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Riggs Distler Celebrates 115 Years of Consecutive Service in the Construction Industry

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Posted on July 9, 2024 in Press Releases

[Cherry Hill, NJ] – [July 9, 2024] – Riggs Distler & Company, Inc. (Riggs Distler), a pioneering force in the United States construction industry, proudly announces its 115th anniversary of continuous service. This remarkable milestone denotes over a century of excellence, innovation, and unwavering commitment to building a better future for generations to come.

Established in 1909, Riggs Distler has become one of the largest union utility, mechanical, and electrical contractors in the U.S. Riggs Distler is led by the industry’s best project managers, support services staff and union craft personnel. The company is committed to safety, planning, and efficiency, acting as a turnkey construction partner so that their energy and utility clients can focus on developing the infrastructure that powers the Eastern United States.

At Riggs Distler, the ability to think ahead and recognize opportunities began in 1909, by supporting the transportation infrastructure market. Over the last century Riggs Distler has broken new ground in multiple markets including HVAC and air conditioning in the 40s, utility construction in the 80s, renewable energy transition and emergency power restoration at the turn of the century, and most recently, offshore wind. Riggs Distler has undertaken projects in nearly every state and Puerto Rico. Some of the most memorable projects include:

  • All mechanical and electrical work including lighting the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. in the 1930s
  • Air conditioning the Empire State Building in New York, a project that spanned seven years in the 1950s
  • Mechanical work for the Atlantic City Convention Hall in 1925 and again in 1970 for the electrical addition
  • All mechanical work for the largest cable plant at the time in Atlanta, Georgia in the 70s
  • All electrical and mechanical work of the Brandywine building in Wilmington, Delaware in the 1970s-80s
  • The largest ballasted solar farm over a capped landfill in New Jersey and the largest pole-attached solar installation in the world for a local utility in New Jersey in the 2000s
  • In the past twenty years, Riggs Distler has responded to over 400 major storm events. They provided extended power restoration response efforts for Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Wilma, Sandy, Maria, and Isaias
  • First U.S. company to perform onshore secondary steel work for offshore wind and establish a domestic and international supply chain
  • In 2023, completed the construction of advanced foundation components for America’s first operational utility-scale offshore wind farm, South Fork Wind

Each of the projects completed over the last century have significantly contributed to the growth and development of communities where Riggs Distler employees live and work.

“We are proud to celebrate 115 years of uninterrupted service,” said Stephen M. Zemaitatis Jr., President and CEO of Riggs Distler. “This achievement is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and passion of our talented team, as well as the trust and support of our clients and partners. As we look to the future, we remain committed to upholding the highest standards of excellence and innovation in every project we undertake.”

Throughout its history, Riggs Distler has remained dedicated to its core values of safety, loyalty, reliability, sustainability, connectivity, and breaking new ground, earning the trust and loyalty of clients across the heavy industrial, generation, and utility markets. In August 2021, Riggs Distler was acquired by ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ, Inc. As part of the ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ family of companies, Riggs Distler is supporting the construction and maintenance of the energy network that powers millions of homes and businesses across the United States and Canada.

About Riggs Distler

Unique in the industry, Riggs Distler provides companies with streamlined, turnkey construction service capabilities for the utility, heavy industrial, and generation markets. Their wealth of experience means that experts will oversee and optimize every stage of the project from start to finish. Eliminating the stress and uncertainty of juggling multiple contractors, Riggs Distler saves clients time and money, enabling major projects to be completed on shorter timelines and tighter budgets. And with their commitment to safety and a zero-accident culture, clients can be sure their project investment rests in the most capable hands. For more information, visit