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Foundation Building Materials scales workers’ comp with a service philosophy
The company expanded its footprint from 359 to 439 locations in 14 months through acquisitions, and built a workers’ compensation program designed to keep claim handling consistent across the added sites.
Growth accelerated at Foundation Building Materials, which expanded from 359 to 439 locations nationwide in 14 months, adding nearly 22% to its footprint through four major acquisitions. Risk management, according to Risk & Insurance, faced a core challenge: integrating different workers’ compensation practices, safety expectations, and claim handling norms without creating inconsistency across dozens of newly acquired locations.
Risk & Insurance reports that FBM’s risk team responded with a scalable approach it calls The Foundation Way. The program is described as a service philosophy rather than a purely compliance framework, centered on direct outreach to injured employees via text message or phone to explain next steps and answer questions.
In the workers’ comp process, FBM emphasizes that personal communication can help reduce disputes, and Kakuta said the outreach has contributed to keeping litigation rates very low relative to the number of employees and claims. She also described the need to guide employees through a life-altering situation when workers’ comp may be unfamiliar, aiming to ensure they know there is someone to reach for help.
The article also frames the broader stakes for scaling: without a unifying approach, it said risks could include inconsistent injury reporting, uneven support for injured workers, and compliance gaps that could compound across hundreds of locations. Risk & Insurance writes that The Foundation Way is intended to maintain consistency, accountability, and a culture of care as FBM continues to grow through acquisitions.