Background
Carlin Construction, founded in 1995, is a medium-sized commercial construction firm, delivering projects as a general contractor, construction manager and design-builder. Starting from a single room mechanic’s garage in Waterford, the company has grown into a diverse family business led by John Carlin, President, and Dan Carlin, Director of Operations. Carlin Construction handles a mix of public and private projects, including administrative spaces, hospitality spaces, distribution warehouses, healthcare, and life sciences. The company primarily works in Connecticut and Rhode Island, however they are also licensed in Massachusetts and New York.
Carlin Construction initially banked with a larger institution. “Several years ago, I met members of the Chelsea Groton team through multiple local projects we were working on where Chelsea Groton was involved as the commercial lender,” shared John Carlin. “Our team kept finding that Chelsea Groton was easy to work with as a lending partner. It became very evident that Chelsea Groton is highly invested in their local community and their customers. Over time, we continued to develop our working relationship. Eventually we felt like it was time to explore what a banking relationship with Chelsea Groton would be like. We weren’t getting much in terms of partnership from our existing commercial bank. After reviewing the offering and learning more about how Chelsea Groton does business, Carlin Construction decided to switch to Chelsea Groton in 2018. It was an important move for our company, and we couldn’t be more pleased we made the move.”
Banking Services
“This is going back several years, but during the uncertainty and constant influx of new information surrounding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Chelsea Groton Bank was proactive in keeping businesses informed. They provided regular emails and phone calls, offering guidance on what needed to be done and what had to be submitted,” shared Stefanie Picard, Controller at Carlin Construction.
Today, Carlin Construction uses ACH Origination for biweekly payroll, facilitated by Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate software. Following a file upload, the owners are able to log into online banking, open that file, see who’s being paid and in what amount, and approve the file. “It’s been great to have that added layer of internal controls for reviewing and approving disbursements before they are made,” shared Stefanie.
As Carlin issues hundreds of checks each week, they’ve also elected to use the Bank’s Payee Positive Pay Fraud Prevention system. “We get alerted right away to any checks that may be potentially fraudulent. It provides significant stress relief given the volume of checks we send monthly,” added Stefanie.
“We feel that Chelsea Groton is genuinely committed to servicing our needs at every level. We appreciated the proactive communication we received during the pandemic, and that approach has carried forward,” expressed John. “I also know I can call someone directly and receive a prompt response. We hadn’t experienced that proactive outreach with our previous financial institution. We really value and appreciate the level of care and the impact it has had on our business.”
The Future of Carlin Construction
In the years to come, Carlin Construction is looking to continue to grow its business and capture more market share in the region. The company experienced their best year since the pandemic in 2024 and is optimistic about the continued development activity in Connecticut and southern Rhode Island. “Southeastern CT in particular, which was once a quiet corner of the state, is not that way anymore. It’s evolved into the place where most of our work occurs these days,” shared John. With several projects in the pipeline, Carlin Construction has a hopeful outlook on what the future could hold.
Chelsea Groton is proud to be a business partner of Carlin Construction. To learn more about Chelsea Groton’s business banking capabilities, visit the treasury management page on the Bank’s website. Here is more information about Carlin Construction’s capabilities and access to review some of their recent projects.
