Shortages of labor and materials are giving companies headaches.
- Michael Bistline is hoping to bring some targeted relief through a new venture launched this month by his Harrisburg-area business, Phillips Workplace Interiors.
- The venture is called Condivx and it aims to serve as a one-stop shop for general contractors looking for subcontractors at a time of high demand short supply.
- “What we’re doing is saying, ‘Let us help you.’ Instead of finding five subcontractors, call us and we will find them,” said Bistline, a co-owner of Phillips Workplace Interiors.
How is it pronounced: With an emphasis on the middle: kuhn-DIV-icks.
- The new name allows the venture to stand apart from Phillips, a name that many people associate with office furniture and copiers, said Bistline.
- Condivx is operating under the umbrella of Phillips, which Bistline and a colleague, Hope Roadcap, purchased in 2018 from members of the Phillips family.
Where does it come from: Condivx is derived from the classification system of construction divisions used by architects when they put out bids, said Bistline.
- There are 16 divisions overall, covering everything from concrete to plumbing to electrical. Look it up on Wikipedia.
- Condivx initially planned to focus on the 10th – represented by the Roman numeral X – which covers interior work such as bathroom partitions, locker rooms and signage.
- However, Condivx plans to fold in other types of work as it grows, Bistline said. “The X can be whatever we want it to be.”
What’s next: Bistline expects the venture to bring in revenue of about $5 million this year, adding to the $20 million in revenue projected from Phillips.
- The venture currently employs eight people but Bistline hopes it can double by the end of the year. Phillips employs 36 people.
- He also sees potential for revenue at Condivx to double annually for the next three years.
- “There’s such a need in the marketplace for a simplified subcontracting methodology,” Bistline said.
–by Joel Berg, editor of biznewsPA
