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Grant MacPherson
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AN ISLAND COMPANY

 

"It's All About The People"

 

 

60 Years of Stories to Tell

Sixty years in business is a special feat for any business, but sixty years accompanied by a rock solid industry reputation is even more impressive.

Malcolm (Mac) MacLean, founder of MacLean Construction built his first house in 1939. For a while, Malcolm worked in residential home building and renovation. But the impact of World War II was felt everywhere, including construction on Prince Edward Island. With obstacles like rationing and shortages of raw materials as available resources were allocated for vital projects such as hospitals, things got tougher. Malcolm was forced to move to Halifax to take work in the shipyards in Halifax. But his heart lay elsewhere, so after the war Malcolm returned to PEI and MacLean Construction got its start.

It was a traditional family business, and those roots are much in evidence today. It only takes a few moments of chatting with any of the staff at MacLean Construction to be overwhelmed by the astounding pride in place they have in ‘their’ business. In their minds it’s a family operation and always will be.

In 1966, MacLean Construction became an incorporated company. The mid-late sixties saw a fair evolution in both industry and the company itself. Turning it into a real family affair, Malcolm’s sons Keith and Merrill joined their father in the business. When asked what made them decide to join their Dad in business, Keith’s reply was as straightforward as his later approach to running the business. “We couldn’t do anything else”, commented Keith, laughing. It was also at this time that Lloyd MacLean, Malcolm’s nephew, joined the company. A sense of humour and humility appear to be a family trait. Lloyd was clear to point out that, “Mac was looking for a poor farm labourer at the time and I was available.” While family may have worked in the business with Mac MacLean, they received no special favours. Lloyd tells how his starting wage in 1964 was $1.25 per hour,  a whooping 35 cents per hour more than son Keith’s 90 cents per hour when he joined the business straight out of vocational school at age 17.

It was also during the late sixties that the industry itself was experiencing a shift – a real transformation in the nature of the business. What was once thought of as an all-in-one, do-it-yourself occupation began it’s evolution into the industry full of specialized professionals that it is today. Change is not always easy, and for Malcolm MacLean this shift in the industry was not  one he welcomed with open arms. Keith enjoys telling a story of one of the last homes Malcolm worked on where the owner advised that a cabinet builder would be making the kitchen cupboards. Malcolm responded by saying, “If we’re not good enough for the whole job, we’re not good enough for any of it.” He packed his tools and pulled his entire crew off the job. But younger people are often more adaptable to change and the MacLean children were more than up for the challenge. In 1977 MacLean Construction, led by sons Keith and Merrill, starting evolving MacLean’s into the multi-faceted commercial construction company it is today.

Malcolm MacLean retired from day-to-day operations in 1978 and sons Keith and Merrill took the reins. Merrill and Keith MacLean passed away and today Lloyd is happily retired and living in Charlottetown. But old habits die hard ... when asked what had kept him busy in retirement, Keith replied “driving by the MacLean job sites to see what’s happening ... I guess it’s just in my blood.” he said with a slightly wistful shrug.

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