The Helm Group Named ENR's Top Specialty Contractor for 2021

Abstract

Reporting more than $388 million in 2021 Midwest regional revenue, and with a slate of interesting and complex projects, The Helm Group, Inc. has earned the designation of ENR's Top Specialty Contractor for 2021. One of its recent projects is the $450 million Rush University Medical Center-Joan and Paul Rubschlager Building in Chicago where Helm was the HVAC contractor for a 10-story, 480,000-sq-ft, $32 million outpatient care center and a six-story, 900-space parking facility. A smaller project is Grown Farms in Freeport, Ill. where Helm did HVAC and plumbing for a 3,000-sq-ft facility for cultivating medical cannabis, and helped select and design equipment to maximize the plants' growth. Looking to the future, Helm will provide mechanical, plumbing and other specialty services for the 950,000-sq-ft DeKalb Data Center in DeKalb, Ill. which will have more than 120,000 feet of piping and 475,000 pounds of ductwork. Helm Group's Midwest revenue took a dip during the height of the pandemic, but has recovered well. Brian Helm, president and CEO, says the company has addressed recent challenges such as supply chain delays by focusing on planning and communication. "We're trying to get kids interested in design and construction so that we can increase their career options and hopefully convince them that construction is an excellent career choice," Helm said.