[CASE STUDY] 5X Growth in Five Years
From $170M to over $700M in revenue. That’s 5X GROWTH in less than 5 years! In order to generate that kind of growth they needed to evolve from a niche general contractor (GC), well known for their superior work in technical projects, such as labs, clean rooms, and education, to a general General Contractor that wins bids for prominent jobs at the largest scales. True to their brand and heritage, they still “Build to Improve Lives,” only now they improve many more.
THE COMPANY: XL Construction, Inc. is a premier builder in the Silicon Valley area. XL was founded on the principle of providing excellence in construction delivery and client satisfaction. Over the years, the idea of excellence and going beyond solidified and came to include employee development and growth, technical skills, partnerships with design and trade firms, and service to the community. And the company grew!
THE SITUATION: XL came to The Oya Group knowing that they already had the resources they needed to grow, beyond their current state, both in their then current specialty and in the larger GC market in Silicon Valley. They had the talent, they had the labor, they had the team. It certainly looked like they had everything they needed.
“What’s remained the same are our core values: we, not me, be true, and go beyond. What had changed was our technical capabilities, resources, and the ability to take on larger, more complex projects.”
– Eric Raff, CEO and Founder
But, in 2012 they were stuck. Their message and image hadn’t kept up with current capabilities and resources. They still looked like the technical builder on which they built their reputation. It didn’t speak at all to their aspiration. Nor did it speak to the new audience they needed to capture and therefore weren’t afforded the opportunities they sought.
THE SOLUTION: Create an image and position in the market that conveyed the breadth and reach of their capabilities by showcasing the expertise of the team and prominently displaying large keystone projects they have completed.
Starting with extensive discovery both internally and externally we thoroughly analyzed the current situation and the overall market to determine where and how we could provide the best value. We recommended that everything outward facing—from the website to bid documents—had to proudly promote their new position in order to capture the attention of the prominent developers and top talent. And, once we completed our work, it did. Every piece, every word, every color, and every impression was designed with intention, to engage their audiences and promote their excellence in their expanded market.
THE RESULT
“Oya Group did an outstanding job of aligning a large team with strong opinions on a single vision for our website. They are great listeners that take a variety of comments and present solutions that work for everyone. XL continually gets praise for the site. It has proven to be a great draw for clients, partners, and potential employees. The website and rebrand absolutely helped us achieve a new position in the market. No longer do we hear comments like ‘But, aren’t you just a technical builder?’ It has helped us to be awarded large-scale development projects and helped us reach over $700M in revenue in less than 5 years!”
− Patti Larson, Marketing Director
See the full project portfolio HERE.
THE FUTURE
From humble beginnings and four employees in 1993, XL has become one of the top contractors in the Bay Area, has been voted by its employees as the Best Place to Work, and generates over 80% of its work from repeat clients. It has been a great journey so far, but there is more to do.
And today, we are again preparing them for their next growth spurt; looking at every customer touch point and ensuring that the message is authentic, the user-experience superb, and that good design shows in every aspect of every piece. In short, we’re showing that XL cares about its customers, prospects, and employees.
Today, they are looking at achieving a $1B annual run rate. Because of their success, they have a healthy backlog of projects. Now their challenge is in finding the right talent. And we’re proud to help them in this next phase of growth to improve even more lives.
Want to grow your company like XL Construction did?
Schedule a complementary “Growth Session” and we’ll talk about your unique challenges and ways in which you can break through the barriers to your success.
