Legacy of a century: R.H. White Companies in Auburn marks 100 years of construction

AUBURN – A few hundred yards from where the Massachusetts Turnpike rumbles right above the start of Central Street, the mechanical arm of an Insley excavator appears to the left of the road on an islet of grass among anything else that is new and modern.

The words “R.H. WHITE” bow above “CONSTRUCTION CO.” in white lettering on the roof's eaves, below which human arms once pulled and pushed the now-rusted metal tendons holding together the excavator.

The excavator is a testament to a long-ago construction gear company that precedes even the machine itself.

R.H. White Companies' construction and underground divisions handle construction projects dealing with energy and utility, water and sewage treatment plants, and more traditional structures such as buildings and sports arenas.

The background behind the excavator, a taupe-colored building, is the main training grounds for its workforce where 100 years ago, a barn once stood but has since been absorbed by the current building.

That was where its founder, Ralph H. White, then the Auburn fire chief, started the company in 1923, later helped by his son Leonard H. White.

One can’t help noticing the similarities in the facial features between them and David H. White, now the chairman of the board, who pointed at photos of his grandfather and father during a recent visit.

The photographs, alongside small inscriptions next to them, sit behind the glass of a wooden cabinet at the entrance to the building – a dedication by White to his predecessors.

"We've been around for a long time, and we have a very strong foundation,” said White, 71. “We've existed through that for the good and the bad, tough times, and there's not a lot of company can say they've done that.

“And to survive and stay family-owned is extremely impressive, particularly today.”

Focusing on water and sewer piping, the company started out strong with its first major project in 1933 installing dewatering pumps in Boston’s Sumner Tunnel.

During World War II, the company expanded into building projects at local textile mills.

Still in his 20s, Leonard joined his father’s venture in 1946, right after his three years of service during World War II in the South Pacific.

Throughout the years, the company built water treatment and sewage treatment plants in Millbury, Westboro, Hopedale, Sturbridge, Warren, Leominster, Barre, Stockbridge and Falmouth, among others.

Services throughout New England

The company now stretches its services all throughout New England out of locations in Auburn and also in New Hampshire and Connecticut.

Passing on the torch to the younger generations has been a tradition that White saw firsthand when he was brought into business as a teenager as early as 1967 under his grandfather and father.

To him, working for the company right after earning a degree in civil engineering from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute was the only path that made sense.

"I was brought up and the only job I've ever had is working for R.H. White,” he said. “Working with them I learned that it’s all about people, employees and your customers.

“If you don't know your employees, you don't know your business. If you don't know your customers, you have no business.”

White was there during the $11 million expansion of the Wachusett Mountain Ski Area in Princeton in 1982, a project that the company took on despite the arduous commitment of constructing the base lodge, three chairlifts, more than 20 trails, a water supply pond, the installation of snowmaking equipment and construction of a pump station.

With many other projects in its book, the company has now developed to a staff of 500 employees, most of whom are trained in the main building using state-of-the-art equipment.

According to White, the company rakes in a healthy $160 million in annual revenues.

Since 2013, the company has also used the neighboring building for office space, which it purchased from the Knights of Columbus Auburn Council 4158.

“And there's the school bus contract with the Auburn school system,” as a Telegram & Gazette reporter put it in 1998, when the company turned 75.

Branching into school busing

Coined as R.H. White Bus Co., the branch was founded in 1932 with two 30-passenger Dodge school buses — a diversification strategy during the Great Depression.

It was stopped in 2007.

White’s daughter, Heather, managed the company, sounding a bit like her predecessors when describing her decision to join the company.

The 41-year-old now serves as the accounting manager in the finance department.

“They needed somebody to come in to manage that,” said Heather with a laugh. “It was a great opportunity.

“I feel truly honored to be part of the company and be involved. I take a lot of pride in being part of such a successful business.”

For Thomas, White's son, working for the company was a commitment that saw him become part of all departments.

Although now the president of the company, the 35-year-old said the hands-on work as a laborer was his favorite position he ever held.

“I loved being a laborer just being out in the field doing the work and solving problems,” said Thomas. “I got a better understanding of the work we do that way.

“The people I worked for when I was a laborer, were foremen at the time…I understand not only the problems that they encounter but the customer issues that they could have, the in-field issues that they run into.”

White said the company has over 350 backhoes and trucks, and about 1,000 smaller tools and rental equipment, all of which require as much as $4 million in yearly maintenance.

James E. McCarthy, the CEO, who started working at the company in 1985, said the company reinvests as much as $4 million in equipment maintenance.

A UMass Amherst graduate and a U.S. Army combat engineer but although not a White, he said that he always felt like more than just part of a business.

'A team sport'

“Construction is a team sport,” said McCarthy, 67. “The company has always been a fostering development, fostering a family atmosphere.”

In celebration of the 100th anniversary, Heather said the company raised about $300,000 that was split evenly between three charities of the employee’s choosing, according to Heather.

She said that this was in addition to the company’s yearly average of $150,000 to $200,000 given to local charities Easterseals of Massachusetts, Alzheimer's Association of MA/NH and the Greg Hill Foundation.

“We have always been an organization that takes care of our communities,” said Heather.

One hundred years from the year of foundation, White and McCarthy only half-joke that another 100 are in the future.

White attributed the company's ability to make it this far to his father's initiative to always focus on the community surrounding the business.

Leonard H. White died in 2014 at 94.

“We’ve spent our lives here,” said White. “I have spent my whole life, and Tom has spent his whole life here, Heather, my dad.

“It's, this is what we do, and we love what we do.”

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: R.H. White Companies in Auburn celebrates 100th year