Repainting the KeySpan gas tank in Dorchester, Mass.

Soep Painting Corp.,
Malden, Mass.

For many painting
contractors, projects of this scale are beyond reach. But for Soep Painting Corp. they are just everyday business.

From its start as a one-man business more than 50 years ago, Soep Painting has grown to be one of the premier commercial-industrial painting contractors in New England. Don't be deceived, however. Soep Painting is just as comfortable applying gilding and faux finishes as it is installing intumescent fireproofing and high-performance coatings.

Soep's roots are in fine art
Benjamin Soep founded Soep Painting in 1945. As grandson and company treasurer Matt Soep explains, “He started it by himself with no money in his pocket, just a can of paint.” Benjamin Soep did not just wander into the painting industry by fluke, however. He trained as an artist at Boston's Vesper George School of Art. As a complement to his artistic endeavors, he refinished fine furniture and woodwork. And it wasn't long before Soep established his commercial painting business to handle the volume of work coming his way.

Rolling a seam high atop the KeySpan gas tank in Salem, Mass.

The 1960 restoration of the Louis XV-style interior of Boston's Colonial Theater gave Soep an opportunity to really shine. His painting of ceiling murals and sculpting of moldings illustrated his unique artistic and business capabilities. Then Soep was tapped to consult for the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. It seems only natural that this firm would become one of only a handful that would tackle projects requiring antique work, such as overlay and glazing work.

Howard Soep, company president and the founder's son, says the company gradually grew and changed, shifting from theaters and schools to commercial and industrial projects. “Now we're getting into specialties, such as industrial coatings and sophisticated products,” he says. Today, with more than 100 employees, Soep Painting continues to work on some of the most challenging and prestigious projects in the Northeast: schools, hotels, industrial facilities, gas tanks, bridges and more. As Matt Soep points out, “If it doesn't walk, we've pretty much done it. We just don't do residential.”

Above: The Loew's Theater of Millennium Place made use of many decorative painting techniques.

Taking care of business
is a big job
As Soep Painting grew in size, the management and administration processes evolved as well. But the company has always been a union contractor.

“It is a huge advantage in that our labor pool is highly trained, very skilled and OSHA educated,” Howard Soep observes. “Working closely with the union, we're a very agile business.” On one project, the company was asked on a Monday if they could have 30 men on the job by Wednesday. “Yes” was the answer. “The labor-management relationship made it work,” Soep says.

On the other hand, there can be drawbacks, he says. “Everything comes at a price. Some projects we don't bid on because we can't be competitive.”

Computer and digital technology also play a large role in running the business. “We use a lot of technology in the office as part of our management culture,” Matt Soep explains. For example, using computers for estimating streamlines the process, making it faster and more accurate. Perhaps the real key to the operation, however, is that everyone works together. Matt Soep points with out pride that the company's business culture is based on a “team-corporate management style.”

“Everyone works together, so the work style ensures total quality,” he adds.

In addition, this philosophy helps ensure employee loyalty. “We have people who start their career with us and retire with us.”

This employee longevity factor also allows Soep to offer a multitude of services. When the company takes on a new specialty, older but perfected skills are retained.