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Springfield Inc. Earns Prestigious “Platinum Contractor Award”

Written by SpringfieldMarch 17, 2017

January, 2015

Springfield Inc. is proud to announce receipt of prestigious “Platinum Contractor Award” from Duro-Last Roofing of Saginaw, Michigan. This achievement has placed Springfield in the top 3% of Duro-Last contractors in the nation. Springfield has been installing the highest quality roofs utilizing made-in-Michigan materials since 1985.

Springfield, Inc., located in Kingsley between Traverse City and Cadillac Michigan, recently was awarded the John R Burt Award at the annual Duro-Last® Roofing conference in Orlando Florida.  This award was based on recognition of outstanding achievement in quality workmanship, customer satisfaction and sales in 2013.  We congratulate all of our employees for their efforts to continue to give high quality results even while confronting the elements of the norhern Michigan weather based on our customers needs.Springfield 2013 JRB Award

Complete Duro-Last® Press Release for Springfield Award

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cadillac chamber of commerce

Come to the Cadillac Chamber of Commerce Business Expo on October 6, 2016

Written by SpringfieldOctober 5, 2016

josh-and-jason

Pictured above:  Josh Walton, Safety Director and Jason O’Polka, Project Manager

Check out our booth at the Chamber of Commerce Business Expo on Thursday October 6th the WEX in Cadillac, Michigan. We will have knowledgeable staff on hand to discuss roofing, fall prevention, and our newest patented innovation the LadderAnchor™  – a device that secures the ladder to the rooftop eliminating those scary “white-knuckle-hold-on-for-dear-life” close calls that all ladder climbers have experienced at one time or another.  Admission is FREE and we hope to see you there!

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Michigan OSHA

The 16th Michigan Worker Death of 2016

Written by SpringfieldSeptember 9, 2016

miosha

The 16th Michigan worker death of 2016 occurred on August 10, 2016. Employers and employees are urged to use extreme care and safety diligence in all work activities. The information below shares preliminary details about the most recent fatality reported to the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA). The description reflects information provided to MIOSHA at the initial report of the incident and is not the result of the official MIOSHA investigation.

Preliminary summary of incident: On August 10, 2016, a 48-year-old roofer was working at the edge of a roof and fell approximately 17-feet.

We extend our sincere sympathy and best wishes to the family of the deceased roofing employee. Accidents do sometimes happen despite the best efforts to keep people safe from falls. At Springfield we have tremendous respect for the inherent dangers of our occupation and are humbled and saddened to hear of the loss of a fellow roofer.

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Springfield front building sign

The Springfield family – Roofing, Mechanical Insulation, Fall Prevention, and Tiny Toddlers

Written by SpringfieldAugust 9, 2016

Springfield is seeing a significant population explosion here in our northwest-lower Michigan.  We applaud these tiny tots to our Springfield family -born to hardworking men and women of our small business.   I’m pretty sure all of these little ones were “made in Michigan.”  We welcome the opportunity to pinch hit here at the office covering for each other so that our new “daddy’s” can have the opportunity to take some time off and be with their young ones.  We love it that we employ dads who “love to be dads”.    Nonetheless, despite the small army of babies to care for, we stand ready, willing, and able to assist you today with your roofing, mechanical insulation, emergency rooftop repairs, and fall prevention needs.

the brucker family
Our Field Manager, Matt Brucker, his wife, Jessica and his daughter, Karsyn.
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springfield smart anchor group

Springfield Inc. – “Put your Life on our Line”

Written by SpringfieldAugust 4, 2016

Kingsley, Michigan. July 7, 2016.

Springfield Inc.™ has acquired 3 commercial buildings in Grand Traverse County, next door to its company Headquarters.  The buildings were acquired to house the rapidly expanding Springfield SmartAnchor division.  Contact Scott Pryde, Springfield SmartAnchor general manager for assistance with cost effective solutions to your fall prevention needs.  Scott works closely with Tim Korson, Head Engineer, for SmartAnchor  to assure your facility safety requirement are met and that your rooftop safety plan is compliant.  Our products are designed to meet your needs – both indoors and outdoors.  Jobsite training is also available for your employees.

certifications-work

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Springfield Team

Building Trust with Clients in Michigan

Written by SpringfieldJune 15, 2016

Springfield Inc.™ started as a roofing company and over time “morphed” into a full service industrial contractor by expertly solving building envelope problems, building relationships and building your trust.  Here is what you can expect when you hire Springfield Inc.™

  • We show up when we say we will and do the work as promised.
  • We prepare our bid proposals with extra care to fully analyze the issues and concerns UPFRONT so there are no hidden up-charges and big scary expensive surprises for you, the customer.
  • Our clean up after job completion is stellar
  • Our warranties are the best in the industry.
  • We depend on your referrals and recommendations to further our services
  • Your job will be completed by homegrown local northern Michigan men and women.  We do not subcontract crews from out of state.
    Springfield-Group-photo

Please give us a chance to “dazzle” you with our industrial problem solving abilities.  We are available 24/7 to help!

