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When a main water line ruptured in Bogalusa on a recent morning, the phone at Southern Underground of Louisiana rang with a plea for help. More than 400 homes in the Washington Parish city were without water, and repairs needed to be made quickly.
Within an hour, Zachary-based Southern Underground had a crew— including the company’s founders—on the way to fix the broken line and restore service.
AT A GLANCE
Top executives: Luke Bennett and Bryan Hodges, Founders; Austin Bryce, Business Development Manager
Phone: 225.306.3037
Address: 4922 Rankin St., Zachary, LA 70791
Website: southernundergroundofla.org
It’s just one example of Southern Underground’s commitment to putting all hands on deck to help clients in their time of need. A utility contractor specializing in water, gas and sewer lines, drainage and sewer treatment facilities, the company works with everyone from industrial giants on expansion projects to developers building new residential communities to local municipalities that keep Southern Underground on speed dial for infrastructure emergencies.
“Our company has grown, but we’re still the tight-knit company that we’ve been since we were founded in 2015,” says Business Development Manager Austin Bryce. “The owners still answer the phone. We’re all here whenever our clients need us.”
Owners Luke Bennett and Bryan Hodges started Southern Underground out of a desire to bring more efficiency to their field. Bryce notes that the company is young … it was founded less than a decade ago, and many staffers are in their 20s, 30s and 40s. That has proven to be an advantage.
“We are ahead of the curve,” Bryce says. “We’re ahead of a lot of the industrial changes. We’re up to date on technology and some of the more advanced equipment. Our machinery is newer.”
Southern Underground’s range of services and roster of clients has expanded over the years. The company has increased its industrial presence significantly, taking on projects with big-name clients such as Honeywell, Chevron, Dalley Tower and Entergy.
One thing that has attracted customers near and far is a specialty drilling rig. “It gives us the capability to do large-scale drill shaft installation,” Bryce says. “Whenever somebody’s looking for this service, we are one of few contractors that can do it.”
Customers are impressed by Southern Underground’s timeliness, expertise and professionalism.
“Safety, understanding the job, getting in and getting everything done, leaving no trash left behind—those are big things that set us apart,” Bryce says. “It’s why we get a lot of repeat business. One of our industrial clients has been a repeat customer for six years with over 45 completed projects all over the United States.”
