TDSpirit
Spring/Summer 2018
The rules have changed Women can THRIVE at TDIndustries: TD runs pilot program for women in construction, p. 14
KDC Talks Prefab Benefits: Project manager for developer discusses prefabrication, p. 16
Letter from CEO Harold MacDowell
T
DIndustries has two goals above all others: first, to produce quality buildings and provide quality services for our customers, and second to ensure our TDPartners return home safely at the end of every day. With those goals in mind, it’s only natural that we consider prefabrication one of our key tools to achieving success. It has become so ingrained in the way we do business that the better question has become “What can’t we prefabricate?” As a stakeholder in this employee-owned company, you, I, fellow Partners, and customers alike can appreciate all of those desires when it comes to successfully completing each project milestone or challenging task —no matter how big or small. In this 28-page edition, we hope to explain exactly why we consider prefabrication an important mechanism for our continued success. Commitment to our customers’ bottom lines doesn’t stop with prefabrication. We aggressively seek leaner methods, and search to add value wherever possible. This issue includes several examples of innovation and initiative, whether planning for a project, leading new endeavors, or brainstorming solutions to common concerns. We believe these advances will benefit our customers. Thank you, Partners, for your motivation to continue improving, and willingness to try new things. Also, to our customers, we offer sincere gratitude for your committed relationship with TDIndustries and your support for improving our industry and the communities that we serve.
T
DIndustries prioriza dos objetivos por sobre todos los demás: en primer lugar, construir edificios de calidad y brindar servicios de calidad a nuestros clientes y, en segundo lugar garantizar que nuestros socios lleguen a sus hogares a salvo al fin de cada día. Con estos objetivos en mente, es natural considerar que la prefabricación es una de nuestras herramientas principales para alcanzar el éxito. Se ha arraigado tanto que la pregunta correcta ahora es: “¿Qué no podemos prefabricar?” Como accionista de esta sociedad laboral, usted, yo, los socios y los clientes podemos apreciar de un modo similar todos aquellos deseos cuando se trata de completar con éxito cada fase del proyecto o tarea difícil; sin importar que grandes o pequeños sean. En esta publicación de 28 páginas, esperamos explicar con exactitud por qué creemos que la prefabricación es un mecanismo importante para nuestro éxito continuo. El compromiso con los resultados de nuestros clientes no para con la prefabricación. Estamos en la búsqueda constante de métodos eficientes e investigamos como agregar valor siempre que sea posible. Esta publicación cubre muchos ejemplos de innovación e iniciativa, ya sea planear un proyecto, dirigir nuevos emprendimientos o pensar en soluciones para inquietudes en común. Creemos que estos avances beneficiarán a nuestros clientes. Gracias Socios, por su motivación para continuar mejorando y por su buena disposición a intentar cosas nuevas. Además, ofrecemos a nuestros clientes nuestro más sincero agradecimiento por su relación comprometida con TDIndustries y por su apoyo para mejorar nuestra industria y las comunidades que servimos
Carpe Diem!
2
TDSpirit === Spring/Summer 2018
is a publication of
Austin
2701 Gattis School Road Building “A” Suite 101 Round Rock, TX 78664 512-310-5050
Dallas
13850 Diplomat Drive Dallas, TX 75234 972-888-9500
Fort Worth
2601 Northern Cross Blvd. Suite 201 Fort Worth, TX 76137 817-306-6500
Houston
9525 Derrington Road Houston, TX 77064 713-939-1986
Phoenix Metro Area 1888 East Broadway Road Tempe, AZ 85282 480-449-7690
Richardson
Process Solutions 1400 S. Sherman Street Suite 100 Richardson, TX 75081 972-888-9500
San Antonio
12700 O’Connor Road San Antonio, TX 78233 210-646-8476
Tucson
3820 East 44th Street, #416 Tucson, AZ 85713 800-864-7717 Please report any change of address, contact name or additions, to Brian.Bateman@TDIndustries.com.
We want to thank the Partners of TDIndustries who contributed to this issue of TDSpirit.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Why use prefab?
Schedule
n Joining Fort Worth skyline, p.6 n Owners see value in modularization, p.8
Safety
n Prefab reduces injury risk, p.12 n Production record set without injury, p. 13
Savings
n Shipping savings: TD brings shop to Liberty Mutual, p.18 n Prefab piping makes project profitable, p.19
Also in this edition
Lead with a servant’s heart
n Partners sharpen knowledge at Ph.D. group, p.25 n Giving back: How TD provides for community, p.26
Around TD
n Anniversaries, pp.20-23 n Retirements, p.23 n Awards, p.27
Our mission We are Committed to providing outstanding Career opportunities by exceeding our Customers’ expectations through Continuous aggressive improvement.
TDSpirit === Spring/Summer 2018
3
Schedule
From Concept
To Completion How TDIndustries uses prefabrication in the construction management process
4
TDSpirit === Spring/Summer 2018
Engineering/Preconstruction • Planners make every effort to improve safety by prefabricating materials in a controlled environment. • Working ahead allows flexibility in scheduling. • Planning reveals new opportunities to use prefab to shave time off schedule. • Standardized material production costs allow accurate forecasts.
Building Information Modeling (BIM) TD’s Virtual Design and Construction Team (VDC) uses BIM to create a visual connection to the project. • BIM offers accurate measurements of material needed, including clashes. It can quickly adjust for changes. In turn, prefab receives up-to-date information for production needs, which eliminates wasted production or time. • TDManufacturing receives, evaluates, and discusses prefabrication budget, and prepares the schedule accordingly. • If an additional part is required, VDC team members can absorb it into the flow. • Project characteristics begin to take shape, which can lead to value-added factors and better Lean management.
Construction • TDManufacturing receives, evaluates, and discusses prefabrication budget, and prepares schedule accordingly. • Partners notice ways to improve processes, and add value; Supervisors spot-check prefab at shop and onsite. • Continued installation walk-throughs check for safety, and quality issues of prefab installations. • TD confirms that all installations, prefab, or traditional work functions as intended.
