DMS featured in the Canadian Business Journal

Dependable Mechanical Systems Inc. provides complete design-build mechanical contracting services for the ICI (industrial, commercial, and institutional) sector in Ontario. The company’s vast experience and wealth of knowledge has been gauged from the multifaceted and challenging projects completed in the past, and projects that continue to present challenging propositions to this day.

From installations on multimillion dollar new construction projects to renovations and retrofits for heritage buildings and schools, DMS Inc. always works closely with the construction team to provide each client with a quality product through cautious project management, highly qualified personnel, ownership of every project on behalf of the client, and thorough execution.

The Canadian Business Journal spoke with Rajesh Ahuja, President and Founder of DMS Inc. and shared the story of the company and its success in Ontario.

“I worked as a Senior Project Manager for a large project at the Downsview Air Force Base, but following a governmental change the future phases of the project got postponed, so I ventured on my own into Mechanical contracting and started bidding on smaller projects,” says Ahuja.

After executing several smaller projects, the company started to grow at an exponential rate. Over the past 10 years, the company increased its office and manufacturing space three times, and is slowly outgrowing its current facility as well. The company made Profit magazine’s 100 Canada’s Fastest Growing Companies, and in 2011 and 2012 the list of 200 Canada’s Fastest Growing Companies, growing by leaps and bounds. “We will also be on the list this year and in 2014 as well. We grew from three employees in 2005, to about 100 employees today,” says Ahuja.

Mechanical systems are a very important aspect of any building construction. There is a large volume of mechanical systems that go into each building such as plumbing, HVAC, sheet metal, and all the other complex control systems behind the walls and ceiling, boilers and chillers. “The mechanical contractor has one of the largest scopes in any construction project and effective management and coordination with other trades on site is key to success,” says Ahuja.

Ahuja has been focused on solid due diligence in all the company’s projects, and he has built solid relationships in the industry, abiding by the strength of thorough project management, while keeping cost under control.

“Projects these days are fairly complex with integrated building controls. Marrying the equipment to the building controls is a very critical aspect. Also, since the majority of our projects require LEED certification, we have become adept at working on these requirements ahead of time on each project. We layout our projects well ahead of execution. In terms of efficiencies, we have developed our own internal tracking software on a dedicated section of our website, where we monitor the operations of our business around the clock. We are possibly one of the most technologically driven companies in the market today, and this increased efficiency makes us more competitive,” says Ahuja.

DMS Inc. team consists of qualified and experienced project managers, estimators, project coordinators, commissioning engineers, plumbers, pipe fitters, sheet metal mechanics, refrigeration mechanics, gas fitters … — staff with full safety training in WHIMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System), fall arrest safety, First Aid and other specific construction safety regulatory courses, and the company believes in keeping staff up to date with the latest developments and industry specific job requirements.

Over the years, the key company projects in the commercial segment have been GTAA, Air Canada new flight training facility, Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto, GO Transit Bus facilities at Brampton, Halton and Oshawa, Ontario Court of Justice in Toronto, Toronto Public Library and many more. Majority of these projects have achieved LEED Gold or Silver certifications.

In healthcare sector, DMS Inc. worked on projects such as Humber River Regional Hospital, Chemotherapy Daycare and Dialysis, and Toronto Rehabilitation – Decanting & Permanent Build-out, project for CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health) and Mount Sinai Hospital.

The company has completed several major projects in the education sector, working with York University, University of Toronto, Ryerson University, Humber College, Centennial College, OCAD (Ontario College of Art & Design), Hamilton Wentworth School Board, Upper Grand District School Board, PDSB and many others.

One of the many projects that the company is currently undertaking is a multi-million mechanical project for the Royal Canadian Air Force at CFB Trenton, Ont. “As you can see, with our focus mainly on institutional projects, we have been very successful in tapping into the pool of infrastructure funding over the past few years,” says Ahuja.

“We have grown tremendously, and that’s because we have been focused and efficient. In terms of business growth, we expect to double our revenues in the next two years, focusing on larger magnitude and bigger prestige projects. We are very sound as a company and we want to continue to excel in our field. As for the future, we are looking to venture into other provinces. Currently we are focussing on expansion into the Atlantic provinces. Our business growth model has worked in Ontario and we plan to replicate and enhance this in other provinces,” concluded Ahuja.

Read the original article at http://www.cbj.ca/business_in_action/construction/dependable_mechanical_systems_inc_ontario.html