At Age 103, O&G Still Is Next-Gen Contractor
O&G Industries Inc. in Torrington, Conn., has been
active in state and regional construction since Andrew Oneglia founded the
company in 1923, with family ownership and leadership now in the fourth
generation and with many multigenerational staff.
“The combination of long-tenured employees and emerging
talent gives us both stability and momentum,” says the firm, now diversified
into heavy contracting, complex project management and materials production,
with strengths in transportation, education, health care, commercial and
industrial markets. O&G ranks at No. 159 on ENR’s national list of Top 400
Contractors, reporting $830.5 million in 2025 construction revenue, and at No.
30 among ENR East Top Contractors with $668.68 million in 2025 regional
revenue, up 46.59% from the prior year.
O&G says it targets market demand for lower-carbon
buildings and infrastructure, forming a link with Urban Mining Inc. to
substitute standard cement using a patented concrete additive made from locally
recycled glass that cuts emissions. Its community involvement includes Crew for
a Cause, an employee-driven charitable giving effort that has provided more
than $1 million to local groups and projects since 2023. The firm now has seven
fourth-generation members as company managers. One of those, Thomas J. “T.J.”
Oneglia, vice president of construction materials, outlined the firm’s
strategic approach in a Q&A that has been edited and condensed.
Notable projects from O&G Industries include:
Amtrak Connecticut River Bridge, Old Saybrook to Old Lyme,
Conn.: The landmark $1.3-billion infrastructure project supports one of the
region’s most important rail corridors to improve passenger connectivity,
mobility and long-term infrastructure resilience, says O&G, which, with
joint venture contractor Tutor Perini, expects to complete work in 2031.
I-91/I-691/Route 15 Interchange Improvements, Meriden, Conn.:
The reported $712-million project slated to finish in 2030 is a key connection
point for commuters, freight movement and daily travel through central
Connecticut, with roadway upgrades set to enhance safety, traffic flow and
reliability for thousands of motorists.
Manchester Public Library, Manchester, Conn.: The recently
completed project estimated to cost $53.6 million is a 75,000-sq-ft building
that is the state’s first net-zero library. Operating off the local power grid,
it produces enough energy to power its operation and return any excess to the
grid for separate use.
How do you balance firm stability with staying agile to meet new industry needs?
O&G is far from static. We have all spent most of our
careers directly involved in daily operations of the divisions we respectively
have responsibility for overseeing while also maintaining a strong focus on
enterprise-wide strategy. That means being intimately involved with bidding
work, pricing sales, production decisions, labor staffing, training, safety and
compliance. Through deliberate strategic planning, the fourth generation
prioritizes initiatives that draw on the full depth of our collective expertise
and resources, such as expanding capabilities of our power and energy division
to support building division clients, particularly those pursuing renewable
energy initiatives on their campuses. This level of involvement is the best way
to stay in touch with changing needs and trends.
How has safety and mental health developed as a key workforce priority?
The construction and material manufacturing industries saw
government regulated safety standards in the 20th century, but O&G
recognized early that compliance is just the baseline for building a safe
workplace. By implementing processes for hazard identification, near miss
reporting and worker participation in our safety program, O&G has
maintained a workplace people are proud to be part of. Related to mental
health, historically the industry has emphasized self-reliance and grit, often
leading to apprehension in jobsite discussions. O&G has been a leader in
addressing the stigma by speaking directly with employees and partnering with
unions to inform them on mental health resources. These can benefit not only an
individual employee but also can keep collective morale high and boost workforce
performance. Mental health and physical safety are a shared priority.
What macro trends concern you most related to the future industry workforce?
