Another large contractor closes it's doors

[hillbilly1]

Just heard today Mcbride Electric closed it's doors. It was one of our larger competitors, and caught us by surprise. Don't know if it was the economy, new regulations just signed, or just something else.

 

[tkb]

What state?

 

[wireguru]

is this the one in So Cal?

 

[ishium 80439]

FWIW I googled McBride Electric and their main website was down.

There is a McBride Electric in Denver and there is also a McBride Lighting and Electric. The latter's website mentions that the former is out of business as of Friday 3/26.

 

[hillbilly1]

What state?

I belive their out of Sandiego,Ca. I think they had offices in Texas, and a couple other states. They worked in a lot of states on orange boxes.

 

[macmikeman]

Ten years ago it was all about consolidation and buy outs for growth. In ECM they preached either grow big or die. That was then. Macmike alway say "small boat go up tiny creek better than big ship" Chop chop....

 

[michaeljmeuse]

It is true. My boss told me that they called everyone in, nationwide, and told them they are closing shop. This seems there is an internal problem. Not sure though. There are several branches around the country and i would assume the economy would not shut all of them down in one day, but im not an expert on the economy.

 

[Javi]

McBride was bought out 2 years ago(2007) by Linx Group. I doubt the employees were aware of this move. The president, David DiLreto was under contract for 2 years and then "retired" back in July. from then on it went down hill. McBride has been closing shops around the country for several years now and only concentrating on big markets. It has has lost it's core value from the days of the founding father, Lloyd Mcbride, and has focus on returning money to investors. A public held company in the electrical contracting business has never been successful according to past history. It is sad and I feel for all the employees and especially those who have made a home there. I di dwork there and they closed the shop in Tulsa, OK years ago.

 

[LawnGuyLandSparky]

McBride was bought out 2 years ago(2007) by Linx Group. I doubt the employees were aware of this move. The president, David DiLreto was under contract for 2 years and then "retired" back in July. from then on it went down hill. McBride has been closing shops around the country for several years now and only concentrating on big markets. It has has lost it's core value from the days of the founding father, Lloyd Mcbride, and has focus on returning money to investors. A public held company in the electrical contracting business has never been successful according to past history. It is sad and I feel for all the employees and especially those who have made a home there. I di dwork there and they closed the shop in Tulsa, OK years ago.

Tell that to Emcor.

 

[Minuteman]

Last summer McB contacted us about being an associate member for them. I did a few service calls at 4 Best Buy's for them. We were payed promptly for the first 2. The one that I did just before Thanksgiving paid last month. The one from before Christmas is just under a grand and has yet to pay.

 

[charlietuna]

"Size means nothing" when it comes to mis-management. We had a large contractor who always payed his bills and provided excellent customer service. The owner died, and his college educated son took over the business. First thing he did was start a "desiged" slow pay proceedure, kind of like the general contractors use ! Cut back every aspect of their operation. Two years they closed their doors !

 

[stevenje]

McBride was bought out 2 years ago(2007) by Linx Group. I doubt the employees were aware of this move. The president, David DiLreto was under contract for 2 years and then "retired" back in July. from then on it went down hill. McBride has been closing shops around the country for several years now and only concentrating on big markets. It has has lost it's core value from the days of the founding father, Lloyd Mcbride, and has focus on returning money to investors. A public held company in the electrical contracting business has never been successful according to past history. It is sad and I feel for all the employees and especially those who have made a home there. I di dwork there and they closed the shop in Tulsa, OK years ago.

Back in the late 90's there was a company out of Texas called Consolidation Capital Corporation/Encompass Mechanical Services that went on a buying spree. They bought up large electrical and mechanical contracting companies in the Denver, CO area. Their claim to fame was that they were going offer one stop shopping for electrical, mechanical, plumping, janitorial and who knows what else. The companies that sold out made millions. A year later Consolidation Capital Corporation/Encompass Mechanical Services closed its doors in the Denver area. I am not sure if they are still around in other parts of the country.

 

[Dolfan]

Back in the late 90's there was a company out of Texas called Consolidation Capital Corporation/Encompass Mechanical Services that went on a buying spree. They bought up large electrical and mechanical contracting companies in the Denver, CO area. Their claim to fame was that they were going offer one stop shopping for electrical, mechanical, plumping, janitorial and who knows what else. The companies that sold out made millions. A year later Consolidation Capital Corporation/Encompass Mechanical Services closed its doors in the Denver area. I am not sure if they are still around in other parts of the country.

Wow what a great idea...hang a ceiling fan and then my girls come in and clean your whole house.

 

[GUNNING]

classic mission creap .... or tail wagging the dog .. or 20/20 hind sight?. Perhaps they forgot to reread their bussiness plan?

Midlife crisis gone a rye?

Bad case of anti-depressant over dose?

Or waking up and realizing "I DID WHAT!!!??? What was I thinking??"

 

[KeithLampkin]

McBride Closes

McBride Closes

I am glad to finally read more about this. I contracted Mcbride to handle my national business just 2 months ago and I was stunned when I got the call that they were closing up. I worked for them in 1998 when they were new to Atlanta. I assumed it was from a lawsuit to shut down the Texas region since they were doing well there and I had just signed on with them with a minimum of 2.5mil of national and local work.

Keith Lampkin, Atlanta

 

[dduffee260]

I assumed it was from a lawsuit to shut down the Texas region since they were doing well there

Why would they get sued for doing well in Texas? If they were doing well they should still be in business.

 

[petersonra]

"Size means nothing" when it comes to mis-management. We had a large contractor who always payed his bills and provided excellent customer service. The owner died, and his college educated son took over the business. First thing he did was start a "desiged" slow pay proceedure, kind of like the general contractors use ! Cut back every aspect of their operation. Two years they closed their doors !

Its not unusual at all for a business to fail when the kid(s) take over. Many have never had to work before, or have only worked inside the business and never really had to do much except prepare to take over the corner office.

 

[KeithLampkin]

I didn't mean they got sued for doing well in Texas...I meant they were doing well in areas like Texas so it must have been a lawsuit that forced them to close down completely... Otherwise they would have just shut down the branches that were not doing well and reboot.

There is some info on Witchita and a tax lien but I am trying to put the puzzle together.

 

[lghtning4u]

I think the passing of the OHC bill is going to cause more companys like this to just close it up. It would be much cheaper!

McBrides closing opens up a huge non union hole in the Houston area and will eventually pave the way for the rest of non union workers to be forced unionized which is part of the Obama plan.

 

[weressl]

Just heard today Mcbride Electric closed it's doors. It was one of our larger competitors, and caught us by surprise. Don't know if it was the economy, new regulations just signed, or just something else.

One falls, another rises.

Where was Wallmart/Sam's 30 years ago and where was K-Mart at the same time?

IES had taken over a lot of others, small and large, here in TX.