Project Manager- Brad Miller; Project Estimator- Mike Byrnes; Project Superintendent- Craig Pinney; Electrical Project Manager- Ben Haynes.

By Bob Bacon

My advice to the new owners.

This will likely be my last newsletter as the majority owner of Elm. Like the Celtics ownership, I am selling my shares of a winning team with a bright future.

As a veteran owner I thought I would pass some advice on to my fellow less experienced owners.

• Be nice, proud of our work, think long term and be a place where people want to work
• Remember the Elm Essentials of Safety-Service-Integrity-Evolution
• Keep Elm a contributing member of our communities

My strategy has always been SMART growth; it isn’t fancy.

Among our strengths is delivering high-quality, skillful products that our clients find valuable. Our work only provides financial value to us if we are able to cover our overhead and make a fair profit. Growing, while nice, is not mandatory. I tried to never take work at a loss to stay busy. Better to find other ways to support our work force. If you commit to a bad project it will likely be worse than you thought and if more favorable work comes along your capacity is tied up on a losing proposition. Over the years we have encountered some ups and downs. I recall 1990, 2000, 2008 and 2019 (COVID) were pretty scary times for Elm. But, we faced the reality of the economics, adapted and worked with our strong customer base to carry us through the downturns. Grow when you can, be practical when you can’t grow!

Finally take good care of your people! I received a letter today from Dillon Dudek’s wife Julie. I think it says a lot about the company we are and what we want to continue to be.

Here is Julie’s letter:

Dear Mr. Bacon,

I have mentally written this letter countless times and apologize for not getting the words onto paper sooner. It isn’t often in this world that you come across an employer with such an interest in their employees. My husband, Dillon Dudek, loved being a member of the One Development and Elm family. He took utmost pride in being apart of the team and truly enjoyed going to work every day. His coworkers and supervisors became some of his closest friends and you all made a lasting impact on his life. Dillon’s job wasn’t just his 9-5, he really loved what he did.

When Dillon passed away last fall you all surrounded us with so much care, more than I could have ever imagined. Derek and John were wonderful in going through Dillon’s truck and belongings with me, Tim and Deana were endlessly gracious in helping me navigate the insurance process, and your incredibly generous donation still has me speechless. I can’t even begin ot express the gratitude I have for you and this amazing company. No one can prepare you to lose your spouse, especially at a young age. We never thought we would need to have all of our affairs in order so soon and in hindsight, we were woefully ill prepared. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping to lift that weight. It means more to me than I will ever be able to put into words.

We frequently drive through South Deerfield and check on the Nupro project. We would sometimes visit Dillon at the job site and now our oldest daughter loves seeing how far it has progressed; she even says she hopes to work for One like her dad someday. You should be so proud of the community you have created and the lasting impression you have made on the lives of those around you. I will forever speak highly of Elm and One Development for going above and beyond in every way imaginable.

With gratitude,
Julie Dudek

We are just short of our goal to provide 20 baskets to the WSU foster-care students. If you have not done so already, please consider purchasing something off the student WISH LIST or consider making a monetary donation.

Payment can be made through Venmo (to @Deana-Casamento – last 4 on cell = 8891) or cash/personal check (made out to ‘Elm Electrical’ & dropped off at Union St. to Holly or Deana)

Thank you to everyone who has donated!

Sleep 101 

HNE’s Where Your Health Matters webinar for August explores understanding sleep recommendations and how to fight fatigue with healthy habits. Learn to combat unique work hours and develop tactics for your best sleep.

• Date: Thursday, August 8th
• Time: 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. EST
• Registration (gotowebinar.com)

Earn: 50 Healthy Choices points (for HNE members) & a raffle entry for a 1 in 5 chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card*

Click here to learn more about each webinar this year & to register. You can also watch any recorded webinar on your own time & fill out the webinar completion form at the top of the webpage to earn 50 Healthy Choices points.

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Elm Futures in full swing

Paul Asselin is busy on Cycle St. this summer, organizing the Elm Futures program for local students looking to get a taste of the trade. Paul is hosting three separate sessions. 22 News even stopped by for a visit on Tuesday, July 30, and aired this feature on the program:

Here’s a look at some photos from session 1, which wrapped up on July 19:

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Please give a warm welcome to the following new hires at Elm:

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Congratulations to the following employees who celebrated a work anniversary in July!

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Shout-Out to…

Rich Stawarz, whose “continued commitment and effort” to the Aerogear project was conveyed back to Elm by the client. Thank you, Rich, for being such a stellar Elm ambassador!

