Tempe-based HercuTech hoping to bring wall manufacturing system to Maui

TEMPE, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) — Tempe-based wall manufacturing company HercuTech is looking to help with the rebuilding process on Maui. Instead of traditional wood or block, the Hercuwall relies on a combination of insulated foam, steel and concrete.

The company is still looking to get formal approval to build in Hawaii and is hoping to receive that approval in the next month. The goal is to start building these walls in Maui later this year, but the company has already seen short and long-term benefits here on the mainland. “I feel safer and more secure,” Queen Creek resident Paul Worthy said.

When Worthy and Alexa Ralenkotter were looking for a home, disaster protection wasn’t at the top of their list of concerns. But extra help from the Hercuwalls inside their home, providing some protection against extreme fires, flooding, or other natural disasters, has given both Worthy and Ralenkotter some much-needed peace of mind. “Knowing that it’s like a more safe type of home, and energy-sufficient type of home makes me feel more comfortable living inside of it,” Ralenkotter said.

The Hercuwall has been around for years, both in Arizona and also in states like Florida that have been hit hard by hurricanes. “We actually had 30 structures go through Hurricane Ian last year, and we went out there to assess the damage of those homes,” HercuTech marketing director Gabby Zimmerman said. “We were amazed by what we saw. There was no flooding, no structural damage, no property damage, and no loss of life.”

Zimmerman says HercuTech had already been looking into setting up a presence in Hawaii prior to the deadly Maui fires. Now, they’re ramping up that process. “The natural disasters that are prone to termites and other things that the Hercuwall system would alleviate and help solve for the residents that are living in those communities,” she said.

Zimmerman says the cost of building one of these walls is comparable to the cost of building a wood or block wall. But she claims long-term, property owners will save on energy costs and maintenance repair. It hasn’t taken long for Worth and Ralenkotter to notice some of those savings. “It keeps it cooler inside,” Ralenkotter said. “So our costs are way down.”

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