Pressing ahead┬áThe Dermot Company seeks to distinguish itself in the crowded New York City real estate development space with its integrated approach. Even as banks tighten the flow of money, the company continues to press forward, Greg Andrews discovers. The Dermot Company was founded in 1991 as a traditional real estate developer, seeking opportunities in the already crowded New York City-area marketplace.  Today, Dermot employs a range of business models and development techniques to bring apartment and mixed-use projects to fruition.

Detecting improvement┬áKeith Regan talks with the vice president of operations of First Texas Products to learn how continuous improvement and other techniques are being brought to bear on a market segment that has traditionally been dominated by smaller operations. Traditionally in the industry, the types of specialty products made by the brands of First Texas Products have been made in small batches by relatively small specialty manufacturers.

Growth┬áformula┬áThe Douglas Company believes in building strong relationships with its customers and its suppliers. Ben Sansom reports on a period of exceptional growth, and then focuses on projects coming to completion in Florida. Headquartered in Holland, near Toledo, Ohio, The Douglas Company has spent 33 years since its inception building a reputation and a thriving business in the construction industry.

As part of a resort project in British Columbia, Darwin Construction is building a conference facility to lure conventions to a small resort town, bringing jobs to the area, both construction and post-construction, Andrew Pelis learnsLocated in CanadaÔÇÖs only official desert, a boom in property construction is unfolding. The town of Osoyoos is situated in British Columbia, with the picturesque setting of Lake Osoyoos only four minutes from the US border; indeed, the lake itself sits in both countries.

Playing to its strengthsIn a climate in which decreased sales and profit are par for the course and have stopped being newsworthy, it comes as a welcome to hear that bucking the trend can, and is, happening, as Alan T Swaby learns. Cummins Power Systems is a Pennsylvania-based distributor of Cummins Engines, and its biggest customer is the truck industry. As such, it wouldnÔÇÖt normally surprise anyone to hear that it was having a bad time.

The fairway to success┬áWorld-leading private club business owner ClubCorp has built its reputation on serving the needs of its members. CEO and president Eric Affeldt tells Gay Sutton how he has continued to build on that focus while injecting a new dynamic and creativity into the business. Can there be any greater heaven for a man who is an avid golfer than to head up a company that operates over 170 private golfing, sports and business clubs across the United States?

A nautical convention┬áOn a nine-acre site overlooking the beautiful Cape Fear River in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina, the long-awaited Wilmington Convention Center is at last taking shape. Project manager Steve Bridges talks to Gay Sutton about building a new regional facility on a historic brownfield site. Situated between North CarolinaÔÇÖs Atlantic coast and the Cape Fear River, Wilmington is a historic port and railroad city with a thriving business and leisure community.

Making things right, fast┬áA member of the Otter Tail family of companies, BTD Manufacturing offers a range of design and manufacturing solutions to its customers. In todayÔÇÖs just-in-time environment, it also emphasizes the ability to deliver goods quickly.  ┬áItÔÇÖs been 30 years since Bismarck Tool and Die Co. came into existence, named after the North Dakota city where it was founded in 1979 by Erling Rasmussen and Paul White, Jr.

Tower of Wachovia┬áBatson-CookÔÇÖs construction of a 48-story office building for Wachovia Corporation overcame a number of challenges. April Terreri has the story. When the Wachovia First Street Office Tower project is complete early next year, it will be an example of a LEED-certified Gold building and one of the tallest and most design-innovative buildings in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Banking on oil┬áAbby Badwi of Bankers Petroleum talks to Ruari McCallion about names, exploration and being a Canadian company with the biggest stake in EuropeÔÇÖs largest onshore oilfield. The rapid rise in oil prices during 2007ÔÇô08 brought a lot of marginal fields into play and raised hopes for the profitability of hard-to-extract oil resources.