 

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springfield handshake

Commercial Contractor Exceeding Expectations in Kingsley, Michigan

Written by SpringfieldMay 26, 2016

happy

One of our goals at Springfield is to EXCEED Customer’s expectations.  We understand that our customers are hardworking business people and that repairs to an industrial facility can be costly.  We are determined to provide the best possible solutions and the highest quality and at a reasonable cost.  Upon completion of our work, we ask our clients for feedback and LISTEN to what is said.

We generally ask:

  • Was our bid easy to understand?
  • Did we do what we promised to do in the bid proposal?
  • Did we show up when we said we would?
  • Were there any misunderstandings on the pricing/final invoice?
  • Were our crew members polite and mannerly?
  • Did the work we did solve your building issue?
  • What else can we do to help?
  • Who do you know that may be interested in our services?
  • Do you have any suggestions as to how our team could improve?
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Traverse Bay storm clouds taken by Springfield

Roofing in Michigan: Performing Re-Roof Jobs in Windy Conditions

Written by SpringfieldMay 20, 2016
Storm from Traverse City
Michigan Storms come on quick and Springfield is ready! This picture is of a storm in Traverse City Michigan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We love performing re-roof projects in Cadillac, Michigan.  The spring weather does bring some very strong WINDS to northern Michigan. Here are some items to consider for windy day roofing.

  • Double and triple check all trucks and trailers to make sure the load is securely fastened to the vehicle.
  • Tie off your ladder – – attach it to the Springfield Ladder Anchor to ensure the ladder doesn’t slip, slide, or kick out on your employees
  • Only load the rooftop with materials that are absolutely essential for that day’s work – – keep those items secure on the rooftop
  • Use caution when opening bunks of ISO – – whether on the ground or the rooftop, a single piece of ISO can quickly blow away.
  • Is there an area of the rooftop that is sheltered from the wind? Perhaps the rooftop materials can be stored there?

It is important to consider the project when doing a windy day risk assessment.  Most of all, weight down your skinny employees by putting some heavy rocks in their tool belts.

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springfield shattered trocal example

Michigan Rooftop Dangers: Roof Collapses and Roof Shatters

Written by SpringfieldMarch 4, 2016

Michigan has its share of cold brisk weather and heavy snowfall that can wreak havoc on your commercial rooftop.  Back in the 70s, membrane roofing was still in its infancy and many of the products such as Trocal were deficient and yet were installed extensively in Grand Traverse, Wexford, Antrim, and Charlevoix counties.  As the plasticizer in these early membranes disintegrated and cold weather caused these defective membranes to pull away from the edges, which caused massive shatters and complete failures during the winter months.

Further rooftop dangers occur when there is a heavy thick snow-load upon a structure causing parts of the roof to cave in or collapse due to excess weight.

Springfield has experience remedying both situations.  The Duro-Last PVC membrane is state of the art and built to last with the best warranty available on the market today. Since it is made in Michigan it is built to withstand the rapid climate changes and harsh winter months.  Springfield has installed Duro-Last roofs that have exceeded their warranties and are still performing well.  As far as building collapses – there no worries there.  The Duro-Last membrane is slippery and the snow slides right off or blows away without sticking to the rooftop.

If you are experiencing any difficulties with your industrial/commercial rooftop or wondering if your facility may be at risk of shattering or collapsing, give us a call.  We can help!

 

 

 

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Boat Sunset

Employee Retention

Written by SpringfieldDecember 16, 2015

Springfield Owners Terry and Terri Jo Umlor claim having fabulous employees is one of their biggest blessings.  But how does Springfield hire, retain and keep these fabulous people happily employed?  Let’s face it, Northern Michigan construction is tough – the summers are hot and many times there is no shade where we are working.  Additionally, brutal outdoor work during the wintertime poses many special challenges.  Even so, Springfield employees seem to maintain a friendly comradery with each other and with management that is impressive.

The following are a few tried and true pointers for retaining fabulous people

  • Ask your field teams for their opinions and thoughts and be willing to honestly LISTEN to their feedback and opinions—After all, they are the ones actually performing the work and their insight will be invaluable to you as the owner and will send them a strong message of “I care about what your work day is like”
  • Allow employees to give anonymous peer reviews of their team mates upon an employees work anniversary and READ and PONDER what your employees say about each other.  Watch specifically for their suggestions regarding safety and teamwork and you will be astounded by the quality and caliber of your team.  We find over and over again that our teams support and help one another and strive to keep each other safe.  Someone who doesn’t “buy in” to that mindset usually will weed themselves out and find another place of employment.
  • Do special activities with your employees – – – go fishing with the group, go to a shooting range with them, throw a Christmas party for them, a card party, and by all means – – -honor them when they have major life events such as marriage, birth of their children, etc.
  • Cover their health insurance and provide benefits such as paid vacation, paid holidays and retirement plans.  Be proactive and do more than what is required by law to treat your teammates as the VIPS that they are!!!

Terry and I hope you have enjoyed these tips on happy employees.  Our team is tremendous beyond belief and we are grateful every day to each and every member of the Springfield team

Below is a photo of some of our guys at the 2015 Fishing Derby and two of our girls at the yearly Girl’s Day Out!

3 guys on a boatgirls day 2

 

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