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Company - History

a. What year did CALCO get started?
Calco Enterprises was started as a sole proprietorship in 1985 by Mark Francis. Sandhills Welding Service was started as a sole proprietorship by Timothy Buie in 1997. Both companies merged in 2005 to form Calco Enterprises Inc.

b. Who were the key players in the beginning?
Mark Francis brings over 20 years experience in metal fabrication and has worked for companies such as Daniels Construction and DuPont. He has experience working on nuclear plant sites.

Timothy Buie brings over 20 years experience in all types of piping including automated welding and has worked for companies such as PCI where he traveled worldwide. He has experience working on nuclear plant sites. Tim also has vast experience in miscellaneous steel erection and welding including stairs and handrails.

Joel Francis and Jon Francis were both trained from childhood by these two men and have been in the family business from the beginning

c.. What were the initial projects you guys undertook?
The majority of the projects that Calco Enterprises undertook from start until approximately 1993 was both industrial and residential sheet metal fabrication. Some time around 1993 the company began to provide steel fabrication and welding services and then sometime around 1999 began to provide mechanical and process piping services.

Sandhills Welding Service has always provided mechanical and process piping services along with miscellaneous steel welding and erection.

We have provided process piping services to Borden Chemical in Fayetteville, NC.

We worked in 1994 to install aluminum HVAC duct for the Honda ATV plant in Florence, SC.

We have done a multitude of projects ranging from mechanical piping to sheet metal fabrication for Willamette Industries, Weyerhaueser, and Moncure Plywood (they changed hands over the years but were the same plant) in Moncure, NC.

We have installed the mechanical piping for 4 schools in Lee County, NC and 1 school in Moore County, NC.

Over the years we have been often told that we would not meet deadlines or that our goals were impossible and we have successfully overcome each obstacle.
Our first major project while we were both in the process of merging and after we had merged into the corporation was at the Soldier Support Center in Fort Bragg, NC; it involved installing chilled water piping where the largest and longest run was 14 inch diameter and the smallest was 8 inch diameter. The supply and return headers covered over 400 feet and turned 6 times. These headers were installed in a crawl space with and average height of 36 inches with very limited access to transport the pipe into the crawl space. This project had to be complete within 5 weeks from the time we received a notice to proceed and the US Army Corp of Engineers representatives stated that there was no possible way we would pull it off and yet we did. This project opened the door for a continual presence by our company on the Fort Bragg Military base and opportunities to travel elsewhere to other military establishments. 

d. When did you incorporate?
September 2005

e. Who are the corporate body members?
Mark Francis - President
Timothy Buie – Vice President
Joel Francis – Chief Financial Officer
Jonathon Francis – Corporate Secretary and General Manager

Summary Highlights

1. Incorporated in 2005.

1. Formed from 2 welding companies - Calco Enterprises and Sandhills Welding Service.

1. Provides industrial & residential sheet metal fabriction, mechanical & process piping services and miscellaneous steel welding & erection.

1. Known for completing "so-called" impossible projects with tight deadlines and unfeasible goals.