Page 14 - Texas811 Magazine 2020 Issue 4

ZTEX Construction, Inc. Growing in West Texas
By Michael Downes 811 Magazines
Aheavy civil contractor company is growing rapidly in West Texas, despite the COVID-19 pandemic that has slowed many aspects of the nation’s economy.
ZTEX Construction, Inc. is a vertically integrated heavy civil contractor
that provides earthwork, concrete, underground utilities, asphalt paving, and overall project management in
El Paso and southern New Mexico. Their unique approach to business and construction has helped them weather the construction industry’s ups and downs.
Richard L. Ortiz, the company owner, said despite the uncertainty in the economy, their company continues to grow — and they are currently looking to hire more workers in the field.
He started the company in 2006 with just himself and seven employees. They now have 350 employees and are still growing and continuously hiring. ‘’Thankfully, we haven’t skipped a beat with COVID,” said Mr. Ortiz.
One key to the company’s success is their somewhat unusual structure. ZTEX has 250 pieces of equipment and fleet vehicles. They also have their own IT, marketing, safety department, surveyors, operators, and mechanics
that repair their heavy equipment and other construction necessities. That vertical integration means the company can respond to changes quicker than other businesses of their type.
“It makes us unique. We don’t have to rely as much on outside services, which makes things run smoother,” said Mr. Ortiz.
The company has a tradition of promoting from within when possible. Even the Vice President, Joaquin Royo, started with a shovel. He learned every aspect of construction until
he rose to his current level, stated
Mr. Ortiz. The company also offers mentorship, training, apprenticeship, and certification programs to help
the company as a whole and help
the individual grow. We cross-train
our administrative staff to alleviate growing pains. Every single one of
our employees has earned their keep through sweat, dedication, and hard work, Mr. Ortiz added.
The company’s first few projects were primarily outlet malls, but they soon grew to a variety of general construction projects.
Mr. Ortiz is a big supporter of new technology and marketing. He is heavily involved in the integration of new technology assets. Marketing Director
Priscilla Rodriguez said, “one of the biggest accomplishments for the survey, marketing, and the company was the launch of 3D Photogrammetry. This technology uses photographs to detect and measure the distance between points on a terrain. The technology records 3D motion fields, renders
3D mapping, generates a report, and provides a Digital Elevation Model (DEM)”. “Using Photogrammetry saves us time and money when surveying our projects. A 125-acre site survey went from taking three weeks to complete to only three days,”, said Mr. Ortiz.
“Incorporating technology into
the company helped bridge the communications gap and stay one step ahead of growth challenges. It took a while to get the team tech-savvy, but now they all have emails and tablets and can communicate directly and do daily reports from the job site instantly,” said Mr. Ortiz.
“We have learned from experience the importance of communication and teamwork. Everyone works as a team to get things resolved. The company works with the mindset of urgency to react
to problems and communicate to help resolve them. We can change movement and employees from one jobsite to the other on the spot to meet unexpected challenges and avoid setbacks. We take
12 • Texas811 2020, Issue 4