Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/55968
22 • MARCH 2012 • WORLD FENCE NEWS Recently, we had the opportunity to speak with Jim Silvestri of Sil- vestri Fencing in Danbury, Con- necticut. Jim told us that last year finished up better than the recent norm. The company business mix is 60% commercial and 40% residential and they carry a full product line, and while they do a significant business in pool fencing, the number of new pools has gone down some 20%, but Jim is hopeful that the number will pick up again in 2012. They do a lot of work in high-end homes in the city of Stam- ford and Litchfield County. FENCER'S FIELD REPORT Compiled by contributing editor Jim Lucci and the staff of World Fence News Jim then shared some history about the company. Silvestri Fencing is now three generations old, and op- erates under the tradition "Quality fencing by an old fencing family." Fifty plus years ago, Albert Sil- vestri Sr. returned from service in Eu- rope to pick up where he left off at Walpole Woodworkers in Massachu- setts. Later, he was joined by his younger brother, Fred. Thirteen years later, he was sent to Western Con- necticut to expand the service of qual- ity cedar fence to Fairfield and Westchester (New York) Counties. Silvestri Fencing, Jim told us, is in the Greater Danbury area, and is the largest fencing sales and installation company. They serve Fairfield, Litch- field, New Haven and Westchester Counties. The company has done work for parks and recreation departments, schools, and youth baseball organiza- tions throughout the state. Additionally, the company num- bers in their clients a large group of builders, country clubs, and corpora- tions. Jim told us that the company spe- cializes in all types of fencing, includ- ing cedar fencing (privacy, picket, post and rail as well as custom designs), vinyl fencing (also privacy, picket, post and rail), aluminum fencing, chain link fencing (including black color coated), entrances/gates (custom wood, ornamental steel, gate opera- tors/access controls), arbors and per- golas (cedar and vinyl/PVC), railings, decks, porch, aluminum, vinyl and custom wood. We then asked Jim what he thought the residential outlook was for his market area and he told us that he is hoping not to go backwards. He doesn't expect tremendous growth this coming year, and says that if he sees a 5% increase he will be pleased. We next asked if the company has participated, over the past couple of years, in any projects that they knew were tied to the federal stimulus bill, and he said, "very simply, not really." However, he says that he has seen a lot of paving and road work. We then asked whether the com- pany had instituted any cost saving measures over the past few seasons, and were told that they re-visited in- surance issues, lowered salaries during the past year and had everyone tight- ening their belts. When we asked whether the com- pany tries to sell additional items along with their fence jobs, Jim told us "yes" and he mentioned pergolas and high- end gates and trellises, for example. We also asked about the economy in the area, and we were told that it MEMBER * ...and beyond! Delivered In 2 To 3 Days A monthl y column of industr y bits & pieces contin ued on pa g e 24