Clarion Construction began 23 years ago, when Kelly Owen, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the company, used his years of experience to start his own construction company. In its first year of business, Clarion generated $2 million in sales. “We’re recognized for honesty and our high quality,” says Owen. Clarion builds high-quality cold storage construction projects for a variety of Fortune 500 clients, from large supermarket chains including Stater Brothers to biotechnology companies such as Amgen. Over 85 percent of Clarion’s clientele are repeat customers.
Owen seeks to ensure that each client has a quality-built structure. “We do the job right or we don’t do it at all,” says Owen. “If we know that in order to lower the cost, we’ll have to compromise quality, we just won’t take the job.”

CARS, BIKES AND COLD STORAGE

Owen was a professional motocross racer in the 1970s when he quit racing to attend college. Majoring in industrial studies at California State University Los Angeles, Owen began his construction career with Owens Corning. Over the course of seven years, Owen was schooled in cold storage technology from Hank Schneider, the man responsible for much of its research and development. “I was the last guy that he trained,” says Owen. Owen further honed his experience with Owens Corning, using it to start Clarion Construction.
Though he stopped racing professionally, Owen continued to restore vintage motocross bikes from the 1960s and 70s, considered the “Glory Years” for the bikes. Visitors to the Clarion offices can view the museum of restored bikes as well as see the bikes online. Additionally, he restores vintage Ford and Mercury Woody automobiles. Owen hosts an annual open house and custom car show to combine his passion for cars and bikes with the personal relationships developed with Clarion Clients. There are over 900 to date, and all are invited to enjoy the open house and car show as well as a huge barbeque lunch.

COLD STORAGE PROJECTS

Cold storage is the niche where Clarion Construction has built its solid reputation. Owen began to specialize in cold storage 28 years ago when Owens Corning, in the process of splitting into divisions, gave him a choice between general contracting and cold storage. “At Clarion, we will occasionally do some industrial general construction work, it is very simple in nature,” says Owen. “Cold storage construction, on the other hand, is very challenging. Not many people are familiar enough with its specialized nature to assemble an accurate proposal and correctly perform the work.”

Clarion has several large projects in the works throughout California. Columbia Street is a 500,000 square foot freezer/cooler in Riverside, California. According to Owen, the project is about one-third to one-half complete. Also under construction is a 150,000 sq. ft. freezer/cooler in the distribution facility for Northgate Gonzales Markets. Clarion is the insulated panel, door and floor insulation contractor on both projects.

The company has just finished work on an 800,000 sq. ft. freezer and cooler at the Stater Brothers Distribution Center in San Bernardino County, California. Clarion also recently completed work as the general contractor on a $15 million project for Unified Grocers, overseeing the construction of a five building complex in Stockton.
The company also just completed a general contract for a 75,000 sq. ft. freezer/cooler project for Nature’s Best in Chino, California.

The Nature’s Best project garnered a second contract for the company in Chino with a third in the works out of state. Clients seek the services of Clarion because of its reputation for high quality work and on time delivery of the projects.
Previous projects include several for P&O Cold Logistics, VersaCold Logistics, General Mills, Amgen, Budweiser, Golden State Foods, Lyons Magnus and Majestic Realty, a high-end realtor in Southern California.

GREEN INITIATIVES

“About 20 percent of the buildings that we do are defined as LEED buildings,” says Owen. According to Owen, the structures Clarion builds are energy efficient and designed as LEED equipped buildings. The company allows the owner to decide whether or not to pursue LEED certification. Clarion has completed work on a Silver LEED building and a Platinum LEED building last year. Additionally, work is in progress for another Silver LEED building. “We work with several architects on a regular basis and our project managers are very familiar with LEED technology,” says Owen.
Clarion conducts most of its business electronically through email and uploading drawings to an FTP site or discs instead of sending sets of plans. Additionally, Clarion uses Timberline Software, a leading industry software program, to give project managers and all involved with the job, access to the exact costs that are incurred throughout the construction process.

EMPLOYEE SAFETY AND RETENTION

A safe work environment is a key concern for Kelly Owen and everyone at Clarion Construction. Several years ago, Clarion hired a consultant who specializes in OSHA safety programs to create a personalized plan specific to the company and every foreman has a copy. Clarion also employs a Safety Engineer, Dana Spann, who oversees the safety program. Additionally, all employees are CPR certified practitioners and all workmen are certified in forklift and scissor lift safety programs. “These programs have helped to keep our workman’s comp rate very low,” says Owen. “And that is something I am very proud of.”
The priority for Owen is to treat his employees well. “All of our people are paid at least the current competitive rate or more,” says Owen. Everyone with the company has benefits and a retirement program. “People generally don’t leave Clarion because it’s a nice place to work,” says Owen. “We are all family here and I care sincerely about each of the employees.”

FUTURE PLANS

Clarion, much like other companies in the construction industry, was impacted by the recession, with several major projects cancelled due to lack of funding. “I was optimistic that we were bigger than the recession and we weren’t,” says Owen. According to Owen, Clarion turned the corner a few months ago with the acquisition of several significant projects. Banks are increasingly eager to fund construction opportunities, increasing the amount of projects in development.
The state of the economy has made Owen more cautious about future projections for the company. “I’m hopeful the volume we have now will be sustained for the near future,” says Owen. Clarion is developing projects in Utah and Texas, moving east from where it had worked in the past. Previously, the company had been reluctant to accept jobs further east, but is looking upon the prospect with fresh eyes. “Southern California has work, but I can’t guarantee that it will sustain itself,” says Owen.
“I see us being more profitable in the coming years because we’re more conscious of profitability as a result of what has just happened,” says Owen. “Everyone took a hit. We’ve landed on our feet and we’re moving forward very well. I believe Clarion is in an excellent position at the current time.”