Another year has gone by, so it’s time to reflect on the past 12 months. While there are always setbacks to learn from and obstacles to overcome, overall Nickle had a banner year. The company hit a number of its strategic goals and reached many milestones. Before we get too far into 2016, let’s look back at 2015.
Safety has always been one of Nickle’s top priorities. On February 1, Nickle continued its record-breaking streak, reaching five years without a lost-time accident. We hosted a celebration later that month at Dover Downs. A new process was implemented this year to further the superiority of Nickle’s safety program called the Behavioral Observation Safety System. Electricians are encouraged to conduct analyses on the job site, observe the safe behaviors of others, and give feedback on their performance. Those BOSS cards are evaluated by Nickle’s Safety Committee to decide which ones provide the most value to the organization.
To highlight the importance of safety, a video was created that includes interviews with management and footage of electricians on the job. You can find the video on our website under the “Safety” tab, or visit the Youtube link here.
Nickle was also recognized by a number of organizations for its dedication to safety. The company received the Governor’s Safety Award for the fourth year in a row. The honor is co-sponsored by the Delaware Department of Labor and the Delaware Contractors Association. Nickle also received its ninth consecutive Associated Builders and Contractors Delaware STEP safety award. The STEP (Safety Training and Evaluation Process) program is designed to support ABC members with development and improvement of safety and training efforts. The awards are given in five levels based on the company’s safety program and this was the second year in a row Nickle received the top award at the Diamond level. Nickle was also given its third consecutive ABC Chesapeake Shores STEP safety award, also at the Diamond level.
Published at the end of October, Engineering News-Record Magazine named Nickle Electrical Companies in its annual Top 600 Specialty Contractors list at #426, jumping 31 spots from 2014. The list ranks specialty contractors by 2014 revenue. This is the second consecutive year Nickle has appeared on the famed list.
The Delaware Business Times, the newest publication being distributed by Today Media, published the 2015 Book of Lists. It’s the first time a business journal has delivered such a list since the Business Ledger went out of business in 2010 and it showcases the highest-performing companies in the market. Nickle Electrical was named No. 1 in the electrical contractors category.
Over the summer, Nickle worked with Delaware Digital to revamp the company website. The new site launched in mid-October. Before that, the website hadn’t had a makeover since 2010. The redesign has a sleek, scroll-based page with just enough information to pique the interest of both our residential and commercial customers. A convenient “get free estimate” button is available, along with an easy-to-fill-out contact form for any and all questions.
Training and continuing education is important for all employees. It provides them with the opportunity to expand their knowledge and learn more about the industry. In April, a conduit bending workshop was held. A number of foremen, mechanics, and project managers demonstrated several ways to bend conduit, both manually and with various machines. Attendees then practiced bending the conduit on their own.
This year, Nickle acquired a business license to perform work in New Jersey, expanding its resources geographically to offer commercial, industrial, residential, and service skills to better serve the East Coast. Nickle’s first project is a renovation to a veteran’s administration medical clinic in Marlton, NJ with Emory Hill.
Always a hit with employees are Nickle’s company-wide events. They’re a fun, relaxing way to spend time with co-workers and encourage camaraderie. For the second year in a row, Nickle and United Electric Supply hosted a Tool-B-Que with Klein Tools, Thomas & Betts, and Ideal Industries. Employees were invited to browse tools available for purchase while enjoying food and refreshments. One event was held at the Newark location and another at the Georgetown location over the summer season.
Another notable event, which is hosted every other year, was the Nickle Elite Dinner. A total of 65 employees were honored at a dinner party on November 6 at Dover Downs to recognize their long-time commitment to the company. Elite members are those who have been with Nickle for five years or more. The 65 employees of the Nickle Elite have worked a total of more than 680 years combined, equating to about 92 million man-hours committed to Nickle Electrical. Check out the video from the event here.
Other happenings included various crab feasts and Christmas luncheons, along with events that corresponded with Nickle’s community outreach.
