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Learn about how our organization got started and how we got where we are today. *Environmental Cleansing Corporation is a   Chicago-area demolition firm that takes pride in an industry that creates new beginnings. Demolition work sometimes gets a bad rap in the movies or media. But in reality, demolition work is almost always highly beneficial to the public. It removes safety hazards and eyesores, and is the first step in the rebirth of a piece of property, a city block or an entire neighborhood. It's also the ultimate in recycling, reusing not only the materials from the demolished structure, but the property itself. "Let's face it, in a large, dense city like Chicago, the best property is already being used," said Dave Konopko, vice president of Environmental Cleansing Corporation (ECC), a demolition firm based in the southern Chicago suburb of Markham. "When you get to a point where the structure that's on that property has outlived its usefulness, demolition allows you to get a second, third or fourth use from that property. So while some people see what we do as the end of something , to us and our clients and most others affected by the job and it's the beginning. At ECC, we're proud to be a part of this industry." Dave and his brother, Matt Konopko, founded ECC in 1991. They are equal partners and co-owners of the company. Matt serves as president and does the estimating, job procurement and office work. Dave is vice president and is responsible for field activities. "In the beginning, ECC was just Dave and me and a couple of other guys," said Matt. "We had a lot of demolition experience that we had gained from working for another company and just decided we could do the work on our own. We worked out of the back of a pickup truck, basically using a wheel barrow and a sledge hammer." FULL-SERVICE FIRM As the name implies, Environmental Cleansing Corporation started with an emphasis on remediation and asbestos removal. Over the years, ECC has acquired equipment and grown considerably in the scope of its work. The company now employs between 20 and 35 people, depending on the work load. "We started out doing relatively small jobs for individuals," said Matt. "Then we got some jobs with contractors, and now much of our work is for developers. We've done interior demolition in downtown high-rises but our preference is for large, total-demolition jobs where we can use our equipment. That's where we're most cost-effective. It doesn't matter to us if it's industrial, commercial or residential. There's really not much of anything we can't or won't do." Recent large, high-profile jobs for ECC include demolishing the Pullman train factory, the Orland Park Place Mall, the convent and retirement home for the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago, and the Drury Lane Martinique Theater. "I'd say what sets us apart from some of our competitors is that we offer our clients a total package," said Dave. "Most sites have several issues that need to be addressed. We're licensed and capable of doing it all, from asbestos to demolition to handling tanks that may be on the property. We also do on-site crushing and screening. When we leave, the property is ready for the next phase. If necessary, we grade, add topsoil and apply seed. We have the equipment, the experience and the personnel to do almost any job cost effectively, in-house for our customers." Dave estimates that as much as 90 percent of the material at any ECC demolition job is recycled. "That's the name of the game for us.," he said. "All nonferrous metals- aluminum, copper, tin, and all the beams are recycled, as well as the concrete and even the common bricks. We send very little material to the landfill." FAMILY AFFAIR In addition to Matt and Dave, several other family members are involved in Environmental Cleansing Corp. Their sister, Kathy Buettner, runs the office, along with Matt's daughter Samantha. Other family members have also worked for ECC. The Konopkos count on estimator Bert Brewer and operators Larry Dreher and Hector Gutierrez. "It's very rare to find an experienced demolition operator who's not already working, so we train all our operators ourselves," said Dave. "They start out as laborers and work their way up, learning basic techniques. There's definitely some skill and even natural talent required to become a good operator. We only hire people who have talent, and we don't turn them loose until they also gain the skill and knowledge that go along with being a good wrecker. Our guys are all very good." RIGHT EQUIPMENT Beyond personnel, equipment is an equally important factor in the success of any demolition firm. ECC turns to Komatsu equipment from Roland Machinery in Bollingbrook for its key pieces, the hydraulic excavators. "We've used all different brands of excavators at one time or another, and for demolition, we believe that Komatsu can't be beat," said Dave. "They have excellent durability, excellent power, excellent productivity. But the big thing about Komatsu machines is the touch and feel you have with them, and that's crucial in this line of work. When you're reaching up and pulling or throwing a wall, you've got to be in control. When you grab something, you want to be able to lower it down safely and drop it just right. With their power and smoothness, Komatsus give us the type of control we want and need." ECC owns four Komatsu excavators (PC200LC-6, PC300LC-5, PC300LC-6 and PC400LC-6) and a WA450-1 Komatsu wheel loader. "The loader was used equipment when we bought it many years ago," Dave noted. "We haven't done anything other than put a couple of tires and a new bucket on it. It now has 22,000 hours and still runs like a top." In addition to the quality of the equipment, ECC turns to Roland for the product and service they provide. "When it came to buying our first machine, we were the new guys on the block and frankly, many dealers didn't give us the time of day," Matt recalled. "Mark (a Roland salesman) and my brother knew each other growing up. He came out to see us and quoted us some good equipment at good prices with good financing. We appreciated the faith Roland showed in us and they've been good partners ever since." HOT MARKET ECC works primarily in the Chicago metro area, including northwest Indiana. "It's a real hotbed for demolition," Dave noted. "It used to be that most demolition jobs were in the city, but now, large demolition jobs are becoming much more common in the suburbs as well." As for the future, both brothers say they're optimistic about what lies ahead. "I think we've developed a good reputation for giving our customers excellent service and a quality product at a fair price," said Matt. "As a result, the vast majority of our jobs are for repeat or referred clients and we hope that continues. Because our business is now largely with clients who have multiple properties, we believe if we do good work for them, we'll get our share of their future work as well." "Something else we're considering is buying some property, doing the demolition and developing projects all on our own," added Dave. "But whether it's for us or our clients, we're not going to change the way we do things. I judge the success of a project and the success of our company by the way a job looks when we leave, and we don't leave until it's done and done right. You can bet that will continue to be the case for as long as we're in business." ------------