Lithko Contracting

“We’re not afraid to invest in talent. We have to grow our co-workers in an industry and a market where a model doesn’t exist,” said Strobel. “If we can expand our talent, the company can grow.”

The main component of this recruitment strategy is again entwined with the community, including colleges and industry hires. Lithko focuses on construction management programs at local universities, with an eye out for candidates that are interested in the specific field of concrete.

“We have a program and a business model that allows for people to move up in their career with us,” said Strobel. “We bring them into the field, engage them, and teach them about the business. This strategy comes from having a long-term view of employment.”

A driving factor in recruitment strategy going forward will be Lithko Contracting’s social media platforms. Recent months have seen a dedicated push to use the platforms, both to showcase the workplace culture and demonstrate excellence in their work.

With hashtags #buildingaroundyou and #lithkolife, the brand is giving the interested public an inside look at its operations and its people. Strobel shared that the social media push is to showcase the company for potential co-workers, who because of the easy way of communication will almost always be on social media platforms.

“Historically we’ve been sort of a non-brand,” Strobel said. “We haven’t done much in the way of publicizing ourselves. But as one of the fastest growing concrete contractors in the U.S., we thought it was time to turn on the branding spicket. Our goal is to stay humble and keep the same service-oriented culture, but brand out in the marketplace.

Lithko also uses social media to showcase its commitment to safety, which is another important component of the company’s culture.

“We view training as a way to engage our teams in quality discussions about how we will execute our work safely. That is why we invest time and effort to make trainings that fit real world examples and include details that resonate with the people actually performing the hard work in the field,” the safety portion of Lithko’s website reads.

“One example of how we demonstrate this is through our Operational Activity Trainings (OATs). Most companies use standard toolbox talks to meet jobsite safety requirements. We created Lithko specific trainings to be used on-site to help leaders discuss real hazards that pertain to the work they are actually doing.”

Lithko’s strong culture and unique business model are guiding the company towards a successful future focused on expansion into 50 potential cities. The company wants to open new BURGs every year in towns where there is a population greater than 1 million inhabitants, diverse markets, and higher education facilities.

“It can take years to move into a new region, but with the support of our current BURG network and what we have learned in past and current expansion, choosing a new place to move gets a little easier,” said Strobel.

The goals for the future are big—doubling the business’s revenue and expanding by 10 more BURGs in the next five years—but Lithko’s team has proven they are always up for the challenge.