Construction and Engineering Awards 2020

53 Construction & Engineering Awards 2020 BUILD BUILD Construction & Engineering Awards 2020 52 ased in Ontario, Amachris specializes in custom retail interiors providing all clients with exceptional project management, general construction, and cost- engineering services. To start, Amanda gives us a brief overview of the firm and offers more insight into its client base and business strategy. “Amachris built its first series of stores in Vaughan Mills, a prominent mall in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) which included Royal Doulton, Armani Exchange, Benetton and Tommy Bahama. These projects truly launched the business and opened up some great business development opportunities. What began 16 years ago as a tiny start-up business operating out of a home office, is now a very successful organization. “Since inception, Amachris has completed hundreds of projects for valued clients in the retail industry. Over time, the company has developed strong relationships with its high-end customers (Peloton, Saint Laurent, Sephora and Gucci to name a few), landlords, architects, engineers and key suppliers. “Excellent customer service, cost-effective execution, and timely project delivery are the cornerstones of our business. Although Amachris is a Canadian-based company, several of our clients are based in the United States and Europe. The goal is to become the go-to general contractor and project management group for all clients when building stores in Canada.” Unlike other segments of the construction industry, retail construction is quite dynamic and store build requirements can vary greatly from one client to another. Moreover, as Amanda goes on to explain, “the team is able to cater to each client’s specific and unique needs based on decades of experience and a high-quality standard.” “Amachris’ detail-oriented and thoughtful project managers will successfully plan and execute according to a client’s specific needs by evaluating the cost of each project and developing key strategies to ensure a cost-effective buildout.” “The project management team can often reduce costs for our clients by looking at alternative materials and installation methods (value-engineering), while maintaining the integrity Best Custom Retail Build Specialists - Ontario Established in 2004, Amachris Corporation is a Canada-based company specializing in custom retail interiors for the world’s luxury retailers. Following their success in the Construction & Engineering Awards 2020, we got in touch with Amachris’ Business and Brand Manager, Amanda Pignotti to find out more. B Oct20012 of the store’s design. This is one of our most important differentiators and ultimately a value add for our clients.” Retail construction is a demanding and competitive market to operate in but as Amanda points out, identifying a niche has been one of the key factors behind the firm keeping itself ahead of its closest competitors. “To remain relevant we identify leading brands, acquire these accounts, and become integrated into their retail store build programmes. Each retailer and store requires a particular approach and with that we are able to differentiate ourselves. We identify exactly what each client needs and recommend solutions. By specifically targeting luxury retail brands, we are able to obtain a portion of the retail construction market share. Furthermore, it’s important to note that there are not many organizations out there who specialize solely in retail construction.” “Naturally, retail construction timelines consist of 8–20 week schedules, which is much different than other commercial and residential projects, which can span anywhere from 6–12 months or longer.” Given the recent outbreak of COVID-19, retailers have been greatly impacted by the pandemic, but as Amanda goes on to explain, maintaining strong client relationships and producing high-quality work has resulted in Amachris attracting new clients. “As e-commerce continues to grow and gain popularity both in Canada and around the world, it is critical that Amachris targets retailers whose products require store visits. For example, when purchasing a luxury item such as a Gucci bag, it is likely that a Gucci customer will want to visit the store to see and/or touch the product prior to purchasing it. An important part of the purchasing process is the luxurious in-store experience.” “The Amachris team is always learning about consumer habits to ensure our services remain relevant in a technologically savvy society. There are retailers such as Peloton that are actually expanding from e-commerce shops to physical spaces to house their product and provide stronger brand awareness. Furthermore, it is always critical to understand the retail market (where it is heading) and trends in products in order to successfully develop future business.” Finally, Amanda comments on the future of Amachris, sharing some of its plans for 2020 and beyond. “Currently, the business has seen sales growth year-over- year and a large contributor to this is our targeted business development strategies, digital and social media presence, community engagement, excellent subcontractors and suppliers, and most importantly, our top-notch project management services.” “Next year, we will invest in our digital presence, including new ad units running on Retail Insider , consistent social media posts, an updated digital portfolio, and updates to our current website! It is our hope that this will take the organization to the next level and bring on exciting new business development opportunities as we move through this challenging year into what we believe will be a strong 2021!” Company: Amachris Corporation Contact: Amanda Pignotti Web Address: www.amachris.com