Medford Wellington Service Company is symbolic of a construction industry that has been radically transformed. This family company with more than half a century of history behind it is now the business continuity company that offers commercial services and construction expertise to clients across New England.
The company has expanded its presence in western Massachusetts with the acquisition of Rich Strong Air Conditioning in Hatfield and can now serve clients from southern Connecticut to Portland, Maine and across to New Hampshire with over 130 employees.
Medford Wellington’s reach isn’t just geographic. It lives up to its one-stop shopping goal by offering refrigeration, electrical, plumbing, sheet metal and HVAC services.
“If it’s 90 degrees at your restaurant and the air conditioning breaks down, we’re the people you call,” said CEO Michael LaCrosse, who’s taken over long-time leader and ABC Legend John Annarelli, Jr. “Maybe the bathroom isn’t working. We can handle that, too.”
The company even has a mobile refrigerated storage trailer into which clients can move their products.
“If the refrigeration goes down at a restaurant, we can back up the trailer to their kitchen door, load their product in it, and employees can use it as an auxiliary refrigerator without risk of spoilage” La Crosse said.
Medford Wellington is dealing with the same skills gap that affects so much of the construction industry. LaCrosse doesn’t expect it to end anytime soon, so the company is always seeking to diversify its workforce, reaching out to younger people, women, and others who have not traditionally been part of the industry.
But Medford Wellington has taken its efforts much farther. The Gould Construction Institute, ABC MA’s education partner, will open its first brick and mortar facility this fall in the company’s Billerica building. To augment Gould’s offerings, Medford Wellington has been offering its own programs, which include both day and night-time training, for over 15 years.
But they don’t stop there. Medford Wellington also offers career road mapping for its employees.
“One of our plumbers is now learning HVAC,” La Crosse said. “There are a variety of career paths here, depending on what an employee likes and is good at.”
As construction workers get older, many seek roles that are easier on their bodies. At Medford Wellington, they can continue their careers in areas such as quoting, sales, safety or dispatching. And all these family-supporting careers are accessible without the burden of college debt.
Going forward, the company plans to continue growing and seeking to partner with companies like Rich Strong. Change is the only constant in the construction industry, and Medford Wellington is well positioned to adapt and continue to thrive.