Archives: Blogs

CLEVELAND, OHIO October 8, 2020 — The Austin Company (Austin) and Cockram Construction (Cockram), both subsidiaries of Kajima Corporation of Japan, anticipate substantial investment in capital projects for research and manufacturing in the life science sector due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Pairing resources and expertise in delivering world-class projects, Austin and Cockram have allied to bring bio/pharma production back to North America.

Austin continues its long history serving the North American life sciences market through site location, design, engineering, and construction services.  Cockram brings global experience constructing life science research and manufacturing centers in Asia, Australia, and North America.

Austin and Cockram both take an a-la-carte approach to providing services. “We can provide complete bundled services—from site location through design, construction and finally commissioning and validation—or unbundle to meet a client’s specific requirements for a project,” said Mike Pierce, President of The Austin Company.

“That fits our model quite well”, added Malcolm Batten, Managing Director of Cockram Construction. “Cockram has built these very complex projects globally by being a resource to our clients.  We provide planning, preconstruction, and construction services both as a contractor and secondment services provider.  We match up quite well with Austin’s true partnering philosophy when it comes to serving clients.”

Bio/pharma projects often have speed-to-market drivers, and Austin and Cockram have the experience to quickly mobilize for fast-track— sometimes even flash-track—projects.  For example, Austin and Cockram are partnering with a client to rapidly convert an existing facility into a manufacturing space to produce a COVID vaccine. Concurrently, Austin and Cockram are teamed to build a new multistory modular aseptic processing facility at a pharmaceutical plant in Portage, Michigan, expanding the site initially constructed by Austin in the 1940s.

“Austin and Cockram are looking forward to continuing our partnership by bringing bio/pharmaceutical manufacturing and research facilities back to North America,” says Pierce.

About The Austin Company (theaustin.com) is a 142-year-old design-builder providing design, engineering, and construction solutions for pharmaceutical, biotech, laboratory, and medical device facilities since the 1940s.

Austin understands that pharmaceutical and biotech R&D and manufacturing facilities each have their own specific requirements and needs. We utilize state-of-the-art methodologies and practices to design and build these facilities to meet the latest U.S. and international GMP requirements and the client’s objectives most efficiently and cost-effectively.

From biological, chemical and equipment labs, to “scale up” and manufacturing facilities, Austin has the experience and in-house expertise to successfully deliver even the most complex projects.

About Cockram Construction (cockram.com) offers a range of specialist skills and proven expertise in the areas of project management, design management, construction management, building contracting services, and project controls.

A heritage of over 160 years is augmented by a commitment to excellence and to achieving the highest possible standards of professional competence and innovation in the development and application of project methods and techniques. Our people are selected based on their capabilities and experience and are supported by effective management systems and resources. From this highly resourced platform, we are able to provide tailored project services and systems to meet your individual requirements. While we are substantial operators in the niche market of complex pharmaceutical, laboratory and medical/health facilities for the past 27 years, we bring the same professional approach to every environment in which we work.

From our Australian HQ in Melbourne, we have expanded into the international arena with successfully completed projects in China, India, Malaysia, Dubai, USA and Puerto Rico.

There is no doubt of the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on mental health. Crisis hotlines have seen call volumes increase by 40%-60%. Similarly, work from home requirements have caused an organizational mental health crisis for many companies. To survive and gauge the long-range implications of this societal challenge, organizations must pay attention to those things that build resilience. Some sources recommend building personal resilience to strengthen organizational resilience by encouraging employees to get enough rest, eat healthy, and exercise.

What is resilience exactly? Resilience is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; it is one’s ability to show strength and confidence in the face of uncertainty. For organizations, resilience depends on its leadership’s confidence and the ability to think, plan, and believe in a positive outcome.

Let’s break resilience down even further.

Confidence is earned by merit. Certainly, an organization loses confidence in itself when it is stressed financially. Nothing threatens the team’s confidence as much as the inability to make payroll, pay vendors and subcontractors, and cut essential benefits to the bone. Financial stress is one of the impacts some organizations may be feeling because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Complementary to confidence is leadership’s ability to think clearly and not panic the team. The phrase “unchartered territory” has probably been used more in the first half of 2020 than by Christopher Columbus’ crew when they discovered America in 1492. Questions plague us: What do we do now? When will we get back to something resembling normalcy? It is in this space of unchartered territory where frequent and clear communication is so important. In times of stress, employees are looking for reassurance and confidence in their leadership. 

The best way to demonstrate clear thinking is through frequent, open, and honest communication with all employees. And so, it was on the first workday of 2019 that I started a Monday morning email to all employees called Monday Morning Coffee (MMC). 

In most cases, it is the first email employees see when they log on to start the week. Usually kept to three paragraphs, it announces new employees, brings to light current issues, and notes upcoming events. Little did I know that these emails I write every Sunday night would become an important tool for discussing where we are in the COVID crisis and what we are doing to navigate this unchartered territory.

It feels reassuring to know that in the face of a crisis, all our employees receive a little weekly message from Austin’s President that helps them understand where Austin is overall. This type of consistency breeds confidence. Confidence breeds resilience.

And yet, believing in what we do and accomplish as a team to design and build the future might be the most significant factor contributing to resilience. Belief is a flame that is carried individually but burns the brightest in the collective. 

At its core, it is knowing we will be okay, that we will get through this as a team, and that we can do whatever is necessary to move beyond today. Belief in our work, in the importance of what we do, what the company does, its vision and our purpose all support resilience.

Austin has weathered two World Wars, multiple plagues, a Great Depression, recessions, leadership changes, and the rapid evolution in technologies shaping our industry and society. Looking back at Austin’s history, I believe there is an inherent expectation of resilience from each of our employees, which becomes self-fulfilling for the organization overall. Over 140 years in business is proof of this resilience. 

We have built legacies and developed traditions that feed our resilience. These create Austin’s strong foundation and reinforce the purpose of our work. We continue to draw upon our legacies and traditions to continue to be part of the solution during each of these global upheavals, whether they be wars or pandemics. It is comforting to remember that our client base has similar legacies. We are not alone in this.  

Today, as