By Becca Cruger
Strategic Initiatives Coordinator
When Tim Lindquist first proposed the idea of creating a visionary, innovative kind of construction company to his wife, she questioned whether it was the best time to do it.
“The timing was not ideal but I’m not sure it ever would have been,” laughed Lindquist. More than a year-and-a-half after he and his business partner launched North Sky Construction, Lindquist says he has never looked back. With over $3 million in projects completed, the pair has now set their sights on working to revolutionize how buildings are constructed.
A Backbone of Steel
In order to be successful, Lindquist knew North Sky Construction needed to offer something new to the marketplace. After months of research and cross-country trips to visit showrooms, the company opted to invest in an autonomous machine that fabricates building components using light gauge coiled steel.
“Our goal is to push the boundaries of construction in ways that create more economical, higher quality products,” said Lindquist.
North Sky’s new machine produces steel components capable of constructing 4-5 story buildings. Given the volatile weather patterns found in the upper Midwest, Lindquist says the new machine can provide significant cost and time savings compared to conventional onsite construction.
“Wood naturally contains moisture and those moisture levels change depending on the season,” said Lindquist. “Some homes see cracks in the drywall and that’s a direct result of the swell and shrink of the wood. Steel studs are not at the mercy of the weather.”
Lindquist also pointed to fire safety factors inherent in building with steel versus wood before moving on to talk about the merits of labor efficiencies.
“We can produce full wall sections inside the warehouse in controlled environments versus building them outside in the cold, rain, or snow – there’s a significant cost savings on the labor side,” he said.
The machine uses specialty design software that automates steel fabrication. Nearly any type of structure can be built within the software, produced using the machine, and shipped across the world as individual building components or assembled components. Materials are sent with detailed instructions if the purchaser will be erecting the structure.
“The whole system goes together really easy,” said Lindquist, describing instructions as detailed drawings with their own numbering system. “In theory, a family could literally assemble a garage from the materials they purchase from us.”
A Framework for Success
Starting a new company comes with challenges and North Sky reached out to the Grand Forks Region EDC’s business development manager, Brandon Baumbach, at the onset of their explorations into innovation.
“The money side is always a challenge,” said Lindquist. “When you’re starting from nothing – it’s a big deal.”
Baumbach helped North Sky navigate available financing options, introducing them the FlexPACE program, offered in partnership through the City of Grand Forks Growth Fund and Bank of North Dakota. FlexPACE offers an interest rate subsidy of up to $307,000 to be used for equipment, property and certain capital expenses.
“The Growth Fund saw the promise North Sky Construction holds for our regional economy and wanted to support a fast-growing startup,” said Baumbach, adding the program helps companies when they are most likely to need it.
Of his interaction with Baumbach and the EDC’s assistance in navigating the process to identify and apply for available financing Lindquist said, “Brandon made it very simple, laid it all out and once we actually pulled the trigger to buy the machine, he had all the paperwork. Filling out one page was the most heartburn I had in the whole process.”
“Just being able to tell the EDC what we needed and having them take all the thinking out of it for us – that was huge. That was time for me, which is very, very valuable.”