CRAFT MECHANICAL: Finds niche in diversity, business driven by passion
A first-generation immigrant, Manny Rey was just 5 years old when he moved from Mexico to Illinois with his family in pursuit of a better life. Even in the face of challenges, his unwavering ambition and fierce determination kept him on the path toward fulfilling his version of the American Dream. Rey’s interest in the skilled trades began after high school when he enrolled in an HVACR Certificate course at the College of DuPage. It didn’t take long for him to submit applications for apprenticeship to all the local union trades, but the pipefitters were the first to call. During his second year, Rey also began taking night classes in pursuit of his bachelor’s degree in business — a move prompted by his wife.
“She’s the whole reason I went to college, and I’m really glad she pushed me in that direction,” Rey said, noting successful roles after graduation as project engineer and, later, project manager. “During that process I fell in love with the office side of the industry. The office is really at the forefront of everything that’s done in the field, and your boots on the ground team is hopefully executing from your strategies and processes.”
Today, Rey is the proud owner and founder of Craft Mechanical, a full-service mechanical contractor dedicated to delivering superior service and craftsmanship to commercial clients in the Chicagoland area. His 10-person team is small by design to ensure complete customer dedication and sustainable business growth.
“What sets us apart is that we’re small enough to be able to dedicate our best resources to every job and can easily pivot strategies and processes if we have to,” he said. “With bigger companies and more people working there, it unfortunately lends itself to drops in communication. At my company, as a customer you have a direct line of communication and are usually dealing with me no matter what.”
Craft Mechanical is still a fledgling company, having formed a short five years ago, but it’s seen some big changes in that time. For instance, the company was originally only signatory to Pipefitters Local 597. However, being in such a competitive market made it necessary for Rey to reach out to SMART Local 73 and take steps toward adding sheet metal to their growing list of services.
“We have to be in this space because we were missing out on a lot of opportunities for work,” he said. “Being able to offer the full mechanical package is what owners and GCs want.”
It doesn’t hurt that Craft Mechanical proudly holds minority-owned business certifications, which was the driving force behind starting his own company.
“After previously working for bigger mechanical companies, I saw that there was a gap in the market for a good, professional, diverse business,” Rey said. “Craft Mechanical as a great HVAC company at its core and just so happens to be diverse. People really see the value we’re able to provide, and that’s why we continue to grow.”
Craft Mechanical serves a variety of markets, including central plants, data centers, education, healthcare, high rise buildings, manufacturing and more. Last year, the team wrapped up a design-build project for a food manufacturing facility, using 3D modeling and partnering with an engineer to ensure accuracy and efficiency from concept through completion.
No matter what challenges are thrown his way, Rey is committed to always “fighting and growing and building.”
“I truly have a passion for what I do. Don’t get me wrong — it’s a roller coaster, but to me it doesn’t really feel like ‘work,’” he said. “You only get one time on this earth. Don’t let anyone hold you back or direct your future for you. You owe it to yourself to build on the person you want to be, the life you want to see and the career you want to be successful in.”