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The tariff fears are abandoned as the southern construction landscape is heated due to the demand for FABS data centers and chips, according to the new CEO of the Graycor Construction region.
Oakbrook terrace, Illinois’s firm and other contractors are competing to capture opportunities in Phoenix and beyond, even as challenges of scarcity of labor and power needs Loom on the sector. In the middle of this backdrop, Graycor Construction has recently touched Brett Helm to direct the expansion of its southwest division to these fast-moving sectors.
Based in Phoenix, Helm brings 30 years of experience in several companies, such as Redwood City, Redwood City, California DPR Construction and Falls Church, Hitt Contracting based in Virginia.
Here, Helm talks about the immersion of construction on market expansion, semiconductor competition and energy restrictions for data centers.
This interview was published by brevity and clarity.
Construction Division: What inspired your transfer to Graycor and what are your first priorities in your new position?
Brett Helm: A mutual subcontractor friend mentioned that there could be a great opportunity here and that I had nothing wrong with saying about them. So this affected my interest. I am very grateful to be here and very grateful for the opportunity.
The first priority is really reaching what I would call markets adjacent to the markets that Graycor is here in the south -west. We have great builders, but the idea is to get a little more diversified in our markets. So as a low market ideally, another market increases and we can only transfer our market people to market. Ideally, this is where I want to bring us.
When you look at sectors such as semiconductors and advanced manufacturing, such as Graycor’s positioning to keep it competitive in the south -west? Do you still see a strong boost in these sectors?
Yes I definitely see it strong [momentum.] We have opportunities in our pipeline right now we go after. The resources we have as an organization of the projects that we have completed over the years and that carry this information in the south -west from our other offices in all the United States, are how we are competitive. This is really the strength we have.
So, when I say an adjacent market, this part of semiconductors and manufacture is really what I speak, along with data centers.
What types of opportunities do you see in the data center space?
We have many builders who can do parts of a data center, but what I will do is bring additional resources to help us fill this market.
I have been in this market since the late 1990’s, so a little over 25 years.
The Mercat of the Data Center in Phoenix has just accelerated. Many of the types of placement (fast hit) are a little easier to enter. And ideally, we would build this market as far as we can reach the type of customers there is hypericated water.
With continued pressure on the increase in costs and shortage of labor, how do you see that the construction activity is the rest of 2025?
The fare problem seems to have really resolved. I know if you would have asked me this question three or four weeks ago, I would probably give you a different answer.
But right now, we really receive many competitive numbers from our subcontractor community. This is a very competitive market right now. Therefore, I think the construction activity will probably remain as it is.
Our subcontractors are receiving a very good coverage on the projects we go right now. Therefore, we hope it continues by 2025.
Any other important trend in construction that should be noted?
When we talk about data centers, our next big challenge we will have is power, to gain power at these mega data centers.
It feels about these small modular reactors, SMRS. This next technology for power I think will be the trend we will see on the road.
I know that technology is there right now, but it is difficult to get permission and all the obstacles they have on their way to start building in these places. Because right now, we have two large useful companies here in the Phoenix area, but there is only so much power they can contribute. I think this is what will return us in this area.