The industry faces a labor shortage due to decades of
under-recruitment, Baby Boomer retirements and an emphasis on four-year degrees
among GenX and Millennials. Market factors are starting to correct this as
businesses compete for skilled labor with better pay. Workers are also
beginning to question payback on rising college education costs. We are always
concerned with maintaining a talent pool to deliver on promises we make to our
customers. The better an organization is at recruitment and retention, the
bigger its competitive advantage. We have very little trouble with skilled
labor retention and have extremely low turnover. I attribute that to our family
business oriented culture and [being] a union employer offering outstanding
wages and health and pension benefits.
O&G emphasizes preconstruction planning. How has recent material cost volatility changed value engineering and subcontractor prequalification?
Delivering a successful project requires more than tracking
cost. From the earliest design stages, it demands a proactive, disciplined
approach to maximize value and protect the schedule. As drawings develop, teams
review materials, systems and construction methods for best balance of
performance, durability and cost. Potential improvements are tracked in a
centralized log and vetted internally before being presented to the design team
to ensure only well-developed and constructible recommendations advance. This
helps avoid late-stage redesign and minimizes project disruption. We identify
long-lead key components early in design and work closely with team members and
potential subs to help ensure specifications are advanced enough to support
early major equipment purchases, particularly mechanical and electrical
systems.
O&G credits its survival through past economic downturns to operating diversity. Which sectors will be your strongest growth drivers and why?
For decades, O&G has been a diversified and vertically
integrated construction materials and services business. We do not intend to
change that model by focusing growth in one area over another. Each division
has its own specific growth objectives. School construction will continue to be
a cornerstone of our building business, but we are pushing hard into health
care and defense. In addition to road and bridge construction, our heavy civil
division is focused on pursuing power projects, and the materials unit is seeking
opportunities that provide synergistic value to our existing network of plants
and quarries.
O&G emphasizes preconstruction planning to
prospective clients. How has recent material cost volatility changed how you
handle value engineering and subcontractor prequalification?
Delivering a successful project requires more than tracking
cost. From the earliest design stages, It demands a proactive, disciplined
approach to maximize value and protect the schedule. Our teams integrate value
management and early procurement strategies during preconstruction so decisions
strengthen budget and timeline outcomes. As drawings develop, teams review
materials, systems and construction methods for the best balance of
performance, durability and cost. Potential improvements are tracked in a
centralized log and vetted internally before being presented to the design team
to ensure only well-developed, constructible and meaningful recommendations are
advanced. This helps avoid late-stage redesign and minimizes project
disruption. To mitigate market volatility, we identify long-lead key components
early in design and work closely with team members and potential subcontractors
to help ensure specifications are advanced enough to support early major
equipment purchases, particularly mechanical and electrical systems. Our
relationships with manufacturers and suppliers provide real-time insight into
lead times and market conditions, allowing informed decisions on available
alternatives. Where appropriate, we promote inclusion of “or equal”
manufacturers to maintain competition while meeting project standards. By
aligning cost, schedule and design decisions early we provide clear options,
reliable information and decision flexibility, insuring a project that reflects
client priorities, maximizes long-term value and is set for successful
execution from day one
O&G How has sustainability in material supply and
construction methods developed into a growth and profit generating approach for
O&G?
Our experience allows us to look beyond initial construction costs and evaluate
how building systems will perform, operate and be maintained over the facility
life, bringing constructability insight, market knowledge and lessons learned
from prior projects into the process. That helps clients evaluate options such
as high-performance building envelopes, efficient mechanical systems, water
conservation measures, responsible material selections, waste reduction
strategies and commissioning requirements not only for sustainability benefits,
but also for functionality, maintainability and overall life-cycle cost. The
real benefit to our clients is clarity, understanding trade-offs between
competing approaches to make informed decisions. A sustainable solution must
work in the field, serve facility users and remain practical for operating
teams.
We help clients look beyond turnover and consider the full
life of their systems so facilities operate efficiently, use resources
responsibly, reduce long-term costs and serve their intended purpose well into
the future. Of note is the recent completion of Buckley Elementary School in
Manchester, Conn. touted as New England’s first net-zero school. We see strong,
owner driven demand for low global warming potential materials that meet or
exceed green building standards. O&G was the first ready-mix concrete
producer in Connecticut to have independently certified, Type III, cradle to
grave Environmental Product Declarations for our ready-mix concrete. This
allowed customers true transparency into the global warming potential of our
concrete products.
