The new facility for Badger Sheet Metal was designed to bring together three manufacturing operations owned by the company but previously located in separate facilities throughout the Green Bay, Wisconsin, area. Badger Sheet Metal Works, Badger Marine Works, and Veripure-Food Sanitizer are now under one roof in a single 118,000 square foot manufacturing facility designed to provide maximum efficiency and flexibility to the company’s design and manufacturing operations.
For its work with the project, Green Bay general contractor Best Built, Inc., a Ceco Building Systems Authorized Builder, was awarded a 2008 Projects of Distinction Honorable Mention in the Metal Building Over $2 million Category, by the Wisconsin Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.
The design/build project team worked diligently with the owner throughout the process to deliver a facility that would streamline design and manufacturing operations; provide manufacturing flexibility; showcase the craftsmanship of the employees; provide an outstanding work environment; serve as an energy efficient and green facility; and stay within the prescribed construction budget and schedule.
According to Tom Van De Hei, Best Built project manager, the manufacturing area features natural day lighting and high efficiency lighting. “We also included multiple utility connection points and bridge crane access to over 70% of the work floor,” he commented. “This allows for a pleasant work environment and flexibility in their production line operations, which change frequently.”
Employee areas feature natural day lighting and views, a generous break/training room facility with outdoor patio access, exercise room and locker facilities.
The office layout is designed to foster efficient team communication by incorporating a central informal meeting space within the clerestory spine that connects the manufacturing plant to the sales and design groups.
“For the exterior, we incorporated Badger Sheet Metal’s own custom stainless steel corner and column elements,” remarked Craig Kassner, Best Built president. “We thought it was important to feature the company’s own craftsmanship.”
This project owes most of its success to the personnel management, quality control, scheduling and value engineering expertise provided by the project team. The facility was constructed during winter months, causing some delays due to snow and wind. However, the project team worked diligently to stay on schedule and keep changes under control. The owners, as part of the project team, changed the flow of the manufacturing floor throughout the project, so an in-floor system was designed with boxes (made by the owner) to provide gas, air, nitrogen welder receptacles and 110-volt power in all bays of the production floor. This allowed the owner to have future flexibility to move work flows around. In addition, one bay of the facility was designed to accommodate two 15-ton 70’ span bridge cranes. The facility was constructed in 8 months for a construction cost of $6.3 million.
The building has a custom-designed Ceco Building Systems steel frame with exterior precast wall panels, exterior CMU and exterior metal wall panels and employs four 70’ span bridge cranes with a maximum travel distance of 330 feet. In addition, the facility includes 23 jib cranes, allowing for flexibility of manufacturing operations. The project employed LEED concepts that would qualify for a level of “certified.”
Serving as project architect was Miller Wagner Coenen McMahon. Project manager was Dale Rottier. Badger Sheet Metal is owned by Gregory DeCaster.
About Best Built, Inc.
Best Built Inc. has been a family owned business for 75 years and offers services from site consulting to general contracting to industrial services. Best Built offers site consulting, analysis and layout; general contracting; demolition; design/build; additions and new construction; construction management; estimating and scheduling; millwright and industrial services and many more. For more information, go to www.bestbuiltinc.com.