By integrating Old World techniques with 21st-Centrury technology, Haws & Tingle Ltd. has established a reputation as one of the leading forces in Texas construction. The company's high-tech offices, housed in a converted railroad freight building in Fort Worth, is the physical embodiment of that marriage of old and new expertise.

The formula has been successful for Haws & Tingle, which ranks at number 53 on Texas Construction's list of the state's top contractors.

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From its beginnings in 1955 as Haws & Garrett General Contractors Inc., the firm has grown to become a prominent force in the building industry, with corporate headquarters in Fort Worth and regional offices in Austin and Houston.

Today, Haws & Tingle, along with Alliance Construction, a division of Haws & Tingle Construction Group, oversees a blend of general construction and construction management.

"Our emphasis is on growing the design-build aspect, which is currently about 40 percent of our business. It is the future of project delivery," said Leslie Brennan, vice president in charge of strategic marketing and business development.

Recent accomplishments include the completion of a $78 million expansion at General Motors' Arlington Assembly Plant. The 800,000-sq.-ft. high-tech, robotics-driven body shop and management office facility was fast-tracked, utilizing three shifts per day.

The project delivery allowed for construction to begin while some plans were still in the design development stage. Only 10 months passed from the time of groundbreaking until the first vehicle was rolling off the assembly line.

Daily communication with owner representatives enabled Haws & Tingle to meet the initial completion date, even though there were $40 million in changes during the construction process.

One of Haws & Tingle's interesting approaches to construction management is its pro-active approach to project delivery. "A lot of firms in today's industry broker a majority of their work, utilizing subcontractors for almost every aspect except overseeing management," Brennan said. "We believe in self-performing and/or having the knowledge of how to perform certain critical aspects of projects, which enhances our ability to provide a quality product in a timely manner."

The company is capable of performing all its own concrete work, historic millwork replication and steel fabrication services.

"Although we may not perform those elements on some projects, the fact that we do self-perform on large segments of our work gives us hands-on knowledge of what to look out for and how work needs to be developed," Brennan added. "Talent and knowledge of these critical elements helps us to expedite projects, keep costs down and ensure quality end results."

Haws & Tingle recently completed a $6.2 million preservation and restoration of the Old Red Courthouse in downtown Dallas. The four-level Pecos-red sandstone and Arkansas-blue granite structure (constructed between 1890-1893) is one of the last remaining Romanesque-style buildings in the North Texas region.

The company performed all of the stonework restoration, millwork restoration and replication. The project included removal of 390 aluminum windows and replacing those with sinker- and tank-cypress wood frames and moldings as well as 5/16-in. laminated glass.

"We do a lot of industrial work, and one of the key aspects where we have had a positive impact is when we self-perform our concrete work," Brennan said. "That has allowed us to expedite projects and turn them over to the owners, usually earlier than anticipated."

Another recently completed project was a design-build manufacturing and distribution expansion at Plastipak Packaging Manufacturing Plant in Garland. The high-performance floors were specially designed utilizing a variety of advanced materials and techniques.

At the owner's request, the expansion from 160,000 sq. ft. to 300,000 sq. ft. was completed within a month of groundbreaking-without any disruption to plant operations.

As part of its commitment to maintaining cost-control and quality, Haws & Tingle has between 250 and 320 employees. "By maintaining active management of quality, trained personnel, we are able to ensure that work is performed to our standards, while watching out for the owners' best interests and controlling the destiny of the final product," Brennan said.

Haws & Tingle performs a fairly even mix of public and private work. "We've got several private sector clients who rely on us and we do repeat work as their companies and businesses grow," Brennan added. "We're also really proud of the relationship we have with Dallas County and the work we perform with them."

The company will soon complete a $32.7 million expansion for the Department of the Treasury at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing's Western Currency Campus in Fort Worth. One of only two such facilities in the United States, the plant required extensive government-mandated safety and security regulations.

Haws & Tingle anticipates that it will grow in the areas of health care and government construction, while maintaining its foothold in the state's expanding commercial, technical and industrial base.

"We don't necessarily target a particular market," Brennan said. "We feel we are a very well-rounded commercial firm with a lot of unique talents."

Because of Haws & Tingle's ability to perform so many construction tasks on its own, the company is particularly suited to conceptual estimation. "The idea that we have put these projects together from nuts and bolts allows us to give conceptual estimates in real-world dollars," Brennan said. "We can conceptualize all the pieces and parts it takes to put a project together."

Haws & Tingle broke ground in November on the $38.9 million George L. Allen Sr. Civil Courts Complex. The project includes construction of a new 250,000 sq. ft., 10-story building as well as extensive renovations to several floors in the existing 12-story building.

"We believe in taking care of our clients," Brennan said. "We want to maintain a strong and steady growth using our in-house talent and expertise and continue to build and grow our business relationships."