Taylor Electric, Salt Lake City

Taylor Electric Still Going Strong After 30 Years

Taylor Electric was founded in 1975 by Jerry Taylor. In more than three decades of business, the company has helped build some of the largest construction projects in Utah, including the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake, the McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden, and Blue Cross Blue Shield Corporate Offices.

Vice president Ryan Taylor, Jerry's son, has been working for his father's company since he was 12. He recalled doing all sorts of odd jobs as a youngster, eventually moving up the company ladder to where he's at today.

"When I first started out," Taylor said, "I'd come into the shop and do whatever was needed - sort nuts and bolts, sweep, labor-type stuff. I did that for a couple of summers, got into expediting, delivering goods to jobs. I eventually started working on job sites and went through my apprenticeship."

Taylor said his firm currently employs about 160 workers in the field, and right now, they're all busy. Finding new help hasn't been easy, but the company has been able to recruit via word-of-mouth advertising.

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"Labor is certainly an issue," said Taylor. "But we've been able to hold our own so far. It's getting tougher. Kids coming out of high school don't look at construction like they used to. We get our newer apprentices through trade schools, and we also fill jobs through word of mouth."

Taylor said a kid fresh from high school can earn around $10-$12 an hour as a 'newbie' or first-year apprentice, while journeymen fetch more than double that. However, he said wages haven't necessarily kept up with the cost of living, which can make it even harder to lure long-term employees to the industry.

Taylor Electric recently finished working on the Emma Eccles Jones Building at the U of U, and the company is also working on projects like RiverPark Corporate Center in Sandy, and a building for the University of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas.

Most of the firm's work is done for the biggest general contractors in the region, and Taylor said design-build is a preferred delivery method.

"Design-build gives you better control over how the job is put together," he said. "In a true design-build we work with the architect and general (contractor). It cuts out some red tape and helps the job flow a lot better. It certainly has its advantages."

According to the company's website, Taylor Electric has completed more than $350 million worth of electrical construction in its history.