TDSpirit === Spring/Summer 2018
5
Schedule
Frost Tower on the Rise in Fort Worth
6
TDSpirit === Spring/Summer 2018
Out-of-box thinking propels TD’s prefab strategy at Cowtown’s newest skyscraper
R
ising 25 stories into the Fort Worth skyline, the city’s seventh tallest building reflects downtown’s unique vibe and accentuates the bright blue sky above. As this TDSpirit arrives in mailboxes all across the country, the Fort Worth Construction group is wrapping up the chilled water, HVAC, and plumbing systems on Frost Tower, a beautifully designed office/parking structure. Not included in the 25 floors above ground are four parking levels below grade. From the start, TD was charged with having no onsite storage or laydown of any kind, as most downtown projects that are heavily populated. TD’s project team, consisting of Logan Harper; David Hollowell; Adam Cash; Grady Spencer; and Mark Jones, was challenged to think out of the box for not only prefabricating our standard sheet metal; but also prefabricating piping, and plumbing assemblies. The team came up with new ways to think about material handling, virtual design and construction (VDC) shop drawing coordination, and piping supports for all main risers going through the building while keeping up with the structure during construction to remove storm water and provide potable water to all the floors. To include air-handling units (AHUs), plumbing batteries, pressure-reducing valve (PRV) stations, and ductwork, the VDC group was challenged to draw all systems vertically with breakpoints at certain levels. Removing storm water was considered a big challenge due to vertical drops of 12 and 16 floors without offsets. The team elected to use 16-inch welded galvanized grooved storm and overflow risers, eliminating the chance of dislodged piping during any heavy rains. TD also elected to have domestic water; gas; chilled and condenser water risers sectioned as well. The goal was to stay within two floors during construction with all installations. TD collectively decided that its piping crew would install all these risers, which happened every third day after a structural slab pour for that area. Communication with the Dallas manufacturing shop was essential to meeting each milestone. TD had to design a way to support all of these risers to include expansion and contraction for all the various systems. After design, structural design engineers of Dunaway Associates gave its stamp of approval so that 14 of these could be fabricated at the shop and delivered out with the risers. On this project, TD worked closely with Balfour Beatty, Greater Metroplex Interiors, Win-Con, Capform, Great Southwestern, ThyssenKrupp, Enviromatic Systems, Sharp Insulation, Advantage Water Treaters, Platt-Rogers, Alpha Insulation and Waterproofing, and Air Balancing Company to ensure this project was completed on time. n
TD designed a way to support all risers to include expansion and contraction for all the various systems.
TDSpirit === Spring/Summer 2018
7
Schedule
Modularization or Traditional? TD Leads BLOX Installation Effort at HCA
P
refabrication is usually a subcontractor-led effort, but every once in a while, it comes from the top down. That’s where TD recently found itself at the Hospital Corporation of America’s Alliance Project in Fort Worth. HCA had a goal in mind: to compare how using a premade module impacted the overall cost when marked against a similar project. HCA mandated to general contractor JE Dunn, and by extension TDIndustries, that TD’s team would install BLOX prefabricated modules in the hospital. HCA used the data to compare with a traditional-build project in TD’s Houston footprint. “It was a lot simpler and easier than what HCA expected,” said Doug Biehle, Project Manager. As part of the project HCA purchased the prefabricated modules and TD was responsible for lifting them to the third floor and installing them. Each bathroom pod included sinks and medical-gas headwalls, as well as studs, walls, and showers. In all, TD was responsible for 19 head walls, 18 sink walls, the pod installation, connections, and traditional construction on four more bathrooms. The scheduled delivery of the modules were broken into two shipments. Prior to the first shipment, TD, JE Dunn, and BLOX met to discuss the rigging and installation of the modules. “Our Partners used the information shared by BLOX TD was able to frame out almost to develop a strategy and coordinate the installation,” shared 80 percent of a floor in one day Biehle. “The quality of the Partners assigned was noted by one with the use of BLOX modules. BLOX representative as the best that he had seen.” TD realized immediate savings in several categories: the modules went up quickly, there were fewer Partners required onsite, and the action simply involved following the planned script. For HCA, the reward was larger: Biehle estimates the schedule was reduced five to six weeks. The project proceeded so quickly, that Pioneers Biehle said “on the morning of the first lift you could stand at one end of the shell space and see to the other end. By the end of that of prefab day it looked like half of the floor was 80 percent framed out. With processes prefabricated bathrooms, headwalls, and sink walls, the overall time savings to the project was amazing.” HCA filmed TDPartners That involved no small amount of planning. TDPartners Jeremy installing BLOX modules for Kieschnick, Bill Lusby, Ray Livingston, and Cameron Williams future training sessions. made sure that all Partners had clear direction and stayed safe during Want to see the videos? the operations. TD worked with many companies on this product: Go here: Ferguson, Bartos Industries, TAS Commercial Construction, Johnson www. Controls, Amico, ADW Corporation, McMillan James Equipment hcadesignandconstruction. Company, and PCI. n com/tutorial-library/
Schedule
1-Stop Assembly Shop 6,000 sf site provides major benefit for Houston-area projects
A
t all TDIndustries locations, Partners work hard to provide value to customers. In Houston, it doesn’t take much more than a tour of its newest campus to see that in action. Besides the inviting new office completed in 2017, the new location features a training center for field Partners, office Partners, industry professionals, and the community to collaborate. However, this year’s greatest improvement might just be its 6,000 sf assembly shop, which offers a new way for TD to reduce prefabrication and assembly logistical costs, as well as add value to jobsites, ultimately benefiting every Houston-area stakeholder. “There are multiple benefits not only for TD but for our customers as well,” said Tasos Banos, Senior Vice President of Houston Preconstruction. “It helps us be better planners and allows us to be more productive by moving work off the project site to a more controlled environment, and it also reduces the total manpower required onsite, which in turn facilitates a safer jobsite.” Houston has had plans for this one-stop assembly shop since the planning phase of its new campus forward. The Memorial Hermann Pavilion II project offered a perfect target for the shop’s first venture. Memorial Hermann requires a large amount of prefabricated ductwork and hangers. Since midApril, Houston’s shop has assembled and sectioned ductwork and prefabbed hangers for Levels 7 and 8 of the Hermann project and is currently working on the remaining floors, 9 through 17. “TD has a state of the art manufacturing facility in Dallas that serves all of our business units across Texas and Arizona extremely well. Our goal is to take advantage of our manufacturing strengths and leverage deliveries so we can maximize productivity and provide a safer jobsite,” Banos said. The assembly shop will allow Houston to offer new alternatives to clients and continue to create innovative planning and prefabrication techniques. For TD, it’s just another example of improving processes to better serve our customers and Partners. n
