A Century of Service: The Evolution and Impact of Levine Bros. Plumbing

A Century of Service: The Evolution and Impact of Levine Bros. Plumbing

LACHINE, QUEBEC — Plomberie Levine Bros. Ltee, aka Levine Bros Plumbing, is both a family and a business. It was founded in 1922 by Arthur Levine, who initially ran the business with his younger brother Jack. Over the decades, more members of the Levine family joined the enterprise, contributing to its growth. Today, the company is run by Arthur’s Great-nephew, Ben Levine, and his brother-in-law Jacob Bratin.

Recently, SFA Saniflo Canada had the opportunity to sit down with the Levines to learn more about this fourth-generation, family-owned plumbing business, its evolution, growth plans, trends on their radar, and much more!

Saniflo Canada (SFC): Since its inception in 1922, Levine Bros. has been a family-run business. How has the company evolved since then?

Ben Levine: The company started with my great-uncle and great-grandfather. My great-grandfather, Isaac, was a blacksmith who made the metal rims around the wooden tires of cars and transitioned to plumbing after the invention of rubber tires. They initially worked out of Montreal, uninstalling and repairing various items. Over time, the company evolved, with my grandfather getting involved in the 1930s and my father and uncle joining in the 1970s after graduating from university. My father graduated in engineering in 1970, and my uncle graduated in business in 1971. Today, my brother-in-law and I represent the fourth generation in the company, and each generation has grown from a small 2-person operation to 22 trucks.

Jacob handles internal operations, organization, and administration. I focus on sales, business development, major client relationships, and marketing.

SFC: What areas do you serve, and how do you plan to grow the company?

Ben: We primarily serve the greater Montreal area but occasionally go beyond for certain clients. Our growth strategy focuses on building long-term client relationships and maintaining high service standards. We prioritize serving our plumbers well to ensure they, in turn, serve our clients well.

SFC: What was your background before getting into the family business?

Ben: I studied business and economics at university and graduated in 2004 before joining the company. However, I am also a master plumber and master heating technician and hold a contractor’s license. Truthfully, I've been involved in the company my whole life, humbly starting by cleaning fittings in the warehouse as a child.

SFC: For others who may be interested in the trades, did you find university helpful?

Ben: University helped me think differently, although I had zero practical experience when I graduated. Most of my projects in business school were related to small business and family business succession, which prepared me for my role in the company. However, once I knew I wanted to go into the plumbing industry, my mindset changed. I found university helpful for me, coming into an established company to help run and take over the business.

SFC: How does the family aspect of the company influence your approach to client relationships?

Ben: Being a fourth-generation family business instills a strong sense of taking care of our clients, a value passed down from my great-grandfather. We aim to provide a level of service that ensures clients feel well taken care of.

SFC: How important are client relationships to your business model?

Ben: Client relationships are paramount. We prioritize long-term relationships over one-time jobs, striving to serve multiple generations within the same families. This approach not only ensures client loyalty but also enhances our reputation for reliability and quality service.

When my father and uncle ran the company, the focus was always on having a clear end goal—to best serve the employees so they could best serve the clients. It's important to note that this order was crucial.

SFC: What challenges do you commonly face on the job?

Ben: On residential projects, we often face the challenge of coordinating with various contractors while ensuring minimal disruption to the homeowners. For commercial projects, especially in multi-unit buildings, we need to manage the logistics of working in occupied spaces while maintaining high standards of respect and care for the residents.

SFC: What are the emerging residential and commercial plumbing trends?

Ben: In both residential and commercial plumbing, we're witnessing a surge in technological advancements to enhance home protection and efficiency. This includes integrating automatic water shut-off systems, sump pump alarms, and monitoring solutions like Saniflo’s new Sanipit sewage ejector and its Sanicubic lifting stations, which come with an external control panel and visual/audible alarm system. This type of solution provides peace of mind and improved sanitation. The COVID-19 pandemic has also accelerated the adoption of touchless fixtures and smart technologies, such as Bluetooth-enabled toilets, for hands-free operation.

