Blog
OUR UNIQUE VALUE
Blog
Project News
Industry Events
Industry Publications
Blog

Xcel Mechanical Joins LAWA and MATOC Partners at 2025 Aviation Career Day

LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (LAX) –  Xcel Mechanical Systems partnered with Los Angeles World Airports, other LAWA-selected MATOC Prime contractors and several public agencies to engage hundreds of high school students from across the region during LAWA’s 2025 Aviation Career Day, held here on October 30.

LAWA’s Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC) is a $5 billion LAX modernization program approved by the L.A. City Council earlier this year. MATOC features a list of pre-identified, pre-funded projects that will be awarded to and completed by 31 “MATOC Primes” that were prequalified to complete the work during an exhaustive outreach, submission and selection process.

Much of the work is to be completed prior to the 2028 Summer Olympic Games. Xcel Mechanical was the only Design Build mechanical contractor selected.

The MATOC structure is intended to support local hiring, workforce development and participation by small and diverse businesses within the airport’s “Impact Zone” as part of the airport’s long-term modernization strategy. Another program goal is to engage local high school students and accelerate interest in careers in aerospace, aviation, engineering and construction.

A range of industry representatives participated in the event to outline pathways into apprenticeships and related technical careers. Exhibitors also described the functions of mechanical systems in airport operations and modernization projects.

The event held just outside of LAX’s Flight Path Museum welcomed high school students  from Culver City, El Segundo, Westchester, Hawthorne, Inglewood and others schools throughout the Los Angeles Unified School District. They visited interactive booths, toured exhibits and observed demonstrations highlighting roles in engineering, airport operations, mechanical systems, public safety, project management and skilled trades.

LAWA officials said the event showcases the agency’s commitment to building a diverse, locally rooted workforce that supports the region’s growing aviation sector.

LAWA’s current and future projects include campus-wide terminal, utility and system upgrades in preparation for the Summer Olympics. The selected contractors are expected to complete all identified architectural, structural, construction and mechanical needs across active airport facilities while adhering to strict operational and safety requirements.

Xcel Mechanical Systems Engages Local HireLAX Graduates to Work on Future LAX Projects

LACCD/LOS ANGELES SOUTHWEST COLLEGE – Xcel Mechanical Systems Community Outreach Team members attended today’s HireLAX Contractor Open House here to discuss with program graduates opportunities to join local trade unions and work on LAX’s next round of multi-million campus modernization projects.

During the event, Xcel Mechanical team members had the opportunity to speak with graduates about their experiences during LAWA’s marquee Apprenticeship Readiness Program, provide important background on the company, and provide information needed to become competitive union and company job candidates.

HireLAX is an eight-week program that has held quarterly graduations since 2017. Xcel Mechanical has attended every cohort graduation since 2022 and has hired multiple program graduates following their successful entry into the sheet metal, mechanical piping and plumbing trade unions.

Xcel Mechanical Systems is a design-build mechanical and plumbing union contractor based in Gardena, CA. Xcel Mechanical has completed multiple projects at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), and for the University of California, California State University and Los Angeles Community College District systems. Campus and Building owners and some of the nation’s largest general contractors trust our award-winning firm to deliver expertly engineered, cost-effective HVAC and plumbing systems designed and built to make buildings more comfortable and energy efficient.

Xcel Mechanical’s participation in this and multiple other outreach events across the Greater Los Angeles Metropolitan Area underscores the company’s commitment to recruiting and developing a talented and diverse pool of prospective project partners and employees, each motivated to drive new economic opportunities at work and in our neighboring communities. Xcel Mechanical continues to ensure that our project partners and employees are equipped with the tools needed to succeed and empowered to share their unique ideas and perspectives. Our teams drive growth both at work and in the community while engaged in outreach, mentoring, and volunteering to help cultivate the region’s next generation of industry professionals and skilled craft workers.

 

 

Xcel Mechanical Participates in Safety Stand-Down at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

CEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER — Xcel Mechanical Systems recently paused work at its bustling Cedars-Sinai Medical Center jobsite to participate in a Safety Stand-Down, following a nationwide initiative led by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to raise awareness about fall prevention and workplace safety.

