By / Natalie Bruckner
If you happen to be in downtown Vancouver, you will no doubt notice the new LEED Platinum targeted office building at 400 West Georgia, developed by Westbank.
Architecturally, the building is striking. Designed by Merrick Architecture, its cube design is inspired by a Japanese noguchi lamp and consists of a circular concrete core with structural steel beams and steel decking, effectively forming a cogwheel of boxes.
But it’s not just the exterior of the building where this project showcases out-of-the-box thinking. Head inside and the building features innovative systems, information management, and information technology to not only lessen its footprint but also to support the growing tech industry in Vancouver. It is here that you will find Jesse Magee, president of Sprint Installations Ltd., and his team working on the ductwork insulation.
Surprisingly, perhaps, when asked about the complexities of this project, Magee responds: “This one actually isn’t challenging for us. It’s usually the small projects that present the greatest challenges.”
Looking at Sprint Installations’ portfolio of projects, it makes sense why Magee takes projects of this size and complexity in stride. Over the years, the company has built a broad range of expertise to tackle any project that comes its way—among them are the Cascades Casino in Delta and The Post at 349 West Georgia, which is cited as Canada’s largest heritage revitalization projects ever undertaken. On the latter, Sprint Installations was tasked with the mechanical insulation of the entire base-building on the lower levels.
Like most family-run businesses that have weathered the storms of recessions, recruitment challenges, evolution of the tech world, and the covid pandemic, Sprint Installations has come out the other side even stronger. “I know my dad is proud of what we have achieved in a relatively short space of time,” explains Magee.
Sprint Installations first opened its doors back in 1994 in Langley, BC, with Pat Magee at the helm. The business eventually made a transition to Surrey, where it continues today. Pat’s son Jesse Magee became involved in the business at a young age, “I was probably about 12! Younger than I should have been,” laughs Magee. But it wasn’t so much the mechanical insulation side that initially piqued his interest, but rather the business element.
“I graduated from high school in Edmonton in 2006 and moved to BC to go to business school at Simon Fraser University,” explains Magee. “My plan was to get a business degree and then take the company over when my dad wanted to retire. After graduating, I helped out in the office for a year, learning the ropes, while my brother, Riley, trained to be a journeyman.”
Having a wealth of experience both in the field and through his business degree, Magee was able to implement systems and strategies that would create a smooth running machine, with all the cogs turning in the right direction.
Innovations and tech have been integral to the recent success of the business. “My dad used to do all the takeoffs by hand using blueprints and an estimator tool, which of course was tedious and time consuming,” he says. “Now we use On-Screen Takeoff where all you need is a PDF and you can easily click and drag to do a takeoff. It was a big step forward. I can probably price three times as much as my dad was able to.”
While recruitment is consistently cited as the number one challenge in the industry, Magee says these days they have cleaned up their processes and have great success in finding skilled people. “We made the mistake in earlier years of sourcing through free sites like Craigslist, but people wouldn’t turn up for their first day. We’ve had great success through Indeed, and now we are able to read into resumes to find like-minded individuals. If someone’s longest stint of employment is three months, that’s obviously a red flag.”
Since Magee took over the business, it has grown from two to ten people, with another two set to join later this summer. And it’s the people in the industry that make Magee proud to be in the sector—that and the fact that it’s “a green industry focused on reducing energy cost and providing greater efficiency.”
When asked about the biggest lesson he has learned from his time in the industry, Magee responds: “Not to lead with emotions in business. When I was younger, I would get a little upset if something happened and would react too quickly. For example, we were promised one job and it was taken away from us at the very last minute. I called the person and expressed my disappointment. I burned that bridge for a few years! Thankfully, we work with them again now. It taught me the value of taking a step back if something isn’t sitting right so you can cool down, because no matter how hard you try, your tone and energy will always come across on the phone or in an email. It’s amazing what a night’s sleep will do to level you off.”
As for the future, Magee and his team have a huge backlog of work, which is indicative of the quality of their work and reputation. “I’m just really excited to expand the business, meet some new people, and see what the industry holds for us,” he says. ▪
