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AEG
The Industry Disruptors Prioritizing People in their Path to Success
Michael Kaichen, Glazing Divisional Manager and David Anzalone, President “Our motto is, ‘people before profit,’ and we are dedicated to keeping people and relationships at the heart of everything we do,” says Michael Kaichen, Glazing Divisional Manager at AEG.
This dedication has enabled AEG to make waves in the industry in its first two years, revolutionizing what an exterior cladding and glazing contractor looks like with its strategic focus on quality services and elite customer experience. The value it places on the well-being of everyone involved enables it to create a positive experience and ensure successful projects every time.
Kaichen, along with David Anzalone, President of AEG, brings unparalleled experience and perspectives to the table, positioning it as a one-stop shop for complete exterior envelope solutions. It offers wide-ranging exterior facade solutions, including architectural metal panels, interior and exterior glazing, and specialized cladding systems.
Platform. Partnership. Expertise.
Strong relationships with local unions, a joint pool of resources shared with sister companies, an incredibly talented internal team, and an extensive network of suppliers and vendors enable AEG to solve clients' long-standing problems.
Unprecedented spikes in the price of glass and other raw materials, and long production lead times, are a challenge. For instance, there was an unanticipated 40 percent increase in the cost of manufacturing materials needed for the glazing and cladding projects during the previous year. On the supply side, the lack of labor to manufacture raw materials on time was responsible for delayed production.
AEG takes an open-book approach to resolving these problems. It communicates with vendors, manufacturers, building owners, architects, engineers, and suppliers to update project schedules upfront while keeping clients in the loop. Connecting with all team members ensures each point of interest is properly managed.
With a people-first mindset, it emphasizes communicating candidly and consistently with clients to earn a greater level of respect and steer the project in the right direction from the start. This drives full transparency with clients, whether it is about the best product for the job or the practicality of a potential timeline. It contributes and collaborates in the early stages of a project, driving pre-construction conversations while leveraging its extensive network of trusted vendors and suppliers.
"We take quite a bit of pride in the vendors that we work with,” says Kaichen. “We view them as true partners, and we only recommend working with companies and organizations that are like-minded. These are good, high-quality organizations that we can depend on."
Managing and communicating expectations from day one is a top priority. This includes detailed analysis of major schedule activities, projected billing and cash flow demands, equipment-restraint reviews, and navigating manufacturer production timeframes; keeping their clients informed is a must.
Through this approach, AEG ensures its glazing services complement buildings in every way. It educates clients on project modifications and ensures the delivery of cost-effective, highest-quality materials and products. It looks for materials with high-performance capability to meet U-value specifications. Identifying and understanding the overall building criteria to select optimum systems help deliver the best overall price and performance. Design feedback and price information are shared to facilitate proactive decisions.
We want to fill a niche without grabbing everything that comes our way. We focus on finding opportunities where there is enough time on the front end to take a responsible approach to the building process and ensure a smooth flow throughout the lifecycle of the job
With complete knowledge of product performance and the ability to accommodate changes, AEG works with third-party engineers to make sure that initial pricing aligns with the performance specification and ensures the affordability of the construction process.
“We want to fill a niche without grabbing everything that comes our way. We focus on finding opportunities where there is enough time on the front end to take a responsible approach to the building process and ensure a smooth flow throughout the lifecycle of the job,” says Kaichen.
The Roots of AEG Excellence
AEG delivers the best possible outcomes through engineer-driven drafting, ground-up coordination for 'no compounded errors,' on-site coordination, and 2D/3D physical in-place templating. Self-performed AAMA 501.2 testing of installed materials is also conducted as part of QA/QC, protective coatings are used to reduce damage during handling procedures, and a safety-oriented culture is implemented on- and off-site to create an incident and injury-free work environment.
Working in retail establishments, life science, academics, and high-end living spaces, AEG has outfitted numerous mid-rise buildings with a tailored combination of glazing and cladding components. An objective approach enables it to deal with construction challenges and successfully complete projects.
For example, the Passive House standard, a high-performance energy code, presents a problem for developers as certain systems fail to meet the standards of quality, comfort, and energy efficiency.
In one instance, AEG helped a client meet the Passive House requirements for their project. It switched the manufacturer of the glazing component and reconfigured the curtain wall compressor to allow for greater infill. It took on the responsibility of researching, performing thermal modeling, and demonstrating the overall performance of the new system. The results were presented in a comprehensive package to the building owner, and the impact on cost and schedule were shared on time. Based on the requirements, all shop drawings were revised, detailing the new placement on the wall construction to install the systems in a schedule-sensitive manner.
"We want to know our clients as we know ourselves, so we can see them as individuals and understand what makes them special,” says Kaichen. “It's all about the journey; who we take with us, where we go, and how we get there. We're not running a sprint. For us, it's a marathon."
Guaranteeing Lasting Success
The energy that the AEG team brings to a project up front has a way of transcending the span of a project, allowing for a particularly positive and memorable client experience, which all parties are eager to replicate over and over again.
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Our motto is, ‘people before profit,’ and we are dedicated to keeping people and relationships at the heart of everything we do
"We want to know our clients as we know ourselves, so we can see them as individuals and understand what makes them special,” says Kaichen. “It's all about the journey; who we take with us, where we go, and how we get there. We're not running a sprint. For us, it's a marathon."
Promoting a positive work culture, AEG performs check-ins through a monthly series of water-cooler chats. These chats center around gaining valuable insights into an employee's professional and personal mindset to best determine alignment within the organization. It serves as a fun and engaging way to foster meaningful connections within the team.
With an unwavering passion, AEG goes above and beyond to work with vendors that share its philosophy of putting people first. Steering ahead, it explores opportunities to cater to the life sciences sector and improve spaces where people can retreat, recharge, and engage. With a relentless pursuit of excellence and the dexterity to pay attention to detail, AEG continues to create a positive experience for its clients, partners, and employees. This is evident judging by its 800 percent growth over the last 24 months. It is a disruptor and it seems it’s just getting started.