During the event, project leaders and crew members gathered to review jobsite hazards, reinforce fall protection procedures and discuss ways to strengthen communication about safety concerns at one of the nation’s top hospitals.

For eight consecutive years, Cedars-Sinai has earned the highest distinction—5 stars—from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for the quality and safety of care, placing the institution among the best hospitals in the country.

Xcel Mechanical is a preferred vendor at the prestigious medical center and has been performing complex HVAC and plumbing renovations and expansions in the acute care facility for more than a decade.

The Stand-Down event emphasized OSHA’s core message: every fall can be prevented through proper planning, equipment and training.

Xcel Mechanical Participates in Safety Stand-Down at 29 Palms Job Site

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER 29 PALMS — Xcel Mechanical Systems recently paused work at its sprawling jobsite here to participate in a Safety Stand-Down event, echoing a nationwide initiative led by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to raise awareness about fall prevention and workplace safety.

During the event at the world’s largest Marine Corps training base, project leaders and crew members gathered to review jobsite hazards, reinforce fall protection procedures and discuss ways to strengthen communication about safety concerns.

Xcel Mechanical is furnishing and installing complete HVAC and plumbing systems for a massive 100,000 square-foot Marine Corps housing facility, including ductwork, VAV boxes with electric heat, DDC controls and sanitary, domestic water and condensate piping. The scope also includes equipment rigging, seismic restraint, insulation, fire-stopping, testing and commissioning support.

Xcel Mechanical’s Stand-Down emphasized OSHA’s core message: every fall can be prevented through proper planning, equipment and training.

Xcel Mechanical Connects with Future Industry Leaders at CPMCA’s Cal Poly Pomona Industry Networking Event

CAL POLY POMONA — Xcel Mechanical’s Recruitment & Outreach Team attended the California Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors Association (CPMCA) Student Chapter Mixer at Cal Poly Pomona today to engage students interested in careers in mechanical contracting.

About 80 students attended the event to learn more about Design Build mechanical contracting and potential careers in the industry. Other mechanical contractors in attendance included ACCO Engineered Systems, Brymax Construction Services, Couts Mechanical, MOE Plumbing, Murray Company, Pan-Pacific Mechanical, Southland Mechanical, TIMEC, and University Mechanical.

The event featured a round-robin style format, during which students rotated between contractor tables in 15-minute sessions, allowing them to engage directly with multiple company recruiters.

Throughout the interactive event, students asked questions and learned from industry professionals what design-build mechanical contracting entails and how to build their own career in the industry.

The event underscored CPMCA and Xcel Mechanical’s commitment to professional workforce development, mentorship and industry outreach. By engaging directly with students, Xcel Mechanical continues to invest in the future of the mechanical contracting industry one student at a time.

Historic brick building with twin towers, exterior.

Unique Campus Expertise Defines Xcel Mechanical’s Education Market Strategy

HIGHER EDUCATION — UCLA is the is the top-ranked public university in the U.S. and ranked 20th overall in the most recent edition of U.S. News and World Report. Our teams are currently working on multiple projects there; the latest in a string of major projects worth a combined $40 million completed on the Westwood campus over the past eight years. Our teams are also working on a large retrofit project at sister campus UC Riverside. Speaking of iconic Southern California campuses, USC is ranked 4th in California and 27th nationally. Xcel Mechanical went through an exhaustive prequalification process to renew our status as a Preferred Vendor at USC and today builds on a resume that includes more than 60 projects worth more than $20 million completed over the past decade.

Large industrial building with surrounding structures.

Xcel Mechanical Working on Mission-Critical Aerospace Projects with Nation’s Top Defense Contractors

AEROSPACE — The U.S. Government issued $705 billion in federal contracts in fiscal year 2022, according to Bloomberg Government’s 2022 BGOV200 report released today. Of the Top 200 U.S. companies to receive federal contracts in 2022, Xcel Mechanical is working today to deliver projects on campuses belonging to three of the top five. These Owners include Lockheed Martin (#1/ $46B); Raytheon Technologies (#2/$26B); Boeing (#5/ $15B); and Northrop Grumman (#6/$14B). Add to these mission-critical aerospace clients Relativity Space, now building its Corporate HQ in Long Beach, CA. Founded recently by comparison, Relativity aims to be the first company to successfully launch a fully 3D-printed space vehicle into orbit. How cool is that?

