It’s not often that a lumber customer becomes the building contractor for the lumber company, but in the case of PATCO construction and Eldredge Lumber, that is exactly what happened. As Dan Remick, General Manager of Eldredge Lumber tells it, PATCO had been long-time customers and as a result, they had already developed a relationship built on trust. “We got to know PATCO as they were customers of ours, on both the residential and commercial sides, and our project is in Sanford, where PATCO is based,” he says.
Eldredge Lumber asked PATCO to partner with them on a design and building project that, when completed, will be both a 7500 square-foot Ace Hardware Store as well as a large barn for their lumber and distribution business. The new project requires extensive site work, the renovation of an existing building, as well as new construction. “The new facility, our first in Sanford, will really help us to service our customers,” Dan says. “We liked the fact that PATCO is a family-owned business from Sanford, so it was just a good fit.”
When asked how it has been working with PATCO during the construction process, Dan describes the process as having been smooth and according to schedule. “Our project had been in the works for quite a while,” Dan says. “There were setbacks due to the pandemic, and the schedule got upended, but PATCO worked right along with us, kept the engines idling, and when we were ready, they jumped right in.”
The pandemic has led to additional challenges as materials have become more difficult to source, which has led to extended wait times. The PATCO team was aware of these timelines, however, and able to plan ahead to stay on schedule. Unique to this partnership is the fact that Eldredge could supply their own lumber, windows, and doors. PATCO has handled sourcing the rest of the materials needed and has made it happen, despite the supply challenges.
Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2022 with a soft opening planned for the beginning of 2023 and a grand opening in May, “A great time to have a good party,” says Dan. In closing, Dan says that his experience with PATCO has been nothing but positive. “They are a great group and are very professional,” he says. “We didn’t put the project out to bid, because we knew with PATCO we wouldn’t have to worry, and that’s how it has turned out.“
Employee Spotlight: Jason Holt
What information would you like to share about yourself and your family? What do you like to do with your spare time?
I was born in New Hampshire, I have 2 brothers and one sister, but I have lived in Maine pretty much my whole life. In my spare time, I like long-distance running and I recently joined a fighting league – it’s like Mixed Martial Arts, but you wear 15th– century armor. I learned about it through my girlfriend’s brother and I travel around New England, and sometimes as far as New Jersey, to compete.
What’s Your Favorite Sports Team or TV Show?
I’m not really big sports or tv guy – I’d rather do things outside like mushroom foraging and I like to cook as well. I look for mushrooms that can be eaten and I can cook quite a few things. I used to work as a line cook in my family’s restaurant before coming to PATCO. My family opened up a restaurant and once when they got established, I went back to working for PATCO.
What do you like about working at PATCO?
I like working outside in the elements and seeing the wildlife and the birds every day. Also, everyone on my team gets along really well.
What was your favorite project since you’ve worked at PATCO?
I would say my favorite project was the Huttig project in Saco as we were there working on that project for quite a while.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I would say that if I could do anything, it would be to be a professional fighter and make a living doing that. But, aside from that, PATCO is a great place to work. The thing I like best about the job is that the work is consistent, but we’re not always doing the same things over and over. Instead of getting burned out, you get to work on different aspects of the projects and the guys work really hard, so it’s nice to work with people who work that hard.
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