W. L. French opens new headquarters/maintenance facility designed to accommodate company growth

North Billerica, MA W. L. French Excavating Corp. (WLF) cut the ribbon on its new corporate office and maintenance facility located at 14 Sterling Rd. Comprising 66,000 s/f on 22 acres, the two buildings feature new technologies, energy efficiencies, and increased capacity to handle a growing demand for field operations tied to the privately-held company’s growth.

WLF is currently working on projects such as Boynton Yards, a mixed-use development project, Assembly Row (Blocks 5B and 8),both located in Somerville; and Polar Park, the new home of the Worcester WooSox.

“Safety is paramount for W. L. French, and being safe requires our equipment to be maintained at the highest level. When we set out to build a new home, the maintenance facility was a top priority,” said company president Bill French, Jr. “This building is equipped with innovative equipment technology that will allow our maintenance crews to improve overall machine utilization, accuracy, and efficiency. This will provide us an advantage servicing our contracts and meeting the goals of our projects.”

Situated behind the corporate offices, the 48,000 s/f maintenance facility features:

• 10 drive-through maintenance bays;
• Three high equipment bays with 5-ton and 10-ton overhead cranes;
• Vidir tire carousel capable of storing store 91 truck tires;
• FSX heavy duty diesel filter cleaning system to keep trucks and heavy equipment operating at peak efficiency;
• Truck wash bay with two Hotsy pressure washers plus a separate bay for rinsing; and
• Quincy 15 horsepower rotary screw air compressor, capable of 150 pounds of pressure per square inch.

Designed and built by Connolly Brothers, Inc. the new WLF complex includes energy efficient lighting, cooling and heating systems. The office building – measuring more than 10,000 square feet – includes collaborative workspaces, a fitness center and comfortable meeting spaces. It was designed to promote health, wellness and productivity in the workplace. 

“This is more than a headquarters for our company,” said French. “It represents a lifetime of work for many of our team members. With this facility, we are better equipped to serve our clients and maintain the quality and professionalism that have become synonymous with the company for the last five decades.”

W. L. French employs 250 people and owns and operates over 275 pieces of heavy equipment.  The company has been recognized locally and nationally for excellence in the field of site excavation and soil management. This year, Inc. Magazine named it one of America’s Fastest Growing Companies for the sixth time, and Engineering News-Record ranked it among the Top 25 Specialty Contractors in New England.