Partners pre-assemble ductwork at Houston’s new shop, dramatically reducing jobsite labor costs which affect the project’s bottom line. TDSpirit === Spring/Summer 2018
9
Schedule
Your Next Cold One is on Us Prefab helps keep Arizona aluminum can facility — and your next swig — on schedule
F
rom soft drinks to cold beer, aluminum cans are an essential part of most Americans’ daily life. When TD’s latest project in Arizona is complete, it won’t be long before Partners will be using an aluminum beverage container made from that facility. TD’s Arizona team has been busy building a 495,000 sf aluminum can manufacturing facility from the ground up in Goodyear. The Arizona team has installed 12 adiabatic air-handling units (AHUs), three chillers, three cooling towers, and 12 pumps — a total of 2,100 tons of cooling. The distribution includes 170,000 pounds of aluminum, stainless and galvanized ducting, 8,800 lf of piping and automatic logic HVAC controls. TD’s use of prefabrication aided in making this project a success. “We are able to prefab about 90 percent of the central plant and all of the AHU CHW coil connections,” said Project Manager Jason Horn. John Gaskin, production manager, and Derek Green, superintendent, also led this initiative for TD. TD had planned to begin fast-track installation in November 2017, which the owner wanted complete in four months. However, the site wasn’t ready to install the first hanger until late December, which tightened an already compressed schedule considerably more. To help meet that goal, TD utilized prefabricating piping, 3,480 lf of preinsulated CHW piping and prefabricated duct. The late start meant Arizona needed to store its prefabbed material, but luckily the TD aims to finish this aluminum can facility within six months. site was large enough to support lay-down. With material in hand the team was able to start right away when the site went live. Horn said the prefabbed items sped up the process and reduced on site work hours, allowing TD to stay on track to finish the revised schedule on time and on budget. The dedicated crews worked 10 hour days, six days a week to ensure the owner was able to make the project deadline by mid-April. n
10
TDSpirit === Spring/Summer 2018
Schedule
Process Solutions Shines on Specialty Projects
TD’s Process Solutions shop in Richardson can create specialized parts for highly sensitive projects, including data centers, clean rooms, biomedical facilities, and more.
I
n modern biomedical and technical buildings, space is a valuable asset. Whether the space is intended for process equipment, data servers, or ductwork and piping, it’s imperative that maximizing operational space be a part of the solutions TD offers its clients. That can sometimes leave very tight quarters for TD’s piping and ductwork. The Process Solutions team in Austin encountered this challenge on a biomedical research project in San Antonio. For these specialized projects, Process Solutions steps in. The biomedical facility required detailed specifications, including a high purity stainless steel vent filter skid. “They needed a certain amount of valves, filters, you name it,” disclosed Francisco Gandara, Senior Superintendent. “We weren’t going to get a machine in that tight space.” Instead of the common automated orbital welding process, Partners had to hand-weld parts in tight quarters. In this case, the best solution was ordering from the Process Solutions prefabrication shop. A similar need for prefabricated parts arose at an electronics provider in Austin. The Dallas Manufacturing shop provided common materials, including 60-inch ducts. While ductwork is not new to Gandara and the team, installing it in such a mission critical environment created unique challenges. “It’s not as easy to carry between two people. You have to look at hazards and preplan more,” he said. “We had to coordinate it so that as soon as it showed up, we could unload directly off the truck — a lot of planning.” Gandara was thankful that the manufacturing shop premade the materials, which saved valuable time. “I’m a big fan of prefab jobs,” he said. “They do it every day. It’s more efficient and it looks better. We go and install; that’s our job. Their job is to build. We probably would have had to order it from a third party if they didn’t make it.” Sometimes, and especially in the instance of these particular projects, prefab is the only option. n
Safety
Practicing Safety First
E
Shop production helps reduce incidents on unpredictable jobsites
very year, TDPartners spends countless stressful hours instructing new Partners how to be safe. It takes hours of planning and persistence to minimize injuries at TD. But when it comes to safely creating construction supplies, using prefabricated products “is just common sense.” “There’s more oversight, a controlled environment, no weather, repetitive role function, established process flows and everything is done on one floor in prefab,” said Lauren Turner, Vice President of Manufacturing. Most prefabricated products are manufactured in an enclosed area where many of these hazards can be eliminated, or at least dampened. Access to medical and hygienic facilities is much higher in these shops, and there’s an opportunity for an orderly routine that just isn’t viable on a jobsite. Shop Partners can usually grab new PPE quickly, whereas a field Partner might choose to weigh the costs and benefits of replacing his PPE against the lost time it would cause. Almost every piece of prefab equipment is produced at ground level, which eliminates a portion of the need for high-climbing installations. It might not sound like a major accomplishment, but according to OSHA, falls are the leading nationwide cause of death in construction at 38 percent in 2016. The next highest fatality was workers struck by objects at 9.4 percent. More than 2,000 people are seriously injured every year from ladder falls across the nation, and minor injuries result in almost 90,000 emergency room visits the same year.
