Inescapable
A precast producer relies on a team effort for a successful prison project.
Source: CONCRETE PRODUCER MAGAZINE Publication date: 2007-05-01
By Beth Malonoski
In the last decade, there's been a new trend in prison management. What was once purely a government process, is slowly being turned over to the private sector. One main reason for this switch has been the efficiency with which many prison management companies can build new facilities.
Fortunately for Rotondo Weirich (RW) Enterprises Inc., a producer based in Lederach, Pa., prison management firms have found precast concrete to be one of their best tools. The producer has completed several successful projects for both Corrections Corporation of America and Flintco Inc., major companies in the private jail market, in the last 10 years.
Evidence of this effort occurred in November 2006. RW was awarded the precast modular cell package from contractor, Flintco for the Corrections Corporation of America's expansion project for the Northfork Correctional Facility in Sayre, Okla.
Establishing successful relationships at both the owner and general contractor level, as well as with personnel and subcontractors, is a key element to developing an efficient and quality production model. This is true for not only RW's operations, but for contractors who set the concrete, such as Flintco, as well.
The speed at which precast structures can be erected is important. And the ability to erect these structures with a minimal workforce is also a benefit. Kevin Moyes, division president for Flintco in Memphis, Tenn., stresses the importance of these advantages. “With the construction economy churning on all cylinders, the demand for this workforce is ever increasing.
“As a general contractor, we not only face these issues internally, but are challenged with the additional subcontractors that are required on any given project. One of the keys to success for a project is assembling and managing this team of subcontractors.”
Need for mobility
Prison locations are rarely close to each another or close to any plants. So RW has created a precast production model which is structured around mobility. The scheme creates an efficient and cost-effective production facility at a location either on or close to the project site. In the case of the Northfork Facility, RW's sights were set on the small town of Sayre.
The onsite production improves product delivery while creating an opportunity to strengthen the communication and interface with the owner, contractor, and
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other tradesmen throughout the course of the project. Conversely, managers must solve the unique challenges with each new project location. Availability of land, road access, and vendor and labor resources are a few of the typical challenges encountered with each new mobilization.
Before arriving in Sayre, RW's pre-construction team researched and created detailed mobilization plans to deal with site layout, road access, utilities, and most importantly, labor and subcontractor resources. Typically, an onsite casting operation requires one acre of well-drained stable land per every hundred cells included within the scope of the project.
Because land surrounding the existing Northfork facility was limited, RW worked with the Sayre officials to select a suitable parcel of land about three miles from the project site to set up its casting operations. Once this location was chosen, the project team focused on mobilizing equipment and personnel and teaming with national and local sub-contractors to complete the production “cast.” RW employs a core team of seasoned “road warriors” who form the foundation of its production and finishing crew. These employees have traveled to projects across the country, as well as points international, and continue to perfect the product delivery system.
Finding local labor
To complete the production and finishing cast, RW also hires local labor. This allows RW to offer the client an additional opportunity to keep the module contract within the local economy for the citizens who should rightfully benefit from a new facility's construction. The influx of new labor during the course of a project contributes another benefit to RW: the potential to add quality personnel to the core RW team.
“A great sense of satisfaction comes from owners and contractors that experience the RW team and want us on the next project; not just because of the superior product, but due to the character and integrity of the RW road warriors,” explains RW's president Steve Weirich.
Local subcontractors are an equally important addition to each mobilization plan.
RW begins a search for such contractors during the pre-construction phase of a project. Teaming with and developing an early dialogue with a ready-mix concrete producer is crucial to the mobilization and production process.
RW's preconstruction team meets and works with this key subcontractor to create an optimal mix design, map the necessary delivery schedules, and create a working relationship between each company's quality control personnel.
In this case, RW teamed with ready-mix producer Dolese Bros. Co. The team at Dolese has been working with RW's preconstruction and onsite personnel to meet daily delivery demands. This has proven to be yet another advantage of the contractor-subcontractor relationship.
From owner to general contractor, and from subcontractor to employee, creating and developing relationships within a project team was the key element to the success of RW's onsite production model and product delivery system.
