Navacon’s History
It all started in 1958… when Ernie Costantini immigrated from Italy to start a new life in southern Ontario. He settled in Brantford, Ontario where he found his first job harvesting Tobacco. Ernie got introduced to the construction field when he switched jobs and worked for Curran Brick Ltd. They specified in underground sewer work and road construction. Ernie worked as mostly a laborer until he was eventually told by his superintendent that he wanted him to drive a truck for their company. Ernie worked the rest of the summer for Curran until he decided to go back to Italy. While in Italy he ended up marrying his wife Italiea. When he later returned to southern Ontario he brought back his wife and his 2 brothers Frank and Tony.
1961 – Ernie continued his employment with Curran Brick Ltd until he was injured on the job. Ernie was in the hospital for 7 months where he missed the birth of his first son Joseph. Ironically, the circumstances following the injury introducing him to the transportation industry. Ernie left his employment with Curran Ltd and sourced a job in the summer of 1962 where he would drive and maintenance a single axle truck for an owner.
After the summer of 1962 Ernie wanted to own and operate his own truck. Before the 1963 season he purchased a Ford 700 single axle.
1966 – Ernie upgraded to a Ford Tandem 750 to increase his haul tonnage. Between the years 1972 – 1975 he added four Chevy Tandems and hired four drivers under the name of CE Haulage.
1986 – Ernie struck a deal to haul aggregates for CBM (St Mary’s Cement) to various ready mix plants throughout Southwestern Ontario. With the new deal Ernie retired his Ford Tandem 750 and purchased a Western Star Triaxle with pony trailer.
1989 – 1995 Ernie slowly retired his Chevy Tandems and introduced four new Western Star Tractor Trailers to CE Haulage.
Today Ernie now runs eight Peterbilt Tractor Trailers and a Peterbilt Tandem under CE Haulage. CE Haulage still runs aggregates for CBM marking his 32nd year.
Navacon Construction Inc.
2008 – Ernie along with two friends (who he had met in the trucking industry) and a 4th partner, started his own construction company, Navacon Construction Inc.
2008 to 2014 – Navacon operated as a small construction firm focusing on Municipal Road Reconstruction, and Commericial/Industrial Site development in South/Western Ontario.
2015 – After 7 years of struggling to get Navacon established and profitable, Ernie bought out his partners and decided to move in a different direction. In April 2015, Johnnie Abel joined Navacon, leaving E&E Seegmiller Construction, and took over the day to day management of the company. In July 2015 Glenn McDonald, a long-time former colleague of Johnnie’s was hired to supervise the construction work out in the field.
2016 – Navacon tripled in size under the new management of Johnnie & Glenn, completing over $10 Million in contracts and establishing Navacon Construction Inc as major player in the local construction industry.
