Beck celebrates 25 years in Mexico

Two thousand eighteen was a memorable year at The Beck Group because the firm celebrated a significant accomplishment: 25 successful years in Mexico.

Over the last few decades, Beck’s team in Mexico has grown to approximately 150 employees. The office is led by Brad Phillips, CEO of Beck International and Humberto Treviño, Director General of Beck Mexico and his management team. Together, they have accomplished excellent results for Beck and its clients.

Operations in Mexico began in 1993 because leadership saw an opportunity in the Mexican market to merge best practices developed by Beck in the United States with local best practices in Mexico. After several years of consolidating a presence, Beck positioned itself from other construction service providers by focusing on its integrated design-build approach.

Revolutionizing the Industry

Historically, the AEC industry in Mexico awarded projects through hard bid price competitions. Firms that offered the lowest price would win a project, without the analysis of other variables that guarantee success like the right firm experience and expert talent.

Treviño is encouraged by and reflects on the changes to Mexico’s AEC market that Beck has championed, “There is an evolution happening in an industry with historically little collaboration. Bringing in architecture and preconstruction groups in the early stages of a project has vastly improved the process. There is more work to do, but this is one of the biggest changes the Mexican market is experiencing and is hungry for.”

“We also offer one point of contact with the client to maximize efficiency. This is important in the industry because projects that are not integrated rarely have common goals between teams. With different parties, coordination is more complicated than when architecture and construction services fall under the umbrella of one entity like Beck,” Treviño continues.

Pushing Forward Despite Market Challenges

The biggest challenge Beck Mexico faces is changing the mentality of a non-collaborative industry that has operated the same way for many years. Beck is not making a slight change; it is disrupting the commercial real estate market in Mexico.

The industry here is more labor-oriented than equipment- or technology-oriented like in the U.S., due mainly to low labor cost. For Beck, this is an opportunity to make an impact more quickly, with the right partnerships.

The integrated model in Mexico is not for everyone. The best partnerships are with owners and developers with more progressive mindsets. These leaders are not satisfied with previous experiences and are eager to explore new delivery methods. Treviño notes that Beck is fortunate that its strong reputation in the market helps open doors to these type of clients in Mexico.

Leading Into the Future

Beck Mexico will continue to sell its integrated design-build differentiator to clients interested in a new, more successful ways of delivering projects. So far, the firm’s efforts are well received by clients who understand the value in working with one entity.

With a focus on delivering the best service and best building, Beck is well-positioned to grow its portfolio of projects.

“We have a unique way in which we manage our projects. We are confident that we can count on the right resources and expertise to be successful with the right clients,” Treviño emphasizes.

Thanks to the addition of high-profile integrated projects with Tec de Monterrey in both Monterrey and Mexico City, among others, the future of Beck remains brighter than ever.