From Hard Work to Heavy Industry

A Conversation with Doug Melching

Doug Melching on a job site in the early 1990’s.

If you spend any time around Melching, it doesn’t take long to realize the company reflects the person who built it. Doug Melching’s path into demolition wasn’t planned or polished. It was shaped by work ethic, curiosity, and a willingness to take jobs most people walked away from.

That mindset still drives the business today.

Learning the Work Early

Doug’s introduction to construction came early. Growing up with a father who was a carpenter and home builder, work wasn’t optional. By the time he was a kid, he was already helping on foundations and framing jobs, learning firsthand what it meant to show up and get the work done.

That early exposure stuck. As Doug got older, the goal wasn’t to work for someone else long term. It was to build something of his own, even if that meant figuring it out one job at a time.

Finding a Path Through Experience

Before demolition became the focus, Doug’s career took him through a wide range of hands-on work. From building underground concrete homes to remodeling and new construction, each phase added another layer of experience.

The real turning point came when he moved into industrial dismantling and scrap work. Cutting up train cars, working refinery sites, handling petrochemical facilities, and responding to train derailments exposed him to large-scale, high-risk environments where mistakes weren’t an option.

Those jobs demanded precision, adaptability, and respect for the hazards involved. They also laid the foundation for what Melching would eventually become.

The Job That Changed Everything

In the early 1990s, Doug took on what he still considers one of the defining projects of his career. A massive automotive plant in Benton Harbor had closed, leaving behind more than a million square feet of contaminated, asbestos-laden structures.

At the time, Melching was a small operation. But instead of backing away, Doug committed to doing the job correctly. He and his crew got trained in asbestos abatement and hazardous material handling and took on the entire project from start to finish.

That job proved something important. With the right approach, the right people, and a willingness to stay the course, even the biggest projects could be handled responsibly.

Why Experience Still Matters

More than 30 years later, Doug believes the biggest lesson hasn’t changed. “You don’t quit when things get difficult.”

Demolition is complicated. Regulations change constantly. Environmental requirements are demanding. Safety and compliance take constant attention. There are no shortcuts without consequences.

That’s why experience matters so much in this industry. Knowing how systems behave, how materials respond, and how jobs can go wrong is what keeps people safe and projects moving forward.

Finding Value Where Others Don’t

One of the things that still excites Doug about demolition is the potential hidden inside old industrial sites. What looks like a liability on the surface can often hold real value through salvage and recycling.

Over the years, Melching has uncovered materials that helped fund entire projects, from high-value metals to equipment that found a second life halfway around the world. Those discoveries aren’t accidents. They come from understanding industrial systems and knowing how to look beyond what’s obvious.

It’s all part of making sites viable again, not just cleared, but ready for what comes next.

The Melching Way

When asked what sets Melching apart, Doug keeps it simple. “Care about the work. Treat people with respect. Do what you say you’re going to do.”

That philosophy shapes the culture of the company. Crews are expected to work hard, look out for one another, and follow through. Hostility, shortcuts, and half-finished jobs aren’t tolerated.

Leadership, in Doug’s view, isn’t about speeches. It’s about setting an example and showing up every day.

Still Making Way

Today, Melching continues to take on complex industrial and environmental projects across the region. While the work has grown, the core principles haven’t changed.

“Work hard. Don’t give up. Do the job right.”

Those ideas built Melching, and they continue to guide where it’s headed next.