SFC: What role does technology play in your business operations?

Ben: Our marketing efforts are supported by digital tools and platforms to reach and engage our clients effectively. On the commercial side, there’s a notable focus on enhancing heating system efficiency and increasing connectivity. Moreover, proactive maintenance strategies are gaining traction, with some high-rise buildings utilizing AI for system management, including predictive maintenance and parts procurement, minimizing downtime, and optimizing operations.

SFC: How do you ensure your plumbers are well-trained and up-to-date with industry standards?

Ben: We invest heavily in continuous training and development for our plumbers. This includes regular workshops, certification courses, and hands-on training with new technologies and techniques. We also encourage our plumbers to pursue further education and provide support for them to attend industry conferences and seminars.

SFC: What innovative products have you used recently, and how do they impact your business?

Ben: Saniflo has been a game-changer in solving plumbing challenges, particularly when traditional solutions were impractical. The quality and innovation of Saniflo products have consistently impressed, but what truly sets them apart is their commitment to support and education. From product demonstrations to troubleshooting assistance, Saniflo’s dedication to empowering plumbers ensures smooth installations and satisfied customers.

SFC: That’s great to hear! Can you elaborate on how Saniflo Canada’s products have improved your workflow?

Ben: We pride ourselves on our reputation for leaving a home or site cleaner than when we arrived. However, working with sewage pits has always been challenging to maintain that standard. Despite our best efforts, ensuring the area is cleaner after opening up a sewage pit for repairs or replacements is difficult.

With the new Saniflo Sanipit sewage ejector pumps, I was really impressed by how much cleaner the process has become. It’s almost possible to use a white glove that will stay white while replacing a motor. You might still need a rubber glove, on the other hand, but even troubleshooting is now done in a dry, clean environment.

SFC: Levine Bros. Plumbing recently turned 100. How did you celebrate the anniversary?

Ben: We originally planned a big celebration with a carnival, inviting all our employees and their families. We had been planning it for about six months. Unfortunately, the government took over the building we booked a month before our event, leaving us without a venue. After realizing our planned weekend was no longer available, we shifted our focus to our core values and the community that built us. We chose to perform 100 acts of gratitude, divided into three categories: for our plumbers, our clients, and the community at large.

SFC: What kinds of acts of gratitude did you perform for your plumbers?

Levine Bros. Plumbing Marketing Manager: Our acts of gratitude for plumbers ranged from small gestures to significant actions, always focused on showing our appreciation through actions rather than monetary gifts. For example, Ben would wash the plumbers' trucks in the morning, and I baked cookies for them. We also surprised them with candy bars and tickets to hockey games.

SFC: What acts did you perform for your clients?

Ben: For our clients, we continued our “12 Days of Giveaways” during the holidays, an initiative that began during COVID-19 to support struggling businesses. We purchased gift certificates from local businesses owned by our clients, such as restaurants and bakeries, and gave them away.

This year, we focused on companies that give back to the community, like a bakery that donates leftover food to people experiencing homelessness and a puzzle company that donates a portion of proceeds to charity. We also delivered flowers to multi-generational clients and held a raffle for a water filtration system installation.

One significant project involved helping a woman whose house was flooded. Her insurance company gutted her kitchen and then denied her claim, leaving her and her three children without a kitchen for months. We took on the project, covered all plumbing costs, and worked with companies to provide fixtures. As a result, she not only had a new kitchen but also started selling food on the side, which helped her afford groceries.

We also helped a large homeless shelter by touring its facility and discovering that none of its water fountains worked. We repaired the water fountains on all five floors, ensuring the residents had access to clean drinking water and maintaining dignity, which is one of the shelter’s core values.

We believe that people, ultimately, come first. From our plumbers to our clients to our community.

For more information on Levine Bros. Plumbing, visit https://levinebros.ca/, or follow them on Instagram and Facebook.