The History of CIP Group

Born over 60 years ago amidst the classical beauty of the Italian landscape, Serafino Paglia immigrated to Toronto at the age of 16, with high hopes for a better future for himself and his future family. A strong work ethic coupled with a passion for the construction process helped him become a job-site foreman soon thereafter. His carpentry and layout skills mastered and with a firm understanding of all other trades on site, Serafino enjoyed the daily challenges of concrete construction and gained a wealth of experience with different construction techniques and methods by working all across the country.

Son of a blacksmith, Dominic Mungo emigrated from Southern Italy in 1959 at the age of 12. With a strong knowledge of forging metals he learned from his father, and experience working as a brick layer, Dominic started doing small construction jobs building garages and chimneys by day, and attending college at night for drafting. His passion to build led him to do layout and eventually become a crane operator. His drafting and layout background combined with strong leadership skills eventually resulted in him becoming job-site foreman, often supervising a whole crew while simultaneously operating a tower crane.

By the late 1970s, both Serafino and Dominic had left Toronto for the booming West. With skyscrapers being constructed at a frantic pace skilled labour was in high demand. After working in Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Vancouver and Winnipeg Dominic and Serafino gained knowledge of different forming techniques and methods used throughout the country, while at the same time developing their own methods to increase efficiency.

The C.I.P. (Cast-in-Place) Group was founded as a partnership in 1985. The first project in Windsor, Ontario, the Relax Inn Hotel, was a success. Over the next few years the C.I.P. Group continued to develop a reputation for quality, consistency and stability. Their portfolio of work now includes over 115 projects built in Canada. At a modest average of 15,000 m3 of poured concrete per job, that’s enough to line up full concrete mixer trucks bumper to bumper from Toronto to Thunder Bay!

Over the years, Serafino and Dominic have used their continued training, unequivocal perseverance and extraordinary business sense to create a successful company that is known for quality and efficiency. Combining determination with experience and state-of-the-art expertise, they have built a Canadian legacy unparalleled in the construction industry.