Business View Magazine - Dec 2023

opportunity here for professionals. And there’s a vacuum in the trades, everybody, my generation and younger, were really pressed to go to school, get a good education, and get a job out of the trades.” To counter this, Davis made an unconventional move, establishing a rigorous training program and investing time and resources into developing a skilled, reliable, and dedicated team. “We don’t have subcontractors, it’s all employees,” he imparts. “I have an online class, and I just build them from the ground up. You have to hire on character, and then develop the skills. A lot of the gentlemen that I find are really good humans.” Along with the GCA training program, Davis also instills financial literacy and life skills, fostering personal growth. In order to find those employees who will be able to withstand the long hours and commitment required for the construction trades, Davis has hired a personal trainer, and asks employees to meet him at the gym every morning at 9 a.m. “The trainer is really hard on them, and we try to get them to quit as fast as humanly possible,” he admits. “I’m going to spend 1000s of hours and 1000s of dollars on trying to develop you into a decent actual tradesmen, which takes years to do. It really has helped me not waste my resources on people that aren’t willing to work that hard. Most people would never wake up at 5 a.m. to go to the gym, and the people that would, those are the ones that I can actually mold. You have to have that grit because it’s hot out there, and the job is really tough, and there’s a lot of pain in construction.” For those that stick it out, the rewards are worthwhile, bringing financial security, and quality of life. “They want to be in the company, we do company events, and we do an annual cruise every year where we book a private charter. It’s the trip of the year,” he says. NAVIGATING CHALLENGES AND EMBRACING CHANGE For years Davis says he has been aware of a lack of ethical practices in the industry, along with unregulated subcontracting, and a focus on bottom- dollar efficiency. Setting out to defy these norms, he emphasizes the need for internalizing various aspects of the business, from design to installation, fostering a streamlined and efficient operation that significantly improves profit margins. But he stresses that the transition wasn’t just about reshaping the business model, it was about changing the narrative. In an industry known for its lack of regulation and transparency, Gulf Coast Aluminum aims to bring a sense of professionalism, integrity, and responsibility. Future plans for the company involve searching for an industrial space to move to, given that the present location is adjacent to a solid waste facility. “It’s zoned as industrial, and it’s the only solid waste disposal plant around Lee County, so they can’t really move. As they grind up all the stuff it gets in the air, covers the cars, and people are getting sick,” says Davis. He reports that the challenge is that 99% of all property in Lee County is currently leased, and purchasing a building is difficult due to the high cost of industrial real estate in the area. The aluminum industry, like any other, faces challenges. From regulatory uncertainties to market fluctuations, Gulf Coast Aluminum has not been immune. However, Davis remains proactive. He serves on the state board of the aluminum association, engaging with regulatory bodies to 35 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 12 GULF COAST ALUMINUM