History of Scheck
It was no surprise when Rich Scheck enrolled in 1962 at Washburn Trade School in the pipefitters apprenticeship program. His father, Alfred Scheck, had been a union pipefitter for 50 years. But even Rich could not have anticipated the success that Scheck Industries would achieve over 30 years.
“When I went to work for Rich in 1984; he said his goal was to have a ‘nice, small piping business,’” recalls employee Ron Ward. “The first job I worked on was the remodel of Building No. 6 at Corn Products. You couldn’t have asked for a better person to work with. Rich was so organized – he taught me the importance of efficiency.”
In May of 1984 Scheck Mechanical Corporation opened their first office with two desks snugly placed on the first floor of Unique Plumbing on 47th Street in Brookfield. Rich and Kathy Dalmer managed the office while 10 people worked in the field. Corn Products was the Company’s first customer.
“When we opened the business in 1984, I answered the phone for a plumber and a dentist in addition to Scheck Mechanical to help make ends meet. But our sales the first year totaled $800,000 and we thought we had reached the pinnacle of success!” Kathy said.
Even with a move to a much larger office space upstairs, our growing staff of salesman, estimators and project managers soon outgrew the Unique Plumbing building. In 1986 Scheck purchased their first property with an overwhelming 6,000 square feet of shop and office space.
“It was the most challenging yet rewarding time of my career to see our small company take off so fast,” said Rich Scheck. “The key ingredient to our success was the loyal, dedicated workforce that started working with me back then; and our workforce is still the key to our success today.”
In May of 1984 Scheck Mechanical Corporation opens its first office on the first floor of Unique Plumbing on 47th Street in Brookfield, IL. The Company lands it first projects at Corn Products International and Best Foods.
Scheck purchases its first property in Justice, IL with 6,000 square feet of shop and office space.
Scheck starts its instrumentation company, Scheck Technical Services, and is awarded a six-week instrument project at Kellogg’s in Battle Creek, Michigan, which begins 20 years of work at that facility. Richard Scheck is elected Secretary Treasurer of the National Instrument Contractors Association, a post he still holds today.
The Scheck team is brought to Dearborn, MI to rescue a 1200MW co-generation project with an international EPC firm. After a three-day evaluation of the project by Scheck management, 300 employees from the EPC firm are deployed to perform the balance of the project, increasing productivity by 40 percent.
With the pulp and paper business on the rise, Scheck opens Scheck Mechanical Wisconsin Corporation and immediately becomes a recognized national specialty contractor for the pulp and paper market.
Scheck Industrial Corporation, the Company’s boiler division, is started in St. Paul, MN with a branch in Grand Rapids, MN. In 2005 the main office of Scheck Industrial is moved to Carlyle, IL to concentrate on power work in southern Illinois and Missouri. In 2014, Scheck Industrial Corporation moved to a new location in Mount Vernon, Illinois.
Scheck opens New Jersey office after securing project with PSEG Utility Company, which leads to multiple projects in the New Jersey area including a clean fuels project at Conoco Phillips Refinery.
Scheck’s affiliation with NASCAR’s Rusty Wallace Racing Inc., and later with Clint Bowyer Racing, is viewed as another first in the industry and strategically promotes Scheck’s commitment to safety.
Scheck enters the world of semi-conductors with a large expansion project in Michigan.
Scheck receives 16 safety awards for its safety excellence, innovative programs and effective project compliance.
Richard Scheck retires from 20 years of community service as Mayor of North Riverside and receives a congratulatory letter from President Obama.
Scheck celebrates 25 years in business and the company was highlighted in Engineering News Record’s anniversary issue.
Changing of the Guard: Rich N. Scheck steps down as president and appoints Randy C. Peach as successor.
Mr. Peach has over 25 years of extensive construction expertise and experience at all levels, including field and management. For the past 13 years, he served as vice president of operations of Scheck Industries, and has been instrumental in the success of Scheck Industries.
Scheck marks an important safety milestone: 7 million man hours in the field without a lost-time injury in 7 years.
Our past has been very successful and the future is extremely bright for Scheck Industries!
Scheck relocates company Headquarters: After two plus decades in Countryside, IL, the new offices are located at One East Oak Hill Drive, Suite 100, Westmont, IL, 60559 just 10 miles from the company’s current location.
Additionally, Scheck expanded its presence in the Midwest with a Construction Support Division in Indiana located at 1070 Cline Ave. in Schererville, Indiana.