One Of The Most Experienced And Respected General Engineering Contractors Specializing In Hydrant Fueling, Waterfront, And Utility Construction: Nova Group, Inc

Nova Group, Inc. is a general engineering contractor with home offices and a fabrication facility in Napa, California. Nova’s project portfolio stretches throughout the United States covering 29 states, as well as internationally to Canada, Guam, Israel, Qatar and Diego Garcia.

Nova Group began with building steam lines for the U.S. Federal Government at Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, California. By the late 1970’s, Nova expanded its expertise in mechanical construction to several Bay Area military bases. During this time, Nova installed hundreds of thousands of feet of utilities, including steam and condensate piping, and performed marine construction, including cofferdams; drydock upgrades, and wharf construction. Nova also installed high voltage power distribution systems, transformers and switchgear and emergency power generation facilities.

In the early- to mid-1980’s, two important events occurred that helped Nova grow its capabilities and expand as a company. First, Nova extended its workforce farther West to Hawaii after the award of several new contracts for the U.S. Navy on Oahu. Hawaii provided a tremendous opportunity for extensive mechanical and utility construction projects, and soon Nova would establish itself as a respected contractor from the mainland, a reputation that it continues to hold today.

The second significant event was receiving ASME and government agency certifications to manufacture pre-insulated piping systems, containment piping, and prefabricated piping. To date, Nova has engineered, manufactured, and installed over one million feet of Class A steam and condensate piping systems. In later years, Nova’s 50,000-square-foot fabrication facility in Napa would be certified by the American Institute of Steel Construction as an “AISC” facility, a designation which acknowledges that Nova has the personnel, organization, experience, capability, and commitment to fabricating structural steel for complex steel buildings and simple steel bridges.

By the 1990’s, Nova’s mechanical expertise broadened to include aircraft hydrant fueling systems in addition to its extensive marine construction capabilities. The first hydrant fuel systems installed by Nova were primarily at military bases on the West Coast. Since then, this market has expanded to include hydrant fuel system locations throughout the continental United States, Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, Qatar and other overseas locations.

Today, Nova is a part of Quanta Services, a company with a net worth greater than $7.5 billion. Nova employs well over 200 construction professionals worldwide and has been awarded over $2 billion in government construction contracts. The hallmark of Nova’s success throughout its 40-year history is the principle of exceeding its customers’ expectations through innovative construction, safety, quality and outstanding customer service. Today, Nova is one of the nation’s most experienced and respected general engineering contractors specializing in hydrant fueling, waterfront and utility construction.

Nova Services

Nova Group, Inc. primarily provides infrastructure construction services to federal government agencies throughout the United States as well as internationally. Nova’s sample project portfolio stretches from the United States, where Nova has completed projects in 29 states, to international locations in Canada, Guam, Israel, Qatar and Diego Garcia.

Waterfront Construction

Nova serves the Navy and Coast Guard with both new construction and the refurbishment of wharves, piers, dry docks and their support facilities. These projects may include the build or repair of concrete decks, or in the case of drydocks walls; building or upgrading electricity, steam, fresh water, wastewater, communications and other utility systems; construction of support buildings; pile driving and installing fender and mooring systems; along with dredging.

Fuel Distribution Systems

Nova is an expert in constructing systems for fueling and de-fueling large aircraft. These systems consist of above- or below-ground fuel storage tanks; housing for sophisticated pumps, control valves, and filters; carbon or stainless steel above- or below-ground pipes to distribute fuel to various fueling stands; and the fueling stands themselves. Fueling stands consist of either above-ground loading arms or below-ground metal or fiberglass fuel pits, called “hydrants.” Typically, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or Naval Facilities Engineering Command manages the construction of these systems for the U.S. Air Force.

Electrical Projects

Nova has extensive experience as an electrical contractor. Not only does Nova construct stand-alone electrical projects, but virtually all of Nova’s projects contain electrical components. These electrical components include high and medium voltage power distribution, emergency power generation, substation construction, communication systems and controls work. Nova has a dedicated electrical division consisting of project managers, electrical engineers, superintendents, Electrical QC Specialists, and electricians, which enable the self-performance of the electrical work on all Nova projects.

Fabrication

Nova’s AISC-Certified fabrication shop and in-house engineering staff provide a significant value to Nova’s customers.

AISC certification is only conferred on operations which have the facilities, properly trained personnel, organization, tools, and quality controls in place to meet the rigorous AISC standards. Nova’s shop has demonstrated year after year that it meets those standards providing us with the ability to fabricate structural steel for complex applications at a substantial cost and time savings for its customers. Even more impressive is the safety record for the shop which has gone more than five years without a single lost time accident!

Recognizing The Importance Of Safety

Nova Group, Inc. understands the importance of safety on every construction project and fosters a “zero unsafe acts” attitude at all job sites. The company has an active and comprehensive accident-prevention policy to ensure it can operate successfully in the inherently hazardous construction industry. The safety plan receives focused input from every level of the company starting with the President and includes each and every person working on a Nova project.

Aware that safety is an ongoing team effort, Nova has taken steps to optimize participation and compliance. One of those steps is an incentive program that recognizes outstanding safety performance. The goal of the program is to improve all employees’ safety awareness and reward those who adhere to strict policies and procedures. A comprehensive safety-training program provides all craft employees with an eight-hour safety orientation; supervisors (fore level through project management) receive a 40-hour supervisor course. Both are accredited by the National Center for Construction Education and Research.

Howdy Chief!

Ronald M. Fedrick, Chairman & CEO: Ronald M. Fedrick was born in San Francisco, California and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree from Arizona State University.

In 1976 Ron founded Novato Construction Company, Inc., starting with a single job and two employees. Eventually moving the operations to Napa and changing the name to Nova Group, Inc., Ron built the company into what it is today, a preferred U.S. Department of Defense contractor with annual revenues in excess of $65,000,000 and a resume of construction projects stretching from Louisiana to Alaska, from Hawaii to Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.