Meruelo Enterprises (dba The Meruelo Group) takes a diverse interest in California businesses. A holding company, the Meruelo Group owns five construction and engineering firms that specialize in utility and telecom construction in the southwestern US. The minority-owned group also owns interests in a handful southern California restaurants, including pizza chain La Pizzeria Loca, an operator of 50 franchised and Meruelo-owned stores in Los Angeles, and Pacific Whey Café, an upscale cafe and bakery chain. In addition, Meruelo also actively invests in commercial and residential properties and middle-market companies through affiliates. Founded by CEO Alex Meruelo, the group traces its roots back to the 1980s.

Carl E. Woodward LLC (dba Woodward Design+Build) has an eye for southern style. Serving retail, hospitality, and other clients in Louisiana and the Gulf States region, Woodward Design+Build offers a range of construction services, including pre-construction, general contracting, engineering, and architectural design. Projects include everything from transforming historic buildings into retail space to ground-up construction of sports facilities. The firm, founded in 1924 by New Orleans architect Carl Woodward, boasts an in-house staff of architects and engineers whose work is generally geared toward emulating southern architectural style. CEO Paul Flower has owned Woodward since the 1990s.

Wilsonart International was founded as a producer of high pressure decorative laminate in 1956 in Temple, Texas, by Ralph Wilson, Sr., a retired laminate industry executive. Wilson’s intent was never to build a major competitor — the field in those days included 12 domestic competitors — but rather to fill his free time.Throughout the 1960s, Wilson’s “hobby” grew dramatically through a formula comprising a dedicated local work force, high-quality products and an old-fashioned commitment to customer service.

Quanta Services, electric and gas utilities and telecom providers would be all juiced up with no way to go. The company designs, installs, repairs, and maintains network infrastructure nationwide, including electric, gas, broadband cable, and telephone and data lines. Quanta also provides outsource management services and other specialty services such as installing traffic and light rail control systems, conducting directional drilling and rock trenching, and constructing wind generation facilities. Around 85% of its revenues come from gas and electric work.

Sofame further developed markets for industrial process water heating and heating of institutional and multiple-unit rental buildings. The year 1997 marked a turning point for Sofame as it was listed on the Toronto Exchange under the symbol SDW. That year, Sofame also obtained a patent for its Ultra-High Efficiency water heater, of which it is still the world'S only authorized manufacturer. In 1999, Sofame achieved a breakthrough in the European market. Its first major contract was the installation of a Percotherm on the site of the Gaz de France Montoire de Bretagne LNG terminal. During that year, it also received one of its numerous awards(20 over the years), from the prestigious ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers).

Industrial Molding Corporation shapes its own future by providing precision injected-plastic moldings, as well as insert molding, automation engineering, assembly, decorating, and logistics. Customers include manufacturers in the automotive, medical/dental, bearing, electronic, recreational, fiber optic, and consumer goods industries. The company operates a 150,000-sq.-ft. injection molding manufacturing plant, and more than 80 plastic injection molding machines. Industrial Molding is a subsidiary of NN, Inc., a producer and supplier of high-quality, precision steel balls and rollers to bearing manufacturers worldwide.

Environmental consulting and management firm Holguin, Fahan & Associates offers services such as assessment, characterization, remediation, and reclamation of contaminated sites. Staff members include engineers, geologists, hydrogeologists, and planners. The firm operates primarily in California and Arizona; it also does business in Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas. Holguin, Fahan & Associates was founded in 1982.

Asia's economic crisis rocked Japan's construction industry, and Fujita felt the aftershocks. The general contractor specializes in urban regeneration commercial projects as well as civil engineering projects including dams and bridges. Its services span a project's cycle from pre-planning and construction delivery to maintenance and repairs. The company is primarily active in Japan but has also done business in China, the Middle East, and elsewhere. Fujita is rebuilding itself after struggling during the nation's construction downturn; as part of its recovery, GS Capital Partners has invested in the group, taking a majority stake in the process. Fujita was founded in 1910.

VKR Holding lets the light shine in. The parent company of skylight and roof windows manufacturer VELUX and other building components manufacturers operates in more than 40 countries. The VKR group consists of manufacturers that supply windows, skylights, thermal solar energy products, sunscreening materials, natural ventilation products, and glass roofs. Members of VKR include Velfac (window systems), Rationel Vinduer (vertical windows and external doors), Svenska, GREENoneTec (solar panels), and WindowMaster (ventilation components). The company was founded in 1941 by civil engineer Villum Kann Rasmussen. VKR is owned by the Villum Fonden foundation.

EllisDon is hoping to some day build its way to the very top of Canada's construction industry. One of the country's largest construction companies, EllisDon is a design/build firm that offers a range of services, including preconstruction, engineering, general contracting, and project management. Other services include arranging project financing for clients and updating and designing IT and communication systems for building infrastructures. EllisDon's major projects have included airports, hospitals, office buildings, schools, and shopping centers. The firm does most of its business in Canada, but it has also completed major projects in the US, United Arab Emirates, West Indies, Greece, and other countries.

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