Thriving in Acute Patient Care Environments Through Campus Command and Collaboration

HOSPITALS  —  Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is the second-highest ranked Hospital in the United States behind only the Mayo Clinic, according to the 2022 rankings released by U.S. News & World Report. UCLA Medical Center is ranked fifth nationally, tied with Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. CSMC and UCLA are tops in the West and in California. Between the work performed on both of these campuses, plus the work performed at USC’s Keck School of Medicine and USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Xcel Mechanical has developed a reputation for performing in the most delicate, acute-care patient treatment facilities in California. It takes extraordinary people doing extraordinary things to work in places like these.

Xcel Mechanical Systems Wins Third MCAA/CNA National Safety Excellence Award in Five Years

SAFETY – Xcel Mechanical Systems – a commercial engineering and construction firm retained by some of the nation’s largest general contractors to implement HVAC and plumbing systems in some of Southern California’s most iconic buildings – was recognized again today with an MCAA/CNA National Safety Excellence Award.

The Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA), based in Rockville, MD, represents more than 2,600 mechanical contractors nationwide. CNA Insurance, based in Chicago, IL, is the nation’s seventh-largest commercial insurer. The MCAA/CNA Safety Excellence Award is presented annually to five commercial mechanical contractors of varying size that demonstrate a profound commitment to keeping their employees and project partners safe through ownership investment and documented safety program results.

Today’s recognition – which came during MCAA’s weeklong National Convention in San Diego, CA – marks Xcel Mechanical’s third MCAA/CNA National Safety Excellence Award in the past five years.

“It’s important to note that every MCAA member contractor that competes for this award is already a leader in terms of their commitment to Occupational Health & Safety,” said Raffi Elchemmas, MCAA’s Executive Director of Safety & Health. “For an MCAA member contractor to win this award just once is remarkable, which makes Xcel Mechanical’s third award extraordinary.”

Xcel Mechanical Systems President Kevin Michel, a California state-licensed professional engineer who founded the Gardena, CA-based design-build firm more than two decades ago, said his senior management team’s decision to invest in an industry-leading Safety Program many years ago came easily, especially given the job-related dangers construction workers face each day.

“Construction workers everywhere perform their jobs in high-risk environments, and so doing whatever we can to keep our employees safe is an everyday priority,” Mr. Michel said.

“An effective safety program starts with commitment, teamwork, accountability, and personal responsibility,” he said. “The result of that effort is that our employees return home to their families safe each night, which is the most important part. But these awards are also an enormous point of pride for everyone at Xcel Mechanical,” he said. “These awards represent the diligence of our entire company. They are without question the most important recognitions we have received since opening our doors.”

About Xcel Mechanical Systems, Inc.

Xcel Mechanical Systems is a nationally recognized engineering and construction firm specializing in commercial HVAC and plumbing systems. Building owners and some of the nation’s largest general contractors trust Xcel Mechanical to deliver cost-effective solutions that make their buildings more comfortable and energy efficient. Based in Gardena, CA, Xcel Mechanical Systems is one of the largest mechanical and plumbing contractors in California, and one of the safest in the United States. For more information, please visit: www.xcelmech.com

 

 

Engineering Excellence Fuels Aerospace Design-Build Capability

REDONDO BEACH, CA— Xcel Mechanical Systems entered the mechanical contracting industry as a highly technical and capable Design Build mechanical contractor that specialized in engineering and delivering Aerospace High Bays and Clean Rooms that were then used for research, or to manufacture sensitive instruments and equipment. We continue to secure work with those longtime clients, and in fact have worked in nearly every building on every aerospace campus in the South Bay. That resume and capability now extends to secured sites located in Northeast Los Angeles County, under the purview of Xcel Mechanical’s new Palmdale-Lancaster Project Management Office.