Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/565622
EquipmentWorld.com | September 2015 75 C-3 Environmental Specialties Year started: 2005 Number of employees: 40 Annual revenues: $3 to $5 million Markets served: Erosion control, channel armoring, gating structures, revegetation, clearing and grinding Dan Corrigan Schertz, Texas A fter a few years of working for other contrac- tors in Austin, Texas, Dan Corrigan saw an opportunity 70 miles south in San Antonio. At 27 years old, with a pickup, a trailer and one helper, he set up shop just north of the Alamo City and went into business for himself. The first year was rough, Corrigan admits. "I lived in the shop. Worked on bids at night and in the field all day. For the first four years all I did was work, sunup to sundown, lived it and breathed it." he says. "It takes a toll on every- thing you do. You won't see your friends anymore, unless you work with them. And your wife has to be pretty understanding." But thanks to strong relationships he had built in his previous work and the diversity of jobs he could handle, the business continued to grow and thrive. It also helped that his second in command, Dustin Pratt, who now runs the day-to-day operations, was with him from the start. They had met in Austin and worked for the same employ- er before Corrigan went out on his own. Recessions and floods When the recession hit, C-3 Environmental Specialties did what it took to survive. "We went from 40 employees to 15, took a bunch of equipment that was underutilized and sold it and consolidated the fleet to run more efficiently," contractor of the year | by Tom Jackson | TJackson@randallreilly.com Hard work, diverse offerings and a highly skilled crew bring success Dan Corrigan (left) with Dustin Pratt.