Construction Business Review

Regional Industrial Services
The Emergence of a Demolition & Environmental Boutique

Robert Oppenheim, President and Owner, Regional Industrial ServicesRobert Oppenheim, President and Owner
Against the backdrop of a global pandemic, the disposal and recycling markets have changed dramatically in the past 24 months. So much so that we have an entirely new issue at hand now—a disposal capacity crisis and transportation shortage. Landfills in the New England states are closing or have closed. The waste stream is thus diverted to construction and demolition processing facilities that can only move so much waste per day by truck and rail. As Regional Industrial Services’ President and Owner, Robert Oppenheim explains, “Transportation and disposal fees are the largest cost category we have, and those costs are continuing to climb. The greatest solution that we offer is the talent we have in the field. Our team can operate safely and quickly, which helps our clients meet demanding schedules. Clients have stakeholders, and they count dollars and cents. Our firm can drive value and savings by operating safely, organizing material efficiently, and by providing consulting and permitting support.”

Founded in 1994 by Oppenheim, Regional Industrial Services (RIS) is a demolition and environmental remediation company. They specialize in demolishing large industrial, commercial and residential.The company is bonded and insured to perform all types of demolition, from dismantling large plants to complete demolition of multi-story buildings and industrial complexes. The company has and the ability to execute projects measuring in the hundreds of thousands of square feet. In crafting custom solutions for clients, Regional is keenly focused on management and execution while prioritizing safety and environmental sustainability. RIS’ professionals have unique, diverse backgrounds, including decades of experience in industrial dismantling, construction, specialized heavy machine operation, and waste & recycling management.

Over the last five years, Robert has grown the company 2.5x in revenue and continues to offer services in Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. Headquartered in Hopedale, Massachusetts, Regional Industrial Services provides a suite of demolition execution solutions, including project consulting, permitting, asbestos abatement, and demolition field services.

Winning and performing on key projects continues to be one of the greatest differentiators


With a management team that holds very strong technical skills, Oppenheim offers clients a suite of permitting solutions and pre-construction planning capabilities. As development moves through the permitting and hazardous waste decontamination stage, there are many unknowns and variables that change constantly. “We are capable of internally managing some or all parts of this process for our clients which helps them save both cost and time, allowing us to move more quickly to the traditional demolition phase. It turns out to be a win-win for the parties,” says Oppenheim. Furthermore, the company prides itself on its ability to operate more efficiently on the expense front when compared to its competitors in the region. They do this by adopting a boutique approach. “Our small to medium sized fleet keeps our CapEx demand low. We can thus focus on caring for and maintaining our fleet, extending equipment life and minimizing depreciation. As our company has grown, so have the skill sets of our operations team and we’ve been able to complete more sophisticated projects,” he explains.

The company is witnessing significant demand for its services from industrial warehousing. Lots of investment capital is pouring into industrial projects. Their hired GCs are constantly putting projects out to bid in the Northeast. Large plots of land with large structures like old factories, hospitals, and other aged facilities are being purchased and demolished at a rapid pace.

This growing market segment has certainly helped demolition providers thrive Regional Industrial Services is one of them.


That being said, Regional Industrial Services has an exciting 2022 pipeline with unique projects that include a number of industrial take-downs and unique salvage operations that will involve the on-site recycling of wood decking and timbers. The company plans to achieve double-digit revenue growth for the third consecutive year while maintaining a near-perfect safety record.

“Winning and performing on key projects continues to be one of the greatest differentiators. Word travels fast, and higher profile projects help our brand increase value amongst developers and GC’s. At the end of the day, it’s still about dollars and cents, however the opportunity to participate at the table with a competitive bid is a very rare, and very valuable. We can really leverage a great resume into procuring new client relationships,” concludes Oppenheim.