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standing of the market and what is
required to succeed in Hawaii. Also, he
says, the company is willing to add value
through the use of new technology.
For instance, Skelton explains, Good-
fellow Bros. has been utilizing GPS
technology in some of its equipment.
The use of satellite positioning elimi-
nates the need for a crew member to
survey the site, making for a more effi-
cient job site and keeping costs down.
Island Conditions
It might be every contractor’s dream to
work in Hawaii, with the tropical breezes
and white, sandy beaches all so close.
However, Skelton says, just because the
company works in paradise doesn’t mean
it always feels that way. The Hawaiian
islands are some of the most remote loca-
tions on Earth, and that creates some logis-
tical challenges for a successful contractor.
First and foremost, Skelton says,
Goodfellow Bros. has to be a good
neighbor, especially when working on
projects in or near resort properties. He
explains that resort owners want their
guests to feel relaxed and detached
from the hassles of everyday life, not
confronted with construction noise and
delays.
Skelton says the company works close-
ly in concert with resorts to ensure that its
work has the minimum impact possible on
guests’ vacations.
On Maui, the reality of irreversible
impacts to the environment come much
faster than on the mainland due to the
delicate ecosystem. Skelton says the com-
pany takes great pride in being stewards
in the community respecting and pro-
tecting the environment.
They do this by pre-engineering a
project before ever moving a rock; this
includes scheduling, phasing, sequencing
and modeling. Skelton says you only get
one time to do it right.
Additionally, he says, the company
has to be extremely careful about pur-
chasing and planning. Making sure
crews have everything they need before
getting started on a project is essential.
“If something’s forgotten, especially if
it’s a special item, it may take several
weeks to obtain it from mainland-based
suppliers,” Skelton says.
FEBRUARY 2009
New Opportunities
Aside from the challenges that come
with working on the islands, Skelton
says Goodfellow Bros. also is dealing
with the tight economy. He says the
company is focusing on refining itself
to properly meet demand while still
bringing value to its clients. The use of
advanced technology, such as GPS equip-
ment, reduces the time needed to com-
plete work and minimizes rework, sav-
ing costs for its clients.
On the other hand, the change in the
economy also has opened new opportu-
nities for Goodfellow Bros. “The biggest
shift is from the residential into public
works,” Skelton says. “It went from a
huge residential push to the municipali-
ties starting to bid more public work,
and that has been coming rather slowly.”
Even though the work is not coming
as quickly as the company would like,
Goodfellow Bros. is well-suited to han-
dle private as well as large-scale govern-
ment projects. “With our nation’s aging
infrastructure, the ability to excel in such
areas is key to the company’s continued
success,” Skelton says. ■
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