Steel and Skill: How Foundation Steel is Forging the Future of Business

SWANTON, OH – December 03, 2025 – In the world of construction, success is often measured in concrete and steel—tons poured, beams erected, deadlines met. But for Swanton, Ohio-based Foundation Steel, a deeper measure of success has been affirmed. The company recently secured two prestigious Project of the Year awards from IMPACT (the Ironworker Management Progressive Action Cooperative Trust), an achievement that signals more than just quality work. It highlights a powerful business model where cutting-edge engineering innovation and elite union craftsmanship are not competing priorities, but two sides of the same competitive edge.

The dual honors recognize two vastly different but equally complex projects. The first, the American Water Operations Center at Ohio's Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, won in the Metal Building category. The second, The Verve, a sprawling student housing complex in Ann Arbor, Michigan, triumphed in the Reinforcing category. For a single contractor to earn top marks in both structural steel and reinforced concrete on projects of this caliber is a rarity. It offers a compelling case study for business leaders on how to build not just structures, but a reputation for solving the unsolvable.

Beyond the Blueprint: Engineering Under Pressure

The American Water Operations Center was a trial by fire, not only for the company but for project estimator and manager Mark Coppess, who led the effort as his first full-scale project. Located within the sensitive, high-security environment of an active Air Force base, the 13,000-square-foot facility was an exercise in precision and adaptability. The project was part of American Water's 50-year contract to manage the base's vast water and wastewater infrastructure, adding a layer of long-term strategic importance to the build.

What began as a maiden assignment for Coppess quickly morphed into a complex puzzle of challenging geometry and fast-moving design changes. The structure itself was anything but standard. It featured a 69-foot by 28-foot independent mezzanine, 55 separate wall-framed openings, and two interconnected buildings constructed at different elevations. Adding to the complexity was its location on a hilltop, which required a custom-designed wind-bracing system to ensure structural integrity against significant wind loads.

This is where Foundation Steel's innovative approach shone. The team didn't just execute a plan; they co-created solutions in real time. When crews discovered field discrepancies, including misaligned anchor bolts and elevation mismatches, they engineered code-compliant structural adjustments on the fly, preserving the architect's design intent while ensuring safety and stability. They integrated structural bays to support future expansion and executed extensive field modifications to canopies and roof penetrations. This level of agile problem-solving, performed by the skilled members of Iron Workers (IW) Local 290, is precisely the kind of value-add that separates a mere contractor from a strategic partner.

The Art of Strength: Reinforcing Urban Landscapes

While the Air Force base project showcased mastery over structural steel, The Verve in Ann Arbor demonstrated a different kind of expertise: the intricate art of large-scale reinforced concrete. The 13-story, all-electric student housing tower, which aims for LEED Silver certification, is a modern structure designed for a dense urban environment. Its foundation and lower levels rely on post-tensioned (PT) concrete, a sophisticated technique that allows for thinner slabs and longer spans but demands meticulous execution.

PT construction involves the precise layering of reinforcing steel, welded wire mesh, shear rails, and high-strength steel tendons within the concrete forms. After the concrete cures, these tendons are tensioned, creating internal compression that dramatically increases the slab's strength and durability. For The Verve, this meant navigating 2- to 3-foot-thick PT slabs, a task requiring immense coordination and skill from the ironworkers of IW Local 25.

Here again, Foundation Steel’s innovation was focused on process as much as product. Working on a congested site near the University of Michigan, the rebar division developed custom rack systems to organize the thousands of feet of PT tendons between pours. This seemingly simple solution had a cascading effect, dramatically improving workflow, reducing clutter, and enhancing site safety. The team also installed an additional reinforcing mat to create safe, stable walkways for placement crews over the complex web of rebar and tendons, a move that protected workers without compromising the structural precision required. This focus on operational excellence in a high-stakes environment underscores a core tenet of modern business: the safest way is often the most efficient and highest-quality way.

The Union Advantage: Craftsmanship as a Competitive Edge

Underpinning the success of both projects is a crucial element often overlooked in discussions of innovation: the human factor. The press release explicitly credits IW Local 290 and IW Local 25 for their contributions, and this partnership is central to Foundation Steel’s business model. As a signatory union contractor, the company leverages a talent pool defined by rigorous training, extensive safety protocols, and a deep-seated culture of craftsmanship.

Union ironworkers undergo multi-year apprenticeships that blend intensive classroom instruction with thousands of hours of on-the-job training. This system ensures that every worker on site, from the newest apprentice to the veteran foreman, possesses a standardized, high-level skill set in welding, rigging, reinforcing, and blueprint reading. This investment in human capital pays direct dividends on complex projects like the American Water facility, where the ability to adapt and problem-solve safely was paramount. The project was completed on time with zero lost-time incidents—a testament to the union's ingrained safety culture.

For business leaders and investors, this highlights a critical insight: skilled labor is not a commodity. In an industry where mistakes can have catastrophic consequences, a highly trained, safety-conscious workforce is a powerful form of risk mitigation. It enables contractors like Foundation Steel to confidently take on projects with unusual geometries, novel materials, and tight schedules, knowing their crews have the discipline and technical acumen to deliver.

Building a Midwestern Powerhouse

Founded in 2008, Foundation Steel has charted a course of rapid growth, landing on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in 2020. These two IMPACT awards are not just trophies for a shelf; they are a validation of a strategy that has turned a regional contractor into a nationally recognized leader. By refusing to compromise on either technical innovation or the quality of its workforce, the company has built a formidable reputation across Ohio, Michigan, and the broader Midwest.

This success story challenges outdated narratives about the region's economic landscape. It demonstrates that the Midwest is a hub of advanced construction and industrial expertise, driven by companies that successfully merge technological prowess with a world-class skilled labor force. As the dual awards demonstrate, these projects required pushing the boundaries of standard practice. “Our field crews brought creativity, discipline, and technical skill to challenges that required innovative solutions from beginning to end,” the project team stated.

In an era of disruption, Foundation Steel’s model offers a durable blueprint for success. It proves that the future of business isn’t just about the latest software or the most advanced materials; it’s about integrating those innovations with a highly skilled, dedicated workforce capable of turning ambitious designs into reality.