Manufacturer’s Guide to Facilities Planning
Article provided by TDMAW Red Level Sponsor, Keller, Inc.
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ith the booming economy that we’ve been experiencing for the past several years (present Covid-19 situation not withstanding) particularly in manufacturing, the scenario that we hear from many of our past and prospective customers goes something like this: • “We’ve been trying our best to keep up with customer demand, but…” • “We need more functional space in order to increase production and warehousing” • “We could use more loading docks for more efficient shipping and receiving” • “Our administrative offices and employee welfare areas are bursting at the seams” • “We’ve had to lease additional space in other buildings, which has become a logistical problem” • “It will be more cost-effective to remodel or expand our current facility, right?” Sound familiar? For a business owner having similar thoughts, how do you decide what the best path forward is? Where do 8 | TDMAW HQ (262) 532-2440
you even start? Well, the simple answer is: it depends. The truth of the matter is that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for every situation. For a growing business, there are many factors that come into play, such as: short vs long-range planning, ownership succession plans; overall the condition of the existing facility (age, accessibility, maintenance, energy efficiency, insurance, and yes, even aesthetics); limitations to potential facility expansion on an existing property; and the list goes on. The next question then becomes: “if continuing to try to work with my current facility is not feasible, should I buy (or lease) another existing building, or should I build new?” Again, it depends… on many factors, including: available (and affordable) inventory of existing buildings that would serve a business’ growth plan, now and well into the future; available (and affordable) buildable land, including whether or not site utilities are readily available; availability of skilled workers (both current and future) within a certain travel distance; proximity to primary
transportation networks (freeways, railways, ports, etc.); or, to simply use the clichéd catch-all phrase: location, location, location. Next question: “Okay, so what if I’m not sure how best to answer those questions? Who do I turn to? I know there are architects and I know there are builders. Which is the best route to take?” Well, one project delivery method that has been quite successful over the years, particularly for manufacturing markets, has been Design/Build. As compared to traditional Architect Design/Bid/ Build or Construction Management type of deliveries, Design/Build is very well suited for most manufacturers. Here is a shortlist of the benefits of this type of project delivery: a) both Design and Build in-house with the same company (i.e. a single-source of responsibility) b) the most interactive collaboration between the Design and Build aspects c) shorter overall project duration d) better control of project costs e) limited “change orders” www.TDMAW.org
