execute requires years of preliminary groundwork, working through red tape spanning multiple government levels and Indigenous organizations. “When we work with government-operated and funded airport programs, we may start engagement four or five years before the project actually happens on the ground,” Fenelon reveals.“You have to spend a couple of years getting approval for a gravel source, approval for funding, and design of the runway reconstruction.” The complexity deepens when considering material logistics. Products must arrive via winter roads the fiscal year before construction, then wait through spring thaw until the brief summer work window opens. Success demands more than patience. With over 100 gravel runways already treated across North America, Midwest has learned that technical excellence alone doesn’t secure projects.“We have to build trust.It really is a partnership,”Vitale emphasizes.“We manufacture and develop products, but we sell results. We don’t sell products. It requires engagement on our part and their part to work together for project success.” The human element proves especially critical given workforce challenges.“The key is having really good staff employed and retaining that good staff,” Vitale notes. Training becomes an ongoing investment. “We’re expanding our team to provide the services, support, and training,” he continues.“We’re engaging more in training airport runway management and maintenance staff on how to use our products initially and maintain that runway over time.” Andrews emphasizes community importance: 126 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 08
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