The Testing Group would like to extend their appreciation for IT’s Brian Donnelly who is a, “huge help and saves them almost on the daily with challenging technical issues with different testers, computers and software.”

Keep crushing IT, Brian!

Jon Armida who was praised to upper-management by the Schott maintenance manager for his job performance, work ethic and attention to detail. Thanks for exemplifying the Elm Essentials and values on the job site, Jon!

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Fidelity Financial Workshops  

Fidelity Investments has several workshops throughout the month to help all levels of financial investors from the beginner to the financially savvy. Join Fidelity for complimentary workshops  Learn about a variety of topics geared to people who are just starting out to those preparing for retirement. Click HERE to register now.

By Mike Holmberg

We are thrilled to announce the recent achievements of our engineering department with the successful deployment of three PalitX Collaborative robot systems. These innovative solutions have been tailored to meet the specific needs of our valued customers: Calise Bakery, Bake-N-Joy and Cabot Creamery.

Calise Bakery in Rhode Island: Leading the Way in Innovation

In early June, we successfully deployed the PalitX system at Calise Bakery. This collaborative pallet-building process has revolutionized their pallet-building process, offering an ergonomic and safe solution that integrates seamlessly into their operational workflow. The PalitX system can efficiently handle case weights up to 60 lbs. and build pallets as tall as 80 inches, all within a compact operational footprint.

Bake-N-Joy in Andover MA: Scheduled for Late July

We are on track to ship our next PalitX system to Bake-N-Joy in late July. This upcoming deployment marks another milestone in our commitment to providing cutting-edge automation solutions that enhance efficiency and safety in our customers’ operations.

Cabot Creamery in Vermont: Installation Set for Late September

Looking ahead, we are excited about the installation of our PalitX system at Cabot Creamery scheduled for late September. This deployment will further showcase our ability to deliver tailored automation solutions that meet the diverse needs of our customers across different industries.

The PalitX Collaborative Robot System: Setting New Standards

The PalitX Collaborative robot system stands out as a game-changer in the industry. Designed to work alongside operational personnel, it can perform up to 6 individual picks per minute, significantly boosting productivity while ensuring a safe working environment. Its ability to handle heavy case weights and build tall pallets demonstrates its versatility and reliability in various operational settings.

Looking Forward

As we celebrate these successes, we remain committed to innovation and excellence in engineering. Our goal is to continue developing advanced solutions that empower our customers to optimize their operations and achieve new levels of efficiency.

Stay tuned for more updates as we expand our footprint in automation solutions and deliver more success stories across our vast customer base.

In this month’s employee spotlight, we caught up with Mike Champney, a Senior Controls Engineer, who says he loves the diversity of projects his work at Elm has to offer.

Q: How long have you been working at Elm?

A: April was 13 years.

Q: What brought you to Elm/how did you get your start here?

A: I’ve been doing automation controls for about 40 years. I’ve worked for companies and worked for myself as well. I was working for the Dennis Group, which was about 90 percent travel, which was getting to be too much, when I heard Elm was looking for an engineer. I had worked with Elm people in previous jobs and I was always impressed with their work. So I sent my resume, and I’m happy to say I was brought on board.

Q: Can you tell us a little about your role at Elm?

A: As one of the Sr. Controls Engineers, my role is an interesting one. Well, to me anyways. Our projects vary from simple conveyors to complex robot installations. I do the electrical design using AutoCAD Electrical to create a set of drawings. I write the programs that run the equipment. Then I will go to the customer to assist in the startup. I also directly support our customers after the installation over the phone, or with remote access. I help to mentor the younger engineers, and I’m one of the CAD administrators, which involves training and helping with CAD issues.

Q: What are some of the things you enjoy most about working at Elm?

A: Not knowing what’s next. Our customers are in every field imaginable. I’m currently working on three projects. One is using a robot to move a hose to spray a part with media. One is controlling a wastewater system for a company that makes glass lenses, and one is using anaerobic digesters to turn manure into methane, which is output to gas lines. You can’t get bored with that kind of diversity.

Q: What has been one of your most rewarding experiences at Elm?

A: I consider myself very lucky. I have a job that I love to do. When I complete a project, and I get to see my efforts actually working, it’s amazing to me, and I get to do this over and over.

Q: What do you like to do when you’re not working?

A: I love spending time with my wife and our dog. We enjoy kayaking and cruising around on my motorcycle.

Q: Do you have a particular hobby or talent that co-workers may not know about?

A: Well, since I’ve been a nerd my whole life, I still love video games, and I like to read.