Business View Magazine | December 2018

296 297 ufacturers that are related to the industry. So, as people come and go with other companies, we need to make Barbco an attractive place to work for them.We’re always more than willing to send people to technical trainings to get them more familiar with the equipment. Our employees here, who are more experienced, are also more than willing to show them how we do things here at Barbco.” “The corporate environment here is far differ- ent than most others,” he adds. “A lot of times, in similar industries, there’s no integration between people in the front office and the people actually building machinery. But, there’s a lot of integra- tion here, which makes it a very tight-knit com- pany, and an enjoyable place to work. That even goes to our relationships outside of the company. I think that the way that we deal with people, whether you’re a customer, whether you’re a deal- er, or whether you’re a fellow employee, there’s more of that family feel to it.” Barbco Inc.– a leader in the underground in- dustry. BARBCO INC. PREFERRED VENDOR n National Tube Supply www.nationaltubesupply.com National Tube Supply (NTS) is a leading national distributor of carbon and alloy mechanical tubing.With four warehouses located across North America, an extensive inventory and preci- sion-cutting services, NTS has been exceeding customer expecta- tions for more than 25 years.Our customers are our top priority and we work with them to determine the best solutions for their needs. For more information visit nationaltubesupply.com    part of the company’s agenda. “We work closely with Louisiana Tech University, and next week is the inauguration ceremony of their new facility, the Barbera Underground Infrastructure Research and Training Facility,” Barbera says. “The BUIRT is named after my grandfather and my great uncle for what they brought to the table in this industry - all the innovations and the way that the companies have become so much more than anybody ever planned.” The BUIRT will be operated by the Trenchless Technology Center (TTC) at the University and will be available for the research, development, and training for the entire trenchless technol- ogy industry, including TTC Specialty Schools such as Auger Boring School and Utility Inves- tigation School. In addition, it will be available for international equipment and material man- ufacturers and technology providers for R&D and technology validation. When Barbco, itself, needs trained workers for its own manufacturing operations, Barbera says that the company’s Midwestern location is an advantage. “Where we’re located, we’re in the heart of the industry,” he maintains. “There are a lot of contractors out here, a lot of man-