That outreach included the 8th annual Irish Eyes Milton St. Patrick’s Day Parade and 3rd annual Lucky Leprechaun 5k in March. Proceeds from that event benefitted the Fire Department Training Program, Best Buddies Delaware, and Casa San Francisco. Vice President of Operations Jeromy Newton also coached the Nickle Electrical Smyrna-Clayton Little Lass team (girls aged 7-9) for the second year in a row. In April, Nickle was a sponsor for the Made Ya Look! Salon and Spa inaugural 5k. Proceeds from the event supported the Children’s Beach House in Lewes, DE, which is a non-profit organization that helps children with special needs reach their highest potential as functioning members of society. In July, Nickle employees and family members participated in the 7th annual Delaware Hospice 5k, which Nickle has been a sponsor of since its inception. Proceeds benefit the non-profit organization that provides end-of-life education and support for patients and families. This fall, Nickle sponsored the Run 4 the House 5k for the fourth year in a row. The event raised funds for the Ronald McDonald House of Delaware to provide support and services to children and families receiving care at local hospitals. Another popular sponsorship is the Easter Seals Walk With Me Delmarva event. For the third year in a row, Nickle helped raise money for the non-profit organization, which provides services and education to people living with disabilities.
Other donations and sponsorships Nickle was involved with include the Del Tech Alumni & Friends 5k, Apple-Scrapple Festival, Children’s Beach House 5k, AHEPA Olympic 5k, Health South 5k, many sporting clay shoots for location organizations, Middletown High School football team, St. George’s High School bowling team, Beast of the East wrestling tournament, Middletown High School wrestling, Atlantic General Hospital annual Penguin Swim, National Association of Women in Construction Block Kids event, ACE mentoring program, Lewes Library, AIA Golf Classic, Biggs Museum Gala, Toys for Tots, Chester River Half Marathon, University of Delaware, and a number of golf outings for organizations such as Bayhealth, Chester River Hospital, Boys & Girls Club, ABC Chesapeake Shores, ABC Delaware, little Sisters of the Poor, Delaware Hospice, and more.
One of the most popular fundraising events that Nickle participates in is the Delaware Mud Run. Six teams ran the three-mile muddy course on September 20 to support the Leukemia Research Foundation of Delaware. In total, all teams–Bandits, Dobbinsville River Rats, GI Janes, Muddstaches, Shockers, and Wirenuts–raised $6,480. Nickle participated with others from the Associated Builders and Contractors Delaware Chapter, organized by the ABCares Committee.
This year, Nickle Electrical was presented with four Excellence in Construction Awards: two from the Associated Builders and Contractors Delaware Chapter, one from the Associated Builders and Contractors Chesapeake Shores Chapter, and one from the Delaware Contractors Association.
The Optical Science Center for Applied Research project was a new 28,090-square-foot lab built on the Delaware State University campus in Dover, DE. The project won an excellence award from the ABC Delaware Chapter. The new 20,000-square-foot performing arts center at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center in Ocean City, MD also won an excellence award from the ABC Delaware Chapter and another from the ABC Chesapeake Shores Chapter. The Kalmar Nyckel Foundation’s new Copeland Maritime Center totals 21,360-square-feet. This project won an excellence award from DCA. Nickle now holds a total of 35 Excellence in Construction awards.
While these projects won awards for their spectacular construction, there were many other notable projects completed by Nickle’s electricians this year, including University of Delaware Harrington Hall, Swiss Dale Farms solar project, University of Maryland Medical System, Navient Star Building fit-out, Health South Rehab of New Castle County, and a number of remodels and retrofits at various Wawa locations across the Delmarva Peninsula.
If you’d like to keep up with Nickle news throughout the year, please e-mail Laura at lmassimini@nickle.email to receive the quarterly newsletter. You can also visit our website and subscribe to our e-mail list. Feel free to follow any of our social media accounts as well.