12
TDSpirit === Spring/Summer 2018
While some prefab materials are still installed at height, many more require cranes to From install. As long as Partners are following protocol surrounding these installations, injury is much lower. 5S to Quality of the product also has an impact on jobsite safety. With prefab products, a 6S Partner or vendor can focus on one particular task, whereas a Field Partner has to split his attention between different jobs. Materials can be created exceptionally well in bulk, TD recently which leads to fewer reworked installations in the field. The result? Fewer elbows cut updated its Lean on misfit piping, fewer ankles sprained in a misaligned door frame, and fewer slips on 5S methodology to leaking coolant. include Safety. Safety “There are many safety controls that can be Reducing exposure joins Sort, Set, Shine, implemented with prefab that just aren’t possible Stand, and Sustain. Field Partners are keenly out in the field,” said Nick Powell, a safety This transition aids in aware of all the dangers on manager. “This aspect makes prefab a much safer the organization of a jobsites, but as a reminder, environment for all Partners involved.” workspace for efficiency here are a few: TD uses both offsite and onsite prefabrication, and effectiveness, with • Poorly trained contractors but most of its prefab work occurs in its Dallas some focus on safety. • Weather facility. There, highly trained Partners create • Uneven conditions at premade products and other materials slated for different areas of site build out in other locations. In Austin, Houston, and other assembly shops, more • Variable height differences Partners fit plumbing batteries, ductwork, and piping, and prepare them for the • Slips, trips, and falls field. • Noise/vibration All of that preplanning pays off at the jobsite, where construction Partners can • Airborne, loose materials quickly install high-quality products, reducing time in dangerous conditions. • Electricity/gas/water hazards A lower total of incidents is a hidden advantage from fewer man hours. Fewer • Collapse/excavation Partners on site mean fewer unexpected interactions, contact with dangerous concerns conditions, and fewer human-caused variables. • Security/integrity of jobsite And that’s what truly matters. n
A Milestone for TDManufacturing
Producing materials at a enclosed facility is far safer that doing the same on a less-controlled jobsite.
The Dallas sheet metal shop hit a new milestone in 2017: the largest volume ever (5.7 million pounds) produced at TD. What’s even better is that the unit achieved the goal without a single incident. “5.7 million pounds of sheet metal in one year is an enormous achievement by itself, but delivering that volume without an incident is really what I’m most proud of,” Vice President of Manufacturing Lauren Turner said. “The team demonstrated a drive for excellence and safety in 2017, and I’m excited to see what 2018 will bring.” Sheet metal’s safety streak extends beyond 2017. It also completed 2016 without an OSHA-recordable incident. n
TDSpirit === Spring/Summer 2018
13
Servant’s heart
New Career in Mind? W
A
TDIndustries partners with United Way THRIVE to train
nyone who has owned a business, or worked in a management role, knows the difficulty of recruiting quality help. In some lucky cases, it’s a tough choice deciding whom to pick from the best of a group of qualified candidates; in others, it’s simply finding someone who is willing to learn. For a variety of economic reasons, construction firms are stuck in the latter case, constantly searching and competing for skilled manpower. Perhaps the essence of construction’s problem lies in that one word: manpower. By definition, that term eliminates half of the potential workforce from consideration. With women only comprising nine percent of the total current craft-worker workforce, construction companies like TDIndustries could see a huge boost in their recruitment efforts by targeting female candidates. With the end of its successful, women-centered recruiting and training pilot program, TD
From Plumbing Installer to Foreman Deisy Gonzales started her career as a installer for another company. Her journey wasn’t easy. Gonzales had to fight sexual harassment and coworkers’ outdated beliefs. When she joined TD, she found a place that provider her skills and she quickly moved into leadership. She’s hoping she Gonzales can be a guide for more women in construction. Interested in learning more about Gonzales and our THRIVE program? Visit our blog here http://bit.ly/TD-WIC, or come visit one of our offices. now has a blueprint for success. Partnering with the United Way of Greater Houston THRIVE program, TD’s project trained 10 women to become skilled sheet metal Partners. Graduation took place May 10 to commemorate the completion of their training. TD hopes these pioneers can lead the way for future female Partners. How is Bree Adams is working to become better every day?
14
TDSpirit === Spring/Summer 2018
Women THRIVE at TD
n and empower women actively seeking work in trades The genesis of THRIVE came after almost a decade of trying to solve the skilled labor crisis. The traditional hiring practices just weren’t effective. Prior to the Great Recession of 2008, the construction industry had a healthy number of skilled craft workers, who generally earned a reasonable salary. When the recession hit, many were forced out of the industry, or left on their own to support their families. It hit construction hard. Those that remain can charge a premium price, but even with every person fully employed, the industry was still short. To make the situation even worse, younger, entry-level workers weren’t seeking craft careers to replace those who left and those who were retiring. TD saw the need to make a change and diversify. “When brainstorming solutions in 2016, we had a shift in mindset: We were always going to operate in a deficit so long as we were only recruiting 50 percent of the population,” said Randee Herrin, Senior Vice President of Houston New Construction. “We realized that if we shifted our focus to the training and development of women, we could create a pipeline of talent that could lead us out of deficit and into abundance.”
It was a perfect fit for TD. TD partnered with the United Way and its community partners in September to develop a plan for implementing the THRIVE program to assist with recruiting, hiring, and training of a select group of tradeswomen. A few months later, Workforce Solutions, on behalf of TD, contacted approximately 2,500 female job seekers for an opportunity to work as sheet metal and pipefitter helpers. TD selected 10 women to become full-time TDPartners. Three weeks later, the new Partners started the first day of their 12week training program. The program was developed with the assistance of the following THRIVE partner groups: The Women’s Resource (TWR), Service Employment Redevelopment (SER), and the Harris County Department of Education (HCDE). The women received OSHA 10, personal financial training, and workforce readiness training before moving on to hands-on training from the foremen. “We are so proud of this initiative and are honored to be working with these amazing organizations,” said Herrin. With certification in hand, and a bright future ahead of them at TD, these Partners have a chance to THRIVE. n Leslie Morgan understands balance is key in physical fitness and life.
Tania Epps is no stranger to maledominated industries.
Read their stories online All of our Partners have stories to tell. See how these women found the THRIVE program on our blog: http://bit.ly/TD-WIC.
15
TDSpirit === Spring/Summer 2018
TD and KDC used several prefabrication strategies on the recently completed Liberty Mutual project. For more information, see Page 18.
KDC Weighs In On Prefab Project manager discusses views on industry changes
T Ignacio Herrera Ignacio Herrera has spent 17 years in project management including design consulting, client relations, preconstruction and construction services at all stages of budgeting, scheduling, and managing LEED and diversity program initiatives. Ignacio has completed projects in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area and Mexico.
