Metal Building Article: Rigid: They'll Grow on You

One of our busy Metworkers here is Rigid Building Systems. We offer this look into how they came about and what they have to offer.

Rigid Building Systems started out as Two Guys Buildings in Houston, Texas back in 1990. OK, maybe it wasn't called Two Guys Buildings... but it could have been. I took a look at Inc. Magazine's lists of fastest growing companies. In 1997, Rigid placed an impressive 27th, exhibiting a five year growth spurt from 2 employees to 85. In 1998, they dropped to 137th (we should all suffer so...) then claiming 116 employees and over $18 Million in revenue. Current annual sales are closer to $50 Million with about 150 employees. But back to those two guys. They're Fred Campana and Alex Ghodsi, both licensed engineers. Fred says he loaned Alex $5 to get things started. Since Alex still hasn't paid him back, I sent $5 to Fred to cover it and now own half the company. OK, that last sentence isn't true either...

The truth is that two guys have transformed Rigid from a start-up offering engineering services only into a full service manufacturer that can match the best in the industry, with an emphasis on CAD and automated equipment. In the beginning, they offered consulting engineering to small regional manufacturers without engineers on staff (Rigid Structures still does). Now, they currently roll form five panel profiles, including two standing seam panels that exceed the performance test results of other panels on the market. They can roll form purlins and girts, cee or zee, from 4" all the way up to 14".

"While taking on complex building systems, Rigid remains extremely competitive on the small simple buildings that most larger companies shy away from. They believe in delivering a quality product at a competitive price and offering professional, individualized service to each and every customer"... It says so right on the front page of their website. Here's another one of those 'bricks and mortar' philosophies that works when actually put into practice, but to truly offer individualized service to customers over the last several years while maintaining such a rapid growth profile would take remarkable energy, ability and even luck to obtain, train and retain a qualified workforce to keep pace. I've seen some evidence of that energy myself. In the last six months, no less than five different Rigid personnel have responded to requests from the Metworker. They don't sit around waiting for something to happen - these guys are working to make it happen.

A state-of-the art dealer program is under development. They intend to offer support technology through the internet to dealers at a level currently unheard of in this industry… [their statement, but it's encouraging - this industry has a long way to go in its utilization of the internet. Many at Rigid seem to know their way around the web - I've heard from Leonard Anderson, Steve Olson, Steve Murray, Tom Kramer and Chris Hebert]. Meanwhile, some buyers and selected customers can purchase their buildings directly (you can find them in our Classifieds under metal buildings). Plans call for new fabricating facilities either in the Southeast or possibly the West, though no timetable has been set.

While their service is centered in the South Central portion of the U.S. over into Colorado, Rigid buildings can be shipped all over the world. I especially like the one you see pictured below. It boasts a 98' eave height and 70" deep columns. Remember those walking AT-AT's from The Empire Strikes Back? The huge mechanical things that trudged through the snow trying to knock out the force field generators while Luke & company used cables to trip them up? This structure looks like a drive-through AT-AT washer. Guess I went a long way for that one... but you can find Rigid nearby in our Classifieds. Or by using the Metworker.