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| Business World Magazine |
November 2012
lining up to build buildings this way,” he
adds. “It’s really the way to go. There’s more
to it than just the longevity of the building
–
stainless building envelopes also save en-
ergy. Stainless steel is a very efficient thermal
and solar reflector, so a stainless-clad build-
ing provides a degree of insulation that other
materials typically do not.”
Stainless steel is also dirt resistant, so
buildings made with the material only need
to be cleaned infrequently to make them
look brand new again. Even a building with
45
years of dirt can be fully restored with
nothing more than soap and rags – no other
building material can say the same.
The one downside, Halliday explains,
is the initial cost of stainless steel can be
higher than other materials. The trade off,
however, is it requires a lower maintenance
cost and saves energy. “Frankly, you’re doing
the right thing when you use our stuff,” he
says. “It’s the most underappreciated mate-
rial on earth because it does so much.”
Contrarian’s choice of material goes a
long way to setting the company above and
beyond when it comes to the building mate-
rials market – but it doesn’t get them all the
way there. They also go out of their way to
provide exceptional customer service, Hal-
liday says. That starts with putting a lot of
effort into ensuring the right grade and the
right finish of the metal is supplied for the
environment.
“
If you start there, you manage two-
thirds of the risk,” he says. “Our customers
have come to trust our judgment and our
help in keeping them out of trouble, and
helping them manage risk.”