DIndustries and developer KDC have worked closely on many projects, including Liberty Mutual, JP MorganChase’s Legacy West campus, and Frost Bank in San Antonio, among others. Both companies share many values, including the importance of prefabrication in current and future construction. We asked Project Manager Ignacio Herrera of KDC how the developer views prefabrication and its role in our ever-changing industry: Using prefabricated parts isn’t a new concept, but many companies are trying new strategies to become Leaner. As a developer, has prefabrication impacted KDC’s business model? If yes, how? IH: Prefabrication has positively impacted the construction industry, presenting important advantages to the construction process: It allows us to build different components more efficiently under less risk/improved safety, increases quality control; and as a result, a compressed schedule. KDC always
works hand-in-hand with contractors looking for ways to shorten schedules, to create an emphasis on safety, and make delivery faster.
Have you seen a trend toward prefabricating your projects? If so, for what type of buildings and in what areas of the project has prefabrication been the most successful? IH: Yes, prefabrication these days has become more mainstream and innovative, prefabricated construction methods continue to be seen in more and more projects. The construction sequence efficiencies TD and KDC have worked together on many projects, including this Frost in producing prefabricated elements in Bank office building in San Antonio. a controlled environment is trending to codes, labels, etc.) for delivery of materials; crates, justify this practice, and in many instances it baskets, pods, etc. and how identification systems of represents significant savings. Prefabrication has been the prefabricated parts become more specific to their an important player on parking garages, glass-unitized exact destination. systems, formwork, mechanical systems, miscellaneous concrete works, miscellaneous steel elements, etc. When determining project partnerships, Certainly, prefabrication has been a great tool in how does their ability to prefabricate improving the schedule of projects like office buildings, materials, or the results of that activity, where there is a lot of repetition in the space.
There has been a recent shift toward centralizing multitrade prefabrication planning, notably at the general contractor level. Has KDC been involved in similar planning with your construction teams? If so, what has been the most valuable outcome in the process?
play into your selection? What related skills do you hope to see?
IH: Technology available in the form of Building Information Modeling (BIM), set the stage for in-depth coordination in the design-assist process. Centralizing multitrade prefabrication planning, allows for all disciplines to become involved in the process and participating in the active solution of any clashes. This enables contractors and consultants to work together in resolving issues in advance of fabrication and construction, which ultimately facilitates better performance in the field. Most of KDC’s projects of justifiable dimensions benefit from this process in the form of Leaner schedules, safer environments and higher-quality control.
Which trade has the greatest opportunity to grow its prefabrication capabilities and why?
Prefabrication covers a wide range of problem-solving production options. What interesting trends in prefabrication, or a uniquely creative solution, have you seen in the past few years? IH: I have seen many different options in recent times. One unique creative solution that continues to improve, is the methodology and technologies (bar
IH: Most contractors are doing more prefabrication work simply to maintain a competitive advantage, to keep the cost down, and to achieve better results. The trend of the industry is such that prefabrication in our selection process is expected in many different trades, and it is very welcome in cost savings alternatives.
IH: I believe the technology front has its greatest opportunity to grow in IT and AV. In my opinion, the speed at which these trades are evolving, makes it a bigger challenge and gives it the greatest opportunity.
In your opinion, is the construction industry’s reliance on prefabrication a permanent development, or will we see it fade away as the economy continues to improve? IH: In my opinion prefabrication is a permanent development. It makes sense for several reasons, but also contractors and vendors continue to get better and better at it improving the overall product quality, which is also facilitating its feasibility for most projects. n Both photos courtesy of KDC. To learn more about the developer, go to their website at www.kdc.com.
Savings
Mini-prefab stations were set up on each floor of the Liberty Mutual project to aid with assembly and project schedule.
Shop to Site Liberty Mutual project ensures cost savings by moving prefab to each floor
W
hen TDIndustries pursued the Liberty Mutual project, it was clear prefabrication would be an integral part of its work. Space limitations, as well as a single method of moving materials up to each floor meant transportation would be at a premium. It called for a change in the prefab procedure. Most prefabrication requests go through a simple chain: someone submits a request to the prefab shop, it is fulfilled in short order, and then the prefabricated products are sent to the jobsite for installation. Shipping sectioned ductwork wouldn’t work on this 3 million sf high rise project. A seven-story parking garage, eighth-floor, 250,000 sf community center with kitchen, and two 11-story towers of offices all required a buck hoist to move materials upward. It simply wasn’t cost-effective, or even logical, to have large premade sections of ductwork hauled and hoisted. Adding to those constraints was the lack of onsite storage. “With the site logistics the way they were and the vertical transportation requirements, it made it clear how much we needed plumbing and piping prefab,” noted Paul Jenke, Project Manager. “With the challenges we had, offsite fabrication helped us immensely.” TD’s solution for fabricating the ductwork was to move the prefab shop to each
18
TDSpirit === Spring/Summer 2018
Savings Profit in prefab piping
G floor. There, eight Partners who usually worked in the Dallas manufacturing shop were relocated to the jobsite to assemble ductwork. With their assistance, materials were restocked each day to maintain a dedicated stream onsite. Duct is usually shipped in completed sections, but that strategy left plenty of unused space in each shipment – “dead air,” as Jenke called it. With such a premium on space in both the transportation truck and the buck hoist, it made more sense to send the ductwork “knocked down” and then reassemble it onsite. TD shipped double the amount on each truck to Plano, which cut shipping costs roughly in half. The balance sheet result placed a high percentage of prefab work in each section. The central plant, which is located on the second level, was 90 percent prefabricated offsite; plumbing checked in at approximately 25-30 percent; and all HVAC/piping on the podium and towers totaled 75 percent.
