Buist Electric Case Study: How We Captured 60 Years of Legacy in One Cinematic Anniversary Video

The Challenge

Buist Electric did not want a stiff anniversary timeline. They wanted a film that felt like Buist. Sixty years of history can get buried under dates, founders, and milestones fast, but that would have missed the point. The real story lived in the people who carried the company from a small family operation to a 100% employee-owned electrical contractor in West Michigan.

The tension was clear from the start. We had to bridge six decades of trade evolution without losing the human thread. Old stories about hauling heavy wire up staircases by hand had to live beside modern Bluebeam workflows, sprawling commercial job sites, and a younger generation stepping into the trade. If we got the balance wrong, the film would feel either nostalgic or corporate. Buist needed something truer than that.

Our Approach

We Built the Story Around People

We built the film around voices, not narration. We interviewed original retirees, modern project leaders, and newer apprentices so the story could move from badge #001 to badge #1132 and still feel personal. That badge-number device became one of the smartest choices in the whole project. It turned every interview into a living timeline.

We Used Contrast on Purpose

We also proved the family culture on camera instead of just repeating the phrase. Multiple generations from the same families, including the Sterk and Olthouse lines, spoke about work, loyalty, and what it meant to hand the trade down. That gave the film weight. It showed that Buist's family language was not marketing fluff. It was literal.

Visually, we leaned into contrast. We paired intimate interviews with close craft shots, twilight job-site footage, community-facing project imagery, and details like the retired white Ford Ranger nicknamed Chuck Norris. We also left room for real emotion. Dave Maleport's story about the company carrying him through the loss of his father showed Buist's Christian values in action, not in slogan form.

"SALT helped take our project from a concept to an amazing set of videos that we will use now and in the future." — Heather Hughes, Buist Electric

What That Looked Like On Set

• We paired retirees, current leaders, and younger tradespeople in one story arc.
• We used employee badge numbers as a visual timeline from #001 to #1132.
• We contrasted old-school grit with modern workflows like Bluebeam.
• We filmed enough craft detail and job-site scale to make the company feel lived in.

The Impact

Built by You premiered at Buist Electric's 60th-anniversary event as a celebration piece first and a recruitment asset second. That order mattered. Because the film honored the people in the room, it earned trust before it ever asked to do any long-tail work for recruiting or retention.

After the premiere, the project kept paying off. It gave longtime employees a film they could feel proud of. It honored the founders without freezing the company in the past. It showed younger electricians what kind of team they would be joining. It also gave Buist a lasting culture asset built on faith, family, grit, and visible proof.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of video did SALT produce for Buist Electric?

We produced Built by You, a cinematic anniversary and culture film built to celebrate Buist Electric's 60-year legacy. The piece premiered at the anniversary event, but it also works as a long-term recruitment and internal culture asset.

How did SALT turn 60 years of company history into one film?

We skipped the fact-dump approach and built the story around people. Retirees, current leaders, and younger employees carried the narrative, while badge numbers and visual contrasts helped us move across decades without losing clarity.

What makes Buist Electric's culture different?

Buist is 100% employee-owned, grounded in Christian values, and full of family ties that are literal, not symbolic. Multiple generations from the same families have worked there, and the interviews made it clear that people stay because the place feels like it belongs to them.

Why did the employee badge number idea matter?

It turned a normal interview setup into a visual timeline. Seeing badge #001 alongside badge #1132 gave the audience a fast, human way to understand growth, loyalty, and legacy.

How did SALT show the gap between old-school trade work and modern electrical work?

We used interviews and B-roll to put the eras side by side. Older voices talked about hand tools and hauling wire up steps, while younger employees spoke about Bluebeam, pipe-rack planning, and safer, more efficient workflows.

Can an anniversary film also help recruitment?

Yes, if it tells the truth about the culture. A strong anniversary film does more than honor the past. It shows future hires what kind of team they would join, what values shape the work, and why people stay.

What is Buist Electric?

Buist Electric is a West Michigan electrical contractor founded on faith, family, and hard work. Over six decades, it has grown from a small family operation into a 100% employee-owned company while keeping the same people-first center.

Where is SALT based?

We are a woman-owned creative video company based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We make documentary-driven brand films, recruitment stories, and commercial work with grit, clarity, and bite.