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From the July 21, 2006 Print edition - Front Page:

"Watch out for S.M. Lawrence"

Mechanical Contractor making waves in the HVAC industry.

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A relative newcomer to Memphis, S.M. Lawrence Co. is fast becoming a force in mechanical engineering and contract work in the Mid-South and beyond.

Headquartered in Jackson, Tenn., S.M. Lawrence opened its Memphis office in 2004 and has grown from three employees  to a staff of 27 and sales last year of $5.5 million.

Since Starting operations in Memphis two years ago, S.M. Lawrence's client base for design, implantation and service work now includes Smucker's, Cargill, Bancorp South and FedExForum.

Acquired by Comfort Systems USA in 1997, S.M. Lawrence focuses on design/build projects; the company follows, up the implementation with systems service.

"Starting the Memphis operation in 2004, we only had two sales people here," says Cris Boswell, general manager of the Memphis office. "We got all of our support services from Jackson."

Sam Kelley and Jimmy Veteto helped Boswell open the Memphis office and are still part of the S.M. Lawrence presence in the Mid-South.

Boswell says business in booming to the point where the Memphis office is still pulling support form up the road in Jackson. "We really didn't anticipate the growth we've had over the past two years," he says.

A recent Monday in July had Boswell and his team swamped with work as Memphis temperatures pushed the 100 degree mark.  Extreme temperatures meant numerous phone calls to the firm, which oversees systems it has designed and put in place.

S.M. Lawrence differs from some mechanical engineering firms in that the company takes projects form concept to completion and the some - performing maintenance and service on the equipment after it's been installed.

"A lot of companies in town focus on construction or service, but we take it from the from the cradle to the grave," Boswell says.

Boswell says the firm can handle the complete design of a building's mechanical, electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems.  S.M. Lawrence also has a systems rehabilitation program as various equipment ages and needs to be replaced.

"I tell my clients that I have very little interest in having a relationship with them for one year," he says, "but I have a lot of interest in cultivating long-term relationships."

S.M. Lawrence recently signed a three year contract as the complete facilities engineering service provider for FedExForum. 

S.M. Lawrence president Vincent Matlock says the company has hired on some for the FedExForum's employees as part of the deal.  "We're very excited about this one," he says. "We've developed a great working relationship with the people over there."

FedExForum's vice president of arena operations, Steve Zito, says the venue is in good hands with S.M. Lawrence.  "They've got a great ability about the way the do business," Zito says.  "The resources and experience that they bring to the table make it a win-win situation for us."

Zito says the three-year contract includes systems maintenance, repair and any new ways to better operate the building.  "That's where the engineering capabilities of S.M. Lawrence really come into play," he says.

Service provided by the firm include HVAC service, electrical and plumbing contracting work, sheet metal and process pipe fabrication, chemical water treatment, and building automation.

Veteto says other clients in Memphis include Starbucks stores, Parkway Realty and CB Richard Ellis.

-jscruggs@bizjournals.com | 259-1727

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