BCS Mechanical Plans Expansion to Green River for Union Jobs

“I’ll take less profit in order to give people a good life,” Chad Hustad, president of BCS Mechanical, told Cowboy State Daily on Thursday.

The Utah-based commercial mechanical contractor is moving into Green River to expand its operations as the community prepares for industrial changes. The company aims to provide union jobs with pay and benefits comparable to local mining positions, potentially offsetting the impact of upcoming layoffs at WE Soda.

WE Soda recently announced it will cut 350 jobs over the next two years, a development that has heightened anxiety for families throughout Sweetwater County. As the mine prepares for these reductions, BCS Mechanical is accelerating its timeline to capture local work and provide alternative employment opportunities.

The expansion began roughly a month ago when the company was awarded a bid for a chiller project at a local school, Cowboy State Daily reported. While some residents initially expressed concerns that the company might bring in out-of-state labor, Hustad clarified that the business intends to keep the work within Wyoming.

BCS Mechanical plans to hire between 20 and 30 people over the next six months. To facilitate this, the company is looking to establish an office in either Green River or Rock Springs, or it may construct its own facility.

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Hustad is working to ensure that the local workforce is prepared for these new roles, particularly those transitioning from the mining sector. He recently signed an agreement with the Plumbers and Pipefitters union in Cheyenne and is currently coordinating with the Steelworkers and other regional unions.

“We’re working with the unions to figure out how to train everybody,” Hustad said. “There’s a lot that we’re trying to put together.”

To lead the expansion into southwest Wyoming, the company has hired Strat Friel, a Green River local and former engineer at the FMC Trona Mine. Hustad noted that Friel’s connection to the community is vital because he is personally acquainted with many of the workers facing layoffs.

The potential for new industrial growth provides a contrast to the current uncertainty facing the trona industry. While BCS Mechanical offers immediate hope for job seekers, labor leaders are still pushing for broader solutions to stabilize the local economy.

Marshal Cummings, president of United Steelworkers Local 13214, which represents the WE Soda employees, noted that any new business, especially a union shop, is a positive development for the area. However, he remains focused on securing the future of the mine itself.

The economic impact of the WE Soda cuts is expected to be wide-reaching. Sweetwater County Commissioner Taylor Jones warned that the layoffs will create ripple effects that extend far beyond the immediate mining community, affecting various businesses throughout the county.

Entity/Event	Scale of Impact	Primary Concern
WE Soda Layoffs	350 jobs	Loss of mining employment over two years
BCS Mechanical Expansion	20 to 30 jobs	Hiring and training local workers

For the workers caught between these two economic realities, the priority remains immediate stability. Cummings stated his primary focus is negotiating with the company to develop a proposal that could save existing jobs at the mine.

“Our membership will always come first,” Cummings said.

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