The object was safety, not the start of a new industry, when two men set out to better protect workers in extreme environments. The 1999 launch of Hunter Buildings, however, set into motion a new approach to industrial safeguards.
Today, as Hunter marks 25 years in the blast resistance sector it set into motion, the international firm is forging new paths in custom modular construction.
Sam LaVergne and Mark Massey founded Hunter Buildings in Houston, Texas, in response to dangerous working conditions in the oil and gas industries. As trailer collapses and refinery explosions made headlines with increasing frequency, the duo decided to do something.
“The old approach wasn’t something operations could continue forward with in good conscience,” said LaVergne, Hunter’s president. “We wanted to enable crews to do their work while still protecting what mattered.”
For LaVergne, a chemical engineer, the answer was a reinforced take on modular construction.
Hunter developed fully customizable structures that could withstand building blasts, explosions and similar risks while still affording modular construction’s financial, environmental and efficient construction benefits. And as the first such structures able to meet stringent American Petroleum Institute standards, they were suitable for industrial areas where traditional steel, concrete and wood-framed buildings weren’t allowed.
“It was all about finding ways to use these buildings which were so versatile and so familiar in new ways that targeted the issues our industry faced each day,” LaVergne said, noting Hunter’s products included everything from offshore buildings to storm shelters, forced entry/ballistic-resistant buildings and remote instrument enclosures.
Innovation and elevation were what got Hunter off the ground, and the same ideals continue guiding the firm forward, Chief Operating Officer Michael Draper said.
Blast-resistant tents for temporary projects or quick turnarounds became available in recent years, while the global increase in cloud-based servers and use of artificial intelligence (AI) also forged the way for new development. Hunter-manufactured steel modular E-Houses, substations and data centers, designed to house and protect critical electrical and network equipment, are a more recent focus for the firm.
“We started out answering the call to protect petrochemical personnel, and now we’re answering the call of the electrical and data sector,” Draper said, adding that in-house site services, design-build and engineering support allow Hunter to serve every aspect of a build. “We’re agile, adaptable and constantly working to help companies stay a step ahead.”
Today the firm’s reach extends well beyond petrochemical projects, supporting work in the aerospace sector, government and military, disaster recovery efforts and beyond. Coming projects have Hunter pursuing custom modular housing, as well, while blast containment needs offer additional possibilities.
Growth extends to geography, too, as Hunter offers sales and manufacturing support spanning the United States, Europe, United Kingdom and Middle East.
But whatever the project and wherever work takes place, Draper said Hunter’s dedication to quality work remains steady.
“Our engineers and design-build teams can do anything,” he said. “It’s truly remarkable to be part of a team that can say that many of our biggest accomplishments are customizations that had never been attempted. But we did it, and we did it well.”
Hunter marked its 25th year with celebrations across two continents. While team members with the U.S. operations enjoyed dinner, drinks, music and raffle giveaways in an Old West setting in Texas, Hunter’s international team celebrated with desert excursions, dinner with drinks, and live performances including sword and fire dancing in Dubai.
“It’s an honor to be part of a company that has done so much to transform our industry, and it’s an exciting time to be at Hunter,” LaVergne said. “We have 25 years of success behind us and decades of innovation and growth to come.”