TD also prefabricated all the plumbing batteries for the restrooms on 22 floors while the structure filled out. Hangers were able to be installed ahead of time by utilizing inserts and Trimble Survey Equipment. As usual with prefab projects, the schedule savings was the clear winner. Jenke estimates the increase in productivity and decrease in onsite construction work equated to a twomonth savings. TD worked with KDC, Balfour Beatty, L.A. Fuess Partners, Schmidt & Stacy Consulting Engineers, and TBG Partners, among a long list of project partners. n
arrett Ivey brought nearly 20 years of prefabrication experience to TD when he became a Partner in 2017. It paid off quickly. On his first TD project at the University Health SystemHilliard Clinic in San Antonio, this superintendent pushed for an 80-percent prefabrication model which more than doubled the gross margin — a huge cost savings. “Prefab saves so much in labor alone that I don’t understand why everyone isn’t doing it,” he said. The original plan for the center included lowering the building two feet, which forced Ivey and the rest of the project stakeholders to reconfigure their approach. “Prefab was the way to go.” As with most prefab projects, the benefits came in fewer man hours, shifting labor costs from the field to the shop and the speed of installation. Almost all of the Hilliard prefabricated items came from TD’s manufacturing shop, with only a few hangers prefabbed on site. Ivey said that as soon as all Partners bought into the plan, he saw a quick jump in productivity and speed. With Ivey and others on board, TD hopes to continue its prefabrication applications. n
TDSpirit === Spring/Summer 2018
19
Career Milestones
50 years
Anniversaries, July ’17-March ’18
40 years
Ed Ramsey Dallas Construction
35 David Hollowell F.W. Construction
Mark Jones F.W. Construction
years
Chris Bailey Houston Service
Gary Cook Dallas Construction
Mario Morales
30 Ronnie Cox Dallas Construction
Mark Gerstner Multifamily
Mark Pucharich
years
Jaime Lopez Dallas Service
Rocky Moncada Arizona Construction
Genaro Morales
Tom Cox Dallas Construction
Harry Fortune F.W. Construction
Orland Hilliard Dallas Service
Jerry Hogan Manufacturing
Tim Baxter Dallas Facilities
Steve Canter Professional Services
Jennifer Ferguson Arizona Construction
Patricia Martin Engineering
Don Morgan Dallas Service
Kevin Rohde Engineering
Greg Romano Dallas Construction
JR Rushing Austin Construction
Jacob Smee Houston Service
Tommy Stallcup Dallas Construction
Alan Bearden F.W. Construction
Fernando Cortinas S.A. Service
Kevin Cothrin Process Solutions
Rex Gentry Jr. Process Solutions
Julio Guerrero Dallas Service
Jay Lowe III Manufacturing
Gonzalo Luna Dallas Service
Jacob Montez S.A. Service
Robert Petry Houston Facilities
Michael Richardson Jr.
Mary Anderson Dallas Construction
Darrell Baker Dallas Service
Nathan Baker Dallas Service
Houston Construction
Houston Construction
Houston Construction
25 Martin Morales
Don Smee
Houston Construction
Houston Construction
Mike Wilson Arizona Construction
years
20 Drew McFaul Multifamily
Mylo Olson Jr. Dallas Construction
Nikki Morgan Houston Service
Tommy Neustupa Professional Services
Ronnie Swingler Austin Construction
Clifford Whennen Jr.
Miguel Guzman Dallas Construction
Arthur Hogan Jr. Dallas Construction
years
Bill Perry Professional Services
15 years
Dallas Construction
William Lawson Dallas Service
Dallas Construction
10 Phyllis Sanders Dallas Service
20
Anna Washington Austin Service
Connie Williams Professional Services
TDSpirit === Spring/Summer 2018
Bob Wright Arizona Construction
years
Around TD
Ray Blanco Dallas Facilities
Scott Blome Information Technology
Roberto Castillo Arizona Service
Aaron Davis Austin Construction
Zenon Diaz
Houston Construction
Francisco Diaz Manufacturing
Keith Dienhart Austin Construction
Joel Flores Dallas Construction
Nancy Garcia Dallas Construction
Edwin Giron Houston Construction
Stanley Gregory Dallas Construction
Peggy Hawkins Dallas Service
Jerry Headrick Dallas Construction
Carlos Hernandez Dallas Construction
Raquel Hernandez Arizona Construction
Gonzalo Martinez Dallas Construction
Chris Mayfield Manufacturing
Jose Medrano Dallas Construction
Jose Mendoza F.W. Construction
Richard Partin Houston Service
Mauricio Payan S.A. Construction
Jose Perez Dallas Service
Anthony Reyna Austin Construction
Scott Roan Dallas Construction
Tracy Roddy-Houston
Ernesto Rodriguez Dallas Construction
Wilberto Rodriguez
Debra Sims Houston Facilities
Annie Smart Dallas Service
Byron Smith Dallas Service
Matt Terry F.W. Construction
Audy Toledo Manufacturing
Professional Services
Dallas Construction
5 Jim Willhite Dallas Facilities
years
Enrique Aguero Dallas Service
Zeke Torrado Dallas Construction
Emilio Villarreal Austin Service
Kyle Welch Austin Construction
Jason Welty Process Solutions
Guadalupe Aguilera
Josh Aleman Dallas Construction
Edwardo Aragonez Process Solutions
Stacey Arnold Information Technology
Adrianne Bailey Professional Services
Edwin Barahona Houston Service
Jose Barraza Manufacturing
Jim Barrilleaux Engineering
Chris Barrow
Donald Bennett Houston Service
Katrina Bookout Arizona Service
Tom Brimer Jr. Houston Service
Michael Brooks Dallas Construction
Michael Brower Dallas Construction
Barney Calvert Jr. Dallas Facilities
Marie Campos Professional Services
Jack Cantu Dallas Facilities
Jose Carlos Dallas Facilities
Bradley Coleman Process Solutions
Scott Croix Dallas Construction
Jose DeSantiago Arizona Construction
Dallas Construction
Houston Construction
Mike Carpenter Professional Services
Eugenio Castillo Dallas Construction
Jeff Childress Dallas Facilities
Carlos Zelaya Dallas Construction
TDSpirit === Spring/Summer 2018
21
Around TD
Javier Dominguez Dallas Construction
Jasen Eulert Arizona Service
Sergio Flores Dallas Facilities
Morgan Fountain
Ellen Gonzales Dallas Facilities
Jackie Grubbs Dallas Facilities
Joseph Guidry Houston Service
Sylvano Gutierrez Jr.
