Knauf Insulation believes that an R rating is good for the family. (R-values are assigned by resistance to heat flow.) The company makes thermal and acoustical fiberglass insulation products for residential, commercial, industrial, marine, OEM, and metal building applications. Knauf also produces polystyrene custom shapes, insulation, panels, and other products. Established in 1978 as Knauf Fiber Glass, it is a member company of Knauf Gips KG, a multi-billion-dollar family of building materials companies owned by the Germany-based Knauf family. Knauf Insulation has operations in some 50 countries.

Ply Gem Holdings brings out a new side of homes. A holding company, Ply Gem Holdings operates through its primary operating subsidiary, Ply Gem Industries, a manufacturer and supplier of exterior building materials used in home construction and renovation. The subsidiary supplies its products-- including vinyl siding, aluminum windows and doors, stone veneer, and fencing -- to home-center retailers, distributors, construction companies, and contractors in North America.

California's Gunite & Pool Plastering dove right into the business of gunite and plaster and pebble interior surfaces for swimming pools, fountains, and other applications. Gunite is a dry mixture of cement, sand, and water that creates waterproof surfaces when sprayed onto a mold. The company performs replastering and remodeling services on pools, including adding fountains, waterfalls, and spas throughout the San Francisco Bay area. California's Gunite & Pool Plastering also offers retaining wall repair, slope stabilization, faux rock formation, and reservoir and pond repair. President and part owner Manuel Rodriguez founded the company in 1992; it became a corporation in 1996.

Artisan (UK) is skilled at the art of real estate. Through a number of operating subsidiaries, the company builds, invests in, and manages multifamily residential and commercial properties throughout the UK. Subsidiary Rippon Homes builds three- to five-bedroom houses and bungalows, including its Living Heritage line of luxury homes in the East Midlands. Artisan (UK) Developments is engaged in the development of small business parks and light industrial properties; construction is managed by Artisan (UK) Projects. The group's property investments are held by Artisan (UK) Properties. Chairman Michael Stevens owns 30% of Artisan (UK) through Aspen Finance.

Safety and Ecology Corporation,the specialty engineering firm provides environmental remediation of radiological and other hazardous wastes, as well as facility decontamination and demolition. Other services include industrial health and safety; radiological/industrial hygiene instrumentation rental, calibration, and repair; and waste and material management and disposal. Safety and Ecology has also created a mobile emergency response unit to handle chemical, biological, or radioactive hazards. The company, which is owned by Homeland Security Capital Corporation, has offices across the US and in the UK.

Lewis & Hockenberry produces dimension hardwood products using kiln-drying techniques. Its products, which the company sells worldwide, include logs, rough or machined lumber squares (cut to customer specifications), dowels, and wood panels. The company procures a range of hardwood timber species, including white ash, black cherry, hard and soft maple, red oak and white oak, from company-owned land and through private landowner agreements. Brothers Dale and David Lewis, nephews of cofounder Gerald Lewis, own the company. Lewis & Hockenberry was founded in 1946.

Hoffman cherishes a challenge -- such as building the nation's deepest subway station in Portland, Oregon, or the snake-like, metal-clad Experience Music Project in Seattle. Through several subsidiaries, including flagship Hoffman Construction, the general contractor and construction manager builds civic, commercial, and industrial facilities, primarily in the northwestern US. A leading builder of semiconductor facilities, the group also serves such sectors as education, health care, hospitality, sports, transportation, industrial, and government. It provides electrical, mechanical, surveying, and other services, as well. Employees own Hoffman Corporation, which was founded in 1922.

Charles Pankow Builders has some pretty concrete ideas on how to build high-rises. The design/build general contractor specializes in quake-resistant concrete frames for structures including department stores, hotels, condominiums, medical facilities, and office buildings. The firm is primarily active in California and Hawaii. Affiliate Pankow Special Projects focuses on small-scale projects including renovations, interior build-outs, and seismic upgrades. Unit Mid-State Precast provides structural and architectural precast concrete components for Pankow-managed projects. Employee-owned Charles Pankow Builders was founded in 1963 by the late Charles Pankow, who helped pioneer the design/build delivery system.

Consulting engineering firm Pennoni Associates has expertise in building systems, civil and municipal, environmental, geotechnical, inspection and testing, land surveying, site design and architecture, structural and transportation engineering, and other industry specialties. Its clients include local, state, and federal governments, as well as private commercial, construction, and industrial companies. Affiliate Pennoni Engineering and Surveying of New York offers engineering consulting and design services. It specializes in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection engineering.

Nuprecon. Considered one of the largest companies in its industry, Nuprecon specializes in demolition services, including total building and targeted demolition, and plant dismantlement. Nuprecon also offers environmental remediation and abatement, construction-related debris and hazardous waste recycling, and concrete sawing and drilling. Serving various industries, the company's projects have included factories, office and retail buildings, hotels, hospitals, and government buildings. Nuprecon, which is majority-owned by private equity firm Evergreen Pacific Partners, merged with competitor CST Environmental in 2008.

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