Courtesy Munter
By Christine Graf
Middle Grove-based Munter Enterprises, a construction and real estate development company that recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, continues to experience high demand for their services. The family-owned business offers design-build and general contracting services to commercial and industrial clients, providing them with comprehensive guidance through all stages of construction.
“We’re seeing a lot of activity in terms of our manufacturing clients that are needing to expand and build. This is good news because that means more jobs, and these local manufacturing jobs are vitally important to keep our economy strong,” said Michael Munter, vice president of Munter Enterprises.
The company has numerous projects in the works including two at the WJ Grande Industrial Park in the City of Saratoga Springs. Within the park, they are constructing a 50,000-square-foot building for Soleno, a Canadian company that manufactures drainage pipe used for storm water management. For Soleno, it will be their first U.S. manufacturing facility. The company has announced that they will consider adding a 25,000-square-foot expansion to the building in the coming years if demand for their product continues to rise.
Their second industrial park project is a 30,000-square-foot expansion to a building Munter Enterprises originally designed and constructed for AgroChem in 2015. AgroChem produces advanced chemical solutions that help dairy farmer produce high-quality milk with maximum efficiency.
Both projects will be completed before the end of the year.
Munter Enterprises is also building a 25,000-square-foot building for Espey Manufacturing & Electronics in Saratoga Springs. Espey designs and manufactures specialized parts used on ships, armored vehicles and locomotives for the military, defense contractors, aerospace manufacturers and shipbuilders.
“This new facility is replacing a dated structure on their property. It is being built specifically to accommodate a contract they were awarded to conduct testing for the U.S. Navy. We anticipate completion in the second quarter of this year,” said Munter.
Other projects that are currently underway include a 1,200-square-foot fitness center expansion at The Water’s Edge Community on Saratoga Lake as well as a 12,000-square-foot addition for G&G Industrial Lighting. With a new location in Malta at the former NYSERDA property, G&G manufactures innovative LED lighting products for harsh environments. Both projects have estimated completion dates in June.
“Additionally, we are in the ground on a 40,000-square-foot manufacturing and shipping expansion at Environment One in Niskayuna where they manufacture sewer ejector pumps and ship them worldwide,” said Munter. “If all goes as expected, this one should be done in December.”
Work is also in progress for Luizzi Brothers at their industrial park expansions in Watervliet and Green Island where Munter Enterprises has been contracted to install over 200,000 square feet of concrete foundations and furnish and erect the steel buildings.
Work will begin this summer on the second of two 80-boat storage buildings the company was enlisted to build for Yankee Boats in Lake George. The first building was completed in late 2023, just in time for the winter storage season.
“Being a design/build contractor, at any given time, we have as many projects on the drawing board as we do in the field. One notable one right now is a new clubhouse for the Ballston Spa Country Club. That project is currently in design, and construction will commence this fall when the golf season tails off,” said Munter.
Although material prices continue to rise, Munter reports that prices have generally stabilized.
“Now, we are just seeing the typical market increases. We are no longer seeing the big swings that we did when we were coming out of the pandemic. The price of lumber came back to close to normal, but steel did not. It is continuing to go up.”
While lead times have improved for most products, shortages still exist.
“We are still experiencing some long lead times on items—specifically on the electrical side. For some jobs, we have to wait over a year to get the panels needed,” said Munter. “We have jobs that are done but that are sitting there waiting for electrical gear.”
Munter Enterprises has 40 employees and relies on subcontractors for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and other specialty trades. With an industry-wide skilled labor shortage that remain critical, Munter said his company is “always hiring.”
As the chair of the Saratoga, Warren, Washington Workforce Development Board, Munter is working with their local Career One Stop job centers as well as industry leaders and organizations including WSWHE BOCES and the Northeast Construction Trades Workforce Coalition. They are collaborating on a variety of initiatives to encourage and enable young people to pursue skilled trade careers.
“We are optimistic about our workforce development efforts,” he said. “More young people are interested in the trades and our goal is to be able to facilitate better paths for them to get training and find career opportunities.”