Houston Construction
Dallas Construction
Duane Fowler Dallas Service
Erich Franklin Houston Construction
Kevin Gatson Dallas Construction
Nathan Georges Process Solutions
Neal Hale Arizona Construction
Cedric Harris Dallas Construction
Christopher Harris Dallas Construction
Steven Heine F.W. Construction
Joe Helms Dallas Construction
Crystal Hernandez Houston Construction
Rumildo Hernandez
Austin Construction
Jose Herrera Manufacturing
Billy Hickman Process Solutions
Christopher Hinojosa
Dallas Service
Lance Jackson Dallas Service
Nicolas Jaramillo Arizona Construction
Paul Jimenez Austin Construction
Les Keeble Dallas Facilities
Tim King Dallas Facilities
Bobby Kitchen Houston Service
Juanquin Landa Houston Construction
Chris Lanford Arizona Construction
Kris Lopez Austin Service
Juan Magana Houston Construction
Juan Martinez Dallas Construction
Gina Matthews Dallas Facilities
Lawrence McCrary Dallas Facilities
Trevor McNair Process Solutions
Kellie McNeir Professional Services
Louis Menard S.A. Construction
Rene Mendoza
Houston Construction
Andrea Miille Dallas Construction
Ashly Montalvo
Houston Construction
Luis Moreno Process Solutions
Arturo Navarro Dallas Construction
Forrest Nelson Arizona Construction
Oliver Padilla Arizona Construction
James Park Dallas Facilities
Evaristo Perez Dallas Construction
Jesus Perez Austin Construction
Olin Petke Austin Construction
Nick Piazza Engineering
Mario Pina S.A. Construction
Lindsay Potter Houston Facilities
Shannon Quigano Dallas Facilities
Adolfo Quintero Manufacturing
Jammie Rittenbury Dallas Facilities
Brian Roberts Arizona Construction
Andy Rodriguez Dallas Service
Arturo Rodriguez F.W. Construction
Jesse Rodriguez Dallas Construction
Greg Self Dallas Construction
Carl Shively Carl Shively
Jonathan Snow Austin Construction
Victor Soto Process Solutions
Grady Spencer F.W. Construction
22
TDSpirit === Spring/Summer 2018
Around TD
Patti Springer Dallas Construction
Erik Stark Dallas Service
Retirees
Debra Strickland Dallas Construction
David Barnes Dallas Service 36 years David Taylor Austin Service
Chris Terrell Houston Construction
Jeffrey Thompson Dallas Service
Sheri Tillman Professional Services
Ricardo Valdez Austin Construction
Philip Vester Manufacturing
Ray Villa
Moises Villanueva Houston Service
Jorge Villarreal Dallas Construction
Arizona Construction
Logan Wallis Process Solutions
Nate Williams Dallas Facilities
James Warner Dallas Facilities
Billie Wright Dallas Construction
Bret Werth Dallas Construction
Richard Xayavongsa
Manufacturing
Brandon Gillett passed away Feb. 19 after a long battle with cancer. He was just shy of celebrating his 20year anniversary with TD. Gillett, Manager of Pre-Construction Services in Dallas, was involved with many major projects throughout his career. Those included the recently completed Liberty Mutual regional headquarters, a data center project in Fort Worth, Children’s Hospital Dallas, and Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Al Carter Manufacturing 33 years
Juan Cervantes Multifamily 23 years
Edward Colbert Jr. Houston Service 22 years
Ricky Harris Process Solutions 22 Years
Rodney Johannsen Corporate 29 years
Raul LopezLucio Dallas Service 21 years
Eduardo Perez Houston Service 21 years
Ed Reeve Dallas Construction 44 years
Bob Richards Austin Construction 20 years
Stephen Richmond Dallas Construction 40 years
Jesse Rodriguez Dallas Service 26 years
Pat Tipton Major Projects 33 years
In memoriam Frank Ziccarelli passed away March 5 after a hard-fought battle with cancer. Ziccarelli was an application manager in Dallas. The valued Information Technology Partner was responsible for many of TD’s software integration systems. He had 20 years of IT experience in Atlanta before joining the TDFamily, where he served for almost 7 years.
Dwight Matthews passed away March 25 while in Florida. Matthews retired in September 2017 after 37 years with TD. Dwight began as a sheet metal helper in 1980. Dwight worked on many projects, including several Austin-area hospitals, Baylor’s McLane Stadium, Austin Community College, and the Progressive Insurance Austin Call Center.
TDSpirit === Spring/Summer 2018
23
Around TD
San Antonio Service Chasing 3 Years Without Incident
T
he San Antonio Service team put together a 32-month incident-free stretch from July 23, 2015 through May 2018. It has spanned at least 1,014 days to date. “As a safety manager, they have some good leadership,” Safety Manager Rodney Lines said. “The service techs are so proud to be with a company that cares about them.” The department averages about 45-50 technicians, and some visit four or more sites per day – with others adding after hours and weekend work on top. “It’s extremely busy,” Lines states. “I’m extremely proud of them. Everyone says you can’t go accident free, but this department shows that yes, you can.” n
T
TD Getting Leaner with Another Six Sigma Green Belt Course
D offered a Lean Six Sigma (LSS) Green Belt course from March 26-30. Influencers, facilitators, top performers, and problem solvers from across various TD departments signed up for this 40-hour class in the Dallas office, complete with workbooks, exercises, simulations … and yes, a test. Those who attended the class were: Andrew Frankson, Keith Smith, Justin Bowker, Doug Rodriguez, Richard Zink, Kat Pena, Siobhan Rasco, Steven Wong, Jason Morris, Sara Yunus, Kellie McNeir, Brittany Svab, Jorge Espinoza, and Jimmy Hatcher. Now that the coursework and test are completed, these leaders will work across the company to help solve business problems and inspire continuous aggressive improvement. Students have learned
24
TDSpirit === Spring/Summer 2018
how to lead their own projects, including how to identify problems and their scope, investigate potential causes, and develop solutions. They are now on the path to certification, which requires the completion of two projects and four hours of facilitation within the next year. The Lean Six Sigma Black Belts that will be mentoring them on their journey will be Vikalp Akulwar, Paula Bodine, Lawrence Price, and Lauren Turner. When these Partners make it through their full certification, they will double the ranks of TD’s certified Green Belts. Wesley Baker, Brent Baugh, Greg Canter, Steve Canter, Jesus Esqueda, David Fultz, Sherry Han, Heather Minyard, Travis Moore, Chris Rogers, and Logan Wallis also hold TD Green Belts. n
Leading With a Servant’s Heart
TD Group Earns Ph.D. in Development Service group seeks better on-the-job performance through voluntary discussion
