Artisan Contracting specializes in industrial clients

Southeast parking garage a recent project

By Jim Obert

Business Today

Since its incorporation in November 2000, Artisan Contracting of Cape Girardeau has completed major projects for regional industrial giants such as Noranda Aluminum in New Madrid, Chemical Lime and Mississippi Lime in Ste Genevieve, River Cement Corp. in Festus, Ameren Energy Generating in St. Louis, and Lafarge Corp. and Peabody Coal in Illinois.

In Cape Girardeau, clients include Lonestar Industries, Fru-Con Construction (Proctor & Gamble) and Southeast Missouri State University. At the university, Artisan-Contracting oversaw construction of the new multi-level parking garage and parking lot that opened in November.

Larry Frankum, president of the general contracting company, and Dave Figge, vice president, say Artisan Contracting's roots originated with Bloomsdale Excavating Co. of Bloomsdale, which was founded in 1946.

"When I went to work for Bloomsdale Excavating, we were primarily a grading company," said Frankum. "But over the course of many years, we also worked in industrial environments. We saw a need in the area for a company which would be focused on industrial-type work."

In 1995, Bloomsdale Excavating purchased the mechanical/industrial section of Cape Girardeau-based Potashnik Construction Co. and formed Bloomsdale Excavating Industrial Division and opened an office in Cape. Five years later, Artisan Contracting was incorporated. The company is owned by the Drury family of the Bloomsdale area, who also own Bloomsdale Excavating Co.

"Our initial work as an industrial contractor was performed at Noranda Aluminum in New Madrid," said Figge. "We performed a large portion of their greenmill expansion." Figge said the company has traveled as far as Omaha, Neb., to install a pneumatic conveyance system for a cement plant. The company also contracts with St. Louis-based Ameren Energy Generating Co. for projects at its many area power plants.

Frankum said most projects are within 150 miles of Cape. Last year the company participated in the construction of the new five-story residence hall at Southeast University.

"We have also built warehouses and corporate offices for manufacturing companies," said Frankum.

Frankum said the company designs and installs everything from deep foundations to the foundations themselves. It does structural concrete pile driving, complete mechanical installation and is a distributor for Butler Building. Butler Building Systems, based in Kansas City, Mo., supplies pre-engineered buildings.

"The steel is all fabbed and ready to go," said Figge of Butler Building. "It's a unique structural system, and they make decorative architectural panels with unique designs such as stucco. Butler's roof system is also known as the premier system throughout the construction industry."

Artisan Contracting, a union company, employs an average of 65 workers. Some projects increase the number of workers to well over 100 employees.

Frankum recalls a project at Chemical Lime in Ste. Genevieve. Four large silos had developed large cracks. Holes had to be cut through thick concrete to gain access for needed repairs. All the material had to be removed before machinery could be moved inside allowing placement of thousands of yards of concrete, and allowing access to repair existing concrete with epoxy injections.

Figge said large industrial companies haven't been spending much money the past couple years because of the nationwide economic slowdown. He hopes that will soon change.

"We'll be starting a project at Proctor & Gamble where we'll be subcontracting for a new addition," Figge said. "We'll be doing architectural finishes. We have numerous bids out on other projects, and companies are waiting on funding from corporate offices."

Figge said the company had been doing a lot of work for private industry until cutbacks in the industrial market.

Frankum said that in recent years young engineers have been hired to add diversity and succession to the business.

"We have years of experience in our management and engineers with broad general contracting backgrounds. The new engineers are learning the ropes and they bring fresh ideas."

The company puts an emphasis on safety. It employs a full-time safety director who participates in the project planning as well as everyday jobsite safety.

BT/Paul Walker

PICS -- Artisan Contracting management are, from the left, Paula Brumbaugh, administrative supervisor; Larry Frankum, president; David Smith, senior mechanical estimator; Chad Kiehne, senior civil estimator; and Dave Figge, vice president.

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