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CONSTRUCTION/DESIGN
A Turnkey Approach to Manufacturing Location Decisions Taking a project from site selection through process design and construction to commissioning with a turnkey approach will help a manufacturer ensure its long-term operational success. By Courtney Dunbar, Site Selection & Economic Development Leader, Burns & McDonnell
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look at manufacturing site selection criteria illustrates why.
Factors That Impact Site Selection The goal of any site search is to identify locations that support a manufacturer’s long-term operational success. The more a site selection team knows about the company’s products, production methods, and infrastructure requirements, the better. A site selection team must also have a detailed understanding of the owner’s site selection criteria
courtesy Burns & McDonnell
hen scouting locations for a retailer, an experienced real estate team knows precisely what to look for: sites that have high visibility, easy accessibility, and close proximity to a population base and competing stores. By comparing options that meet this small handful of criteria, the final selection can be relatively simple. Compare that to locating a new manufacturing facility. As many as 70 or more different variables can influence site selection — from infrastructure, logistical, and incentive considerations to permitting requirements, staffing needs, and community acceptance concerns. Site selection models for these facilities, therefore, can be notoriously complex. The strengths or weaknesses of each alternative can potentially impact facility design and a host of other variables, making the process of comparing and ranking alternatives even more challenging. Apples-to-apples comparisons of sites are rare. Some site selectors are better equipped to conduct searches that involve complex infrastructure and permitting requirements than others. A closer
Engineering, procurement, and construction services were needed for this facility’s new packaging department and process line.
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