sharing. Every tech, regardless of experience level, has tips and techniques that could be useful for others. No one tech has all the answers, so there’s no set authority figure in these meetings. One key statement guides the group’s thinking: assionately Pursue Excellence — not just “Something one tech has done hundreds of times may a core value, but something our Partners be someone else’s first time,” but more importantly, the are encouraged to do daily. It’s one of the group’s charter states, “Knowledge is the best tool on company’s five core values that your truck. Without it, you fix nothing.” continuously plays a pivotal role in TD’s At each meeting, Partners share tips leadership of the industry. This priceless learned from repairing all types of HVAC “Knowledge is principle is rooted into the foundation Jack equipment. Partners are encouraged to the best tool Lowe, Sr. built the company on more than come to these meetings equipped with 70 years ago. photos describing their recent jobs. on your truck. It’s a timeless drive that manifests itself One Partner will explain a problem, his Without it, you in many ways: Lean processes, better troubleshooting ideas, challenges, and tips fix nothing.” customer relations, mentoring, and learned in the process, while other Partners adapting to changing conditions. In Dallas’ join in to offer suggestions and point out — Ph.D. service department, a relatively new group discrepancies. group charter is combining those traits with technical, The result? Increased learning among on-the-job improvement. all involved Partners, and refined methods Partner Help and Development, also known as Ph.D., without compromising quality or safety. is a group of HVAC technicians that volunteer to meet The Ph.D. group hopes its concepts will be used in for a one-hour monthly session called Tech Time and other business units. The keys to its success sit with Tips. These meetings are technician-organized and committed Partners who are willing to take an extra technician-led, but anyone is welcome to attend. minute or two on each jobsite to document their The meetings are casual, so don’t expect bells or work with photos and videos. Beyond that, it’s simply whistles. There’s always coffee, breakfast, motivational a question of showing up, sharing, learning, and posters, and positive, constructive discussion at every becoming a better technician. meeting, but if you’re looking to gripe about work, don’t It’s a group of which Jack Lowe Sr., would have been join. proud. With opportunities like Ph.D., it’s easy to see These meetings aren’t about teaching; they’re about why TD is a “Great Place to Work” Legend. n
P
TDSpirit === Spring/Summer 2018
25
Lead with a Servant’s Heart
Serving Our Community
Arizona Partners volunteer for Child Crisis Arizona, which provides children a safe environment to grow.
Houston Facilities Partners assist with cleanup after Hurricane Harvey
Jack Lowe Jr. reads to students at Read Across America Day at Jack Lowe, Sr. Elementary School.
TD contributed $250,000 in labor and materials to build the 24-Hour Club, a transitional facility.
TD’s Austin branch receives Williamson County United Way Volunteer of Year Award.
26
TDSpirit === Spring/Summer 2018
Around TD
Excellence Recognized TD Wins Eagle Award for Daikin Project TD earned the Excellence in Construction Eagle Award for its work on the Daikin Texas Technology Park. TD earned the Eagle Award – the top-tier designation – in the specialty contractor mechanical construction division. TD installed roughly 25 miles of piping, and installed HVAC, chilled and heated water systems, plumbing and process piping for the lab and manufacturing facilities at the four-million sf site.
TD installed HVAC, chilled and heated water systems, plumbing, and process piping for the lab and manufacturing facilities.
Partners Claim Bronze at National Craft Championships
TD One of “Best Employers for Latinos in Nation” Latino Leaders Magazine named TDIndustries to its inaugural “Best Employers for Latinos in the Nation” list. Latino Leaders developed the list through its editors and input from several consulting firms. It chose TD for its solid outreach and recruitment initiatives, career opportunities, efforts to increase the Hispanic labor force, and internal support for employee resource groups.
Six North Texas Partners competed at the ABC National Craft Championships in Long Beach, Calif., and two came home with medals. Carlos Salguero Lima of Dallas Construction earned the bronze medal in structural welding and Zack Jansky, also of Dallas Construction, took bronze in pipe welding. Aaron Martinez (Dallas Manufacturing, Carlos Salguero Lima (left) and Zack Jansky pipe fitting); John both earned bronze medals at the National Craft Bridges (Dallas Championships. Construction, sheet metal); Levi Terry (Fort Worth Construction, pipefitting); and Daeng Hongmahasek (Dallas Construction, structural welding) also competed. Brent Baugh, Mike Feagan, Joel Dutton, Abram Perez, and Terry Baker helped train the competitors. The two-day event involved 15 competitions and 13 crafts. Each contest includes a written exam and a six-hour project.
TD Earns National Safety Award TDIndustries received the ABC National Safety Award at the national convention. The award recognizes companies which exhibit a continued commitment to jobsite safety and whose safety performance and programs are judged to be exemplary. “We strive for excellence in construction and keeping all of our Partners safe during the process, so this is a great reward,” comments Jamie Dabbs (far right in photo), TD’s Director of Safety.
TD Claims No. 73 on annual Fortune 100 list For the 21st year in a row, TD was named one of the top companies in the nation on Fortune’s “Best Companies to Work For” list — this year No. 73. TD has seen top-10 finishes seven times since the list’s inception and in 2017 was named a Legend.
TDSpirit === Spring/Summer 2018
27
13850 Diplomat Drive | Dallas, TX 75234
Go digital! Click here to get TDSpirit in your inbox.
TDSp
irit Sprin
g/Su
The r ule
mmer
s hav
2018
e cha nged
Wom en c an TH TDIn RIVE at
dustr TD ies: wom runs pilo en in cons t progam tructio fo n, p. r 14 Prefa KDC Talk b Be s nefits Projec : t deve manager lo prefab per discus for ricatio se n, p. s 16
Keep up with TDIndustries on social media
TDIndustries
@TDIndustries TDIndustriesChannel @TDIndustries TDIndustriesInc
They said it ... The support of @tdindustries each year allows our kids to forget about their daily struggles and just have FUN! We are grateful for our awesome village of hope!
— HopeKids North Texas