When Ben Fureigh started Fureigh Electric in 2003, he set out on his own with a clear vision: build a company grounded in craftsmanship, reliability, and the willingness to take on demanding work. What began as a one-man operation quickly grew as referrals rolled in, and Fureigh soon found himself leading projects across Central Arkansas.

Those early opportunities laid the foundation for a company that has since expanded into a regional contractor with capabilities spanning commercial and industrial electrical work, heavy civil construction, and concrete services. Twenty years later, Fureigh Electric is recognized for its ability to handle complex projects while maintaining the hands-on, detail-driven approach that shaped its earliest days.

Growing Fast and Learning Faster

In its first decade, Fureigh Electric experienced rapid expansion that pushed the company to evolve quickly. Demand increased, project scopes widened, and the business nearly tripled in size year after year. While the pace created momentum, it also required Fureigh to strengthen the administrative and operational systems that would support long-term stability.

“The drive and determination were there, but the business knowledge wasn’t,” he said. “You learn quickly that growth and healthy growth are two different things.”

The 2008–09 financial crisis tested the resilience of contractors across the country. With tighter credit and rising bonding pressures, even healthy firms felt strain. Fureigh Electric weathered the period, refining its financial structure and sharpening the discipline needed to manage larger work.

“They were hard lessons,” Fureigh said. “But the kind of lessons you don’t forget.”

A Heavy Construction Division Takes Shape

A defining shift for the company came when Fureigh expanded into heavy civil construction — a move tied to his own background working on farms and dirt crews. Rather than subcontract underground utilities, trenching, or site-prep work, the company performed these tasks internally.

“We realized we were already doing so much of the work that heavy construction just became a natural next step,” he said.

The first dirt project, a Walmart site in Damascus, paved the way for a robust civil division. Today, Fureigh Electric self-performs gas, water, sewer, stormwater, demolition, site clearing, grading, and roadbed preparation. Few contractors in Central Arkansas maintain that level of in-house capability.

The integrated approach has become a strategic advantage.

“When you rely on multiple subcontractors, you lose control of the timeline,” Fureigh said. “By self-performing, we can give commitments to our clients — and keep them.”

A New Expansion Into Concrete

The company has continued to broaden its services with the addition of a concrete division. Equipped with laser screeds and full finishing capabilities, the division focuses on civil-related concrete work such as parking lots and large-scale paving.

“It fits perfectly with what we already do,” Fureigh said. “And it keeps our schedules from being dictated by availability issues with outside crews.”

A Workforce Built From Within

Even as the company has grown, one element has remained constant: its emphasis on people. Skilled labor shortages challenge contractors nationwide, but Fureigh Electric has built a pipeline by training electricians from the ground up. The company prefers to hire first-year apprentices and develop them internally.

“We’d rather take someone who knows nothing and train them the right way,” he said.

The strategy has led to low turnover to competing firms. When employees leave, they typically exit the industry entirely — not the company’s culture.

“We say we’re the family you can choose,” Fureigh said. “Our guys wear that with pride.”

A National Footprint From a Central Arkansas Base

Although headquartered in Central Arkansas, the company’s crews regularly travel to projects across Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Florida, and the East Coast. Fureigh has full confidence in their ability to represent the company anywhere work takes them.

“I’d put our guys up against anyone,” he said. “They go anywhere in the country and perform as if their name is on it.”

Looking Ahead

Fureigh Electric is now preparing for another phase of expansion. Strategic planning underway will guide the company toward establishing permanent electrical operations in markets such as Texas and Florida. Heavy civil work will remain Arkansas-based, but regional electrical growth is a key focus.

“There’s only so much electrical work in Central Arkansas,” he said. “To get to the level we want to reach, expanding into new markets is the next step.”

After more than 20 years, Fureigh Electric continues to grow — driven by capability, culture, and a founder committed to building a company equipped for the long haul.