Employee engagement and training are commonplace, including touring job sites and learning industry terminology and practices.

In 2006, OJ Insulation, L.P. joined the Installed Building Products (IBP) team and is one of its top five companies across the country.

Lending his last name to the “J” in OJ Insulation, L.P., Scott Jenkins co-founded this business to maximize energy efficiency and increase comfort in homes and offices. Established in 1984 in El Monte, California, the company provides insulation services to clients throughout Northern and Southern California. Although the company has divisions that handle installation of ceilings, fireplaces, rain gutters and window coverings, its focus on insulation remains its core business.

The company’s insulation division primarily serves commercial clients for projects like warehouses and office space and residential clients for large single-family home developments with homebuilders like Toll Brothers and Lennar. The crews insulate roofs, attics, walls and crawl spaces using a variety of materials, including spray foam, fiberglass, cellulose, radiant barrier, foil, rigid board and batts. The team has been expanding its portfolio in acoustical ceiling services for the past decade, with experience working on projects like warehouses for Amazon, retail establishments (like Mutual Trading Co., Inc. in El Monte) and large car dealerships.

In 2006, OJ Insulation joined the Installed Building Products (IBP) team, one of the largest insulation installers in the country with 9,000 people across 190 locations. Scott says, “If you have a great culture, the natural byproduct is profit and success.” This rings true for many leaders at OJ Insulation today, a few of which also happen to be Scott’s sons. Managing the day-to-day operations is Griff Jenkins, General Manager. Brothers Adam and Clark also work at the company in Sales and Field Superintendent roles.

Instilling a ‘Nice Vibe’

Griff says, “We really want to be the best place to work in the construction industry,” and he is proud of the culture he and his team have worked to cultivate. “The staff gets along really well and treats each other with respect. It’s so nice to work in an environment where everyone is looking out for one another.” The people are one of the main reasons he cites for his 18-year tenure with the company.

Eric Romero, Director of Sales, experienced the warm environment firsthand when he joined the company two years ago. “My position was new, so I spent a lot of time introducing myself to everybody and understanding their roles in the organization. After the first week, it was like I had been a part of the family for years. They were helpful, outgoing and really cared about seeing me succeed.” Eric says it was obvious to him that leaders set the tone at the company. “I saw how Griff and others take care of the staff here. Our leaders have created an environment where we feel a sense of community; it’s such a nice vibe. Although we have $50 million in annual sales and more than 200 employees, it feels like a small, intimate organization.”

The company’s internal culture radiates externally as well, thanks to its five core values. The values, otherwise known as the “five C’s” are: customer first, commit your best, care, continuously improve and compel to win. Eric says they are the discussion points at the beginning of every staff meeting. “We go around the table and recognize those who exhibit the core values. We make sure they are publicly recognized and acknowledged for adhering to and living by the standards of who we want to be as an organization.”

There is an expectation that all OJ Insulation team members live by the core values and exemplify those behaviors while at work.

Clients with Big Impact

The company has solidified its reputation by working with well-known clients over the last decade. Eric says, “Amazon is building huge warehouses throughout California and beyond, and we are lucky to have partnered with them on nearly a dozen, installing the insulation and fiberglass on the walls and in the ceiling.” Most recently, the team provided the insulation of a $1.5 million warehouse for Amazon in San Bernardino.

The leaders are also proud of their significant backlog of single and multifamily projects. “We work on large residential developments—some as large as 400-500 units,” says Eric. “I like this side of the business because we’re contributing to provide much-needed housing for families during a housing shortage.” Recently, the company worked on the Portside Ventura Harbor project, a new apartment community along the coast. The team also worked with Westport Construction—a company focused on affordable housing—on The Villas at Stanford Ranch, an assisted living facility in Rocklin. It also works with Forte Shelter, a Christian company converting standard shipping containers into functional homes in Redlands.

OJ Cares

Continuing its commitment to remain active in the local community, OJ Insulation hosts an annual “OJ Cares” day. The entire team is invited to volunteer for a full day and participate in activities supporting a local community group. The company supports organizations like Habitat for Humanity and, most recently, Shepherd’s Pantry in Baldwin Park. “We have about 50 people that came out to help organize and package food and other necessities for people who are less fortunate than us,” says Eric. The team also partners with the California Building Industry Association (CBIA) to support charities. They also participate when clients hold golf and bowling events to raise money for nonprofits.

Although giving back to external causes is important, paying attention to the needs within the company walls is an equal priority. A culture committee was established two years ago to garner feedback from employees and determine what could be better. “We have a team that represents the office and a separate team that represents the field. They meet and identify areas that can be improved—whether it is physical, operational, programmatic or policy related, the team makes suggestions on behalf of the entire workforce,” Eric says.

The company’s leadership team also recognizes other noteworthy events or causes, ranging from serious topics like breast cancer awareness to light-hearted ugly sweater and Halloween costume contests based off culture committee suggestions.

Inside and outside the company walls, employees really do care, which makes Griff incredibly grateful. “I am so thankful to everybody for what they do every single day. Incredible people work here who go above and beyond.”

Committed for the Long Haul

Griff says, “Our guys in the field, which we may not see very often, are the backbone of our operation.” His respect resonates with the staff, and it’s common for individuals to have served with the company for 20 years or more. Eric says, “We just had a party for Alfredo Torres, who works in the field, for celebrating his 35th year with the company. He was one of OJ’s first five employees!”

As with most of the construction industry, OJ Insulation is looking for great people to join the team. Eric believes that if job seekers knew how uplifting and supportive the environment is, they would line up to work there. And, for Eric, the fundamental notion of caring about each job is key. “Our people exhibit our core values no matter the role. From sales, to invoicing, to production, everybody cares about the project. We exceed our clients’ high expectations and give them a great experience.”

No matter the team member you ask and regardless of the client, project or service line, “OJ Cares” is a real sentiment and a way of life.