Founded in 1971, E.L. Pruitt Co. is a leading provider of HVAC systems, plumbing, piping, site utilities, civil work and manhole restoration restoration for commercial, industrial, institutional and service/maintenance clients in central Illinois.
Fifty Years Strong in 2021
In 1971, Ed Pruitt Sr. founded E.L. Pruitt Co. The business started as a successful sheet metal and roofing company for residential and commercial businesses. In 1980, Ed Sr. sold his business to sons, John and Ed, Jr. for a 50/50 split. Ed. Sr. passed away in 1983 and his sons expanded services and looked for growth opportunities.
"The secret of your success is determined by your daily agenda." John Maxwell
Growth and Expansion
E.L. Pruitt Co. expanded its services in the mid 1980s. In 1984, the company added the piping trade followed by plumbing services in 1989. Both trades became crucial to the business. A piping fabrication shop was added in 1999, making production and quality control of these services much more efficient for the customer.
In 1990, the sheet metal shop began to use its first coil line. This allowed for increased productivity due to automation of the system. Our craft masters now had a path to increased production of large-capacity jobs. Demand for large-capacity jobs grew and technology continued to evolve. In 2009, a newly updated coil line was added, along with a plasma table and a water jet line. Rapid productivity exploded for large commercial, industrial and institutional jobs. Reduction of scrap due to frugal material utilization saved customers and the company material, time and money. Efficiency was now a key focus of E.L. Pruitt, Co.
In 1997, John bought Ed Jr.’s half of the business. Under his leadership, the business moved its focus away from residential and strictly toward commercial and industrial jobs in Illinois. The company continued to grow, and jobs poured in throughout central and southern Illinois. In 2011, a Decatur location was added to meet demand.
Challenges
E.L. Pruitt Co. has weathered memorable business hardships along with many other companies throughout our country. Sky-rocketing interest rates in the 1970s coupled with great inflation led to a recession. After overcoming the market roller coaster, three more recessions followed in 1987, 1991 and 2001. In 1991, a technology bubble required businesses to spend money to grow and try to recover income that had bounced during the inflation and recessions. In 2013, the Illinois state budget crisis began making it difficult for institutions to fund improvements for their facilities. Businesses were left with completed jobs that were now unpaid.
"I'm convinced that about half of what separates successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance." Steve Jobs
Technology
The past fifty years, technology has continuously evolved, making production more efficient. In 1987, plasma cutting tables were developed. Next came the coil line in the 1990s. Production in sheet metal shops boomed. In 1999-2000, computer-aided drafting came into play, making designs precise and resourceful for our company, contractors and customers.
Service
The company's service division has experienced rapid growth with highly skilled technicians who handle 24/7 emergency calls for HVAC and plumbing issues as well as regularly scheduled maintenance for customers. Our HVAC factory-trained technicians service and provide routine maintenance programs on a variety of equipment. Our plumbing team can clear most obstructions with our equipment and our field personnel have 24/7/365 access to any additional equipment required for emergency after hours service.
Iconic Projects
One of the company’s first projects was Graham Hospital. Healthcare has continued to expand providing us with hospital and clinic expansions and renovations throughout central Illinois including a variety of projects with Blessing Health System, Hospital Sisters Health System and Memorial Health System. School districts have utilized our expertise including: Athens, Ball Chatham, Beardstown, Decatur Public Schools, Herrin, Pleasant Plains, Sacred Heart Griffin, Springfield District 186, Williamsville-Sherman and others. You will also find our work in many restaurants and food service businesses including Bunn Gourmet, Dominos Pizza, Harvest Market, Mission BBQ/MOD Pizza, Portillos and more. Other project highlights include:
- Akorn Pharmaceuticals expanded their Decatur location. We provided panelized wall systems, plumbing and HVAC work along with complete design in all three trades.
- Memorial Medical Center added a new patient care tower that required us to use our first mechanical racking system for expedited project completion.
- Springfield Downtown YMCA: In 2020, we completed HVAC system including boiler/piping; packaged rooftop units w/energy recovery; fan powered terminal air units w/hot water reheat; pool dehumidification systems & custom fabricated ductwork.
- State Farm: In 2000, our company finished a 1 million square foot ventilation job on the State Farm Corporation South addition.
- St. John’s Hospital also renovated an existing patient care tower that we provided our craftsmanship in all trades.
Community Partnerships
E.L. Pruitt Co. is most proud of our history of giving back to the community. We proudly partner with several active and charitable organizations including: The Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Illinois, Central Illinois Food Bank, Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach, Memorial Medical Center Foundation, St. John's Health Foundation and the Springfield YMCA. We look forward to continuing to partner with them.
"The road to success is always under construction" Arnold Palmer