If These Walls Could Talk: Creating Places that Manufacture Success
Manufacturing facilities can get a bad rap. With tight budgets and timelines, creative design sometimes takes a back seat to efficiency. The truth is your building is one of your biggest investments, and good design and engineering can improve your company’s productivity, increase employee satisfaction and enhance the bottom line.
UGN Automotive’s built-to-suit plant in Monroe, Ohio, combines offices, manufacturing and shipping while showcasing the company’s focus on sustainability and employee success. The exterior pays tribute to UGN’s automotive roots with design details that didn’t add a penny to the budget, yet embody the company’s brand and bring its culture to life.
“While working with UGN, not only did we discuss their need to house their manufacturing equipment, but more importantly, their desire to create a space where employees felt comfortable and excited to come to work everyday. Adding 180 skylights to the building allowed daylight to pour into the manufacturing space. This small design feature is not only sustainable when it comes to helping reduce costs, but also has been proven to boost energy level and productivity of employees.”
— Project Designer, Erin Baird, RA, LEED AP BD+C
UGN’s plant opening brought 150 new skilled jobs to the region, as well as the ability to manufacture its newest carpet and underfloor technology products in the U.S. for the first time. Significantly, the state-of-the-art facility also includes room for an additional 150,000 square feet of future capacity.
“Our new facility enables us to meet the real-time demands of our customers and further strengthens our position as a world-class manufacturer,” said UGN CEO Peter Anthony. “KZF Design understood that we needed a place that met not just our current needs, but also our future expansion goals.”
Through architecture, structural and plumbing engineering services, KZF Design helped UGN stand apart from the pack without breaking the bank. That’s the definition of a better future.
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