As the first to incorporate a locally produced ground glass
pozzolan, called Pozzotive, into our concrete mixes, we were awarded work as
concrete supplier for three projects at Yale University that used this
innovative supplemental cementitious material in the mix. In 2025, O&G
recycled more than 220,000 tons of reclaimed asphalt through our hot mix
plants, and are on pace to exceed that amount in 2026. We have converted
several facilities to solar energy, including a five-acre, 1-MW array that
powers all production at our Southbury, Conn., quarry and asphalt and concrete
plants co-located on site. As demand grows for green products and buildings,
having these experiences under our belt will translate into future success for
our business.
Old Lyme sewer projects about to begin in beach communities
Gianni Salisbury
Old Lyme — The beach sewer projects here are finally moving
forward after years of of deliberation.
The Old Colony Beach Club Association, the Old Lyme Shores
Beach Association and Miami Beach Association will see construction begin on
their sewer systems over the next few months after the state Department of
Energy and Environmental Protection stepped
in with a consent order that forced the projects to take place after town
residents rejected the work at a referendum.
The
projects, estimated to cost $85 million, are meant to stop septic tanks at
the three private beaches from polluting Long Island Sound. They have been in
the works for around 20 years but recently faced a two-month delay after town
officials determined the beach associations must obtain a special permit to
temporarily use two Shore Road properties as staging areas for construction
materials. The two properties are located at 224 and 250 Shore Road.
The permits were approved at last week's Zoning Commission
meeting. Following the approval, residents have taken to Facebook to ask
questions about how they may be affected by the projects.
At the meeting, Brendan Sharkey, the attorney representing
the three beach associations, said they and DEEP will address problems as they
arise during construction.
"When the team consulted, it was pretty clear that we
were not going to be able to get our arms around every possible issue that may
pop up in the course of the construction," Sharkey said. "At this
time, there are still too many variables out there that are maybe a year or
more down the road. What we opted to bring to you instead was to bring you the
amendment for the laydown areas only for tonight with the understanding that if
there are other changes or adjustments, we may need to come back to you with your
approval for those changes as they become evident."
He also acknowledged the work the beach associations have
put into moving the sewer projects forward over the past few years.
"These beach associations are complying with the State
of Connecticut's mandate. They have taken on the project over the last several
years with earnestness and a purpose as well as a financial commitment that
each of them have made by floating their own bonds to cover these costs for the
installation," Sharkey said.
Because the town voted against the projects, the three sewer
projects are moving forward without town involvement. Selectman Jim Lampos said
Monday the town's role remains uncertain, but officials are in discussions with
DEEP about how the town could be involved going forward.
"On our end, we have had very productive meetings with
DEEP. We've had two so far, and we're putting all options on the table. We've
had very respectful discussions, and we're just surveying all of the options
right now. So far, it's too early to tell how this is going to turn out or what
the solution is going to be," Lampos said.
Sharkey said during the public hearing that the associations
welcome input from town officials.
"The associations appreciate the input from town
officials and staff in regard to the scale and scope of this project as this is
probably one of the largest civil construction project that is being undertaken
in Old Lyme," Sharkey said.
The special permit specifies what can be done on the Shore
Road properties. They can be used as temporary construction staging areas
through Sept. 30, 2027, and only from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The permit does not
allow night work or overnight lighting. Fire hydrant use is also not allowed as
water will need to be brought to the site.
The permit also states the projects must implement dust control
measures and topsoil stockpile areas must be added to the site plan for the 224
Shore Road site. It also states that contractors must meet with neighboring
property owners after the projects are done to address any damage done to their
property during construction.
Northeast State DOT Projects Win Top Honors in National Competition
Eleven state department of transportation projects from
Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and
Pennsylvania have earned regional accolades in the 2026 America's
Transportation Awards competition.
From streamlining access to government services to reducing
crash risks along key urban corridors, these projects deliver lasting benefits
that improve safety, mobility and quality of life in the communities they
serve.
Selected from 30 projects submitted by eight states and the
District of Columbia in the Northeast Association of State Transportation
Officials (NASTO) region, these entries are part of a record 127 nominations
from 45 state DOTs in this year's overall competition. Sponsored by the
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO),
the America's Transportation Awards honor transportation projects that deliver
meaningful benefits to communities. Projects compete in four categories —
Quality of Life/Community Development, Operations Excellence, Best Use of
Technology & Innovation and Safety — showcasing the essential role
transportation plays in improving mobility, safety and quality of life for all
users.
"For almost two decades, the America's Transportation
Awards has highlighted the innovative work state DOTs do to improve communities
and enhance the lives of the people who live and visit them," said AASHTO
Executive Director Jim Tymon. "But the truth is, these projects are just a
fraction of the incredible work done by state DOTs every year. AASHTO is proud
to recognize the diverse and forward-thinking projects that are improving
safety, mobility and quality of life in communities across the country. As we
look forward to Congress completing a federal surface transportation
reauthorization bill by the end of September, this year's winners underscore
the importance of sustained federal investment in transportation and
demonstrate how those resources are delivering meaningful benefits to
residents, businesses and travelers nationwide."
Many of this year's NASTO regional winners benefited from
IIJA funding, demonstrating the critical role the next federal surface
transportation legislation will play in continuing progress toward safer
communities and improving mobility and access for all.
All nominated projects first compete at the regional level
against projects of their own size: "Small" (projects costing up to
$10 million), "Medium" (projects costing between $10 million and $100
million) and "Large" (projects costing more than $100 million). This
year's winning NASTO regional projects are:
• Maryland Department of Transportation's One-Stop
Government Shop (Quality of Life/Community Development, Small Project)
• Connecticut Department of Transportation's Reconstruction
of Route 34 (Main Street) in Derby (Quality of Life/Community Development,
Medium Project)
• Massachusetts Department of Transportation's Route
79-Davol Street Corridor Improvements (Quality of Life/Community Development,
Large Project)
• New Jersey Department of Transportation's Shrewsbury
Maintenance Dredging (Operations Excellence, Small Project)
• Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's Automated
Permit Routing and Analysis System Modernization (Operations Excellence, Medium
Project)
• New York State Department of Transportation's NY Route 347
Safety, Mobility and Environmental Improvements Project (Operations Excellence,
Large Project)
• New Jersey Department of Transportation's Statewide
Advanced Traffic Management System (Best Use of Technology & Innovation,
Small Project)
• Maine Department of Transportation's Acadia Gateway Center
(Best Use of Technology & Innovation, Medium Project)
• New York State Department of Transportation's Safety and
Operational Improvements on Jackie Robinson Parkway (Safety, Small Project)
• Maryland Department of Transportation's I-95 Interchange
at I-695 – 10 Bridges Rehabilitation Project (Safety, Medium Project)
• Massachusetts Department of Transportation's
Reconstruction of Route 20 in Charlton and Oxford (Safety, Large Project)
Following the NASTO competition, additional regional
competitions will continue throughout the summer. Once all regional winners are
announced, the three top scoring winners from each region will advance to the
Top 12, which will be revealed in early September. These standout projects will
then compete for two national honors in the 2026 America's Transportation
Awards.
The grand prize will be chosen by an independent panel of
transportation industry judges, while the People's Choice Award will be decided
through online public voting. AASHTO will reveal both winners at its annual
meeting in November 2026 in Louisville, Ky. The winners of both of those awards
will each receive $10,000 to donate to a scholarship fund or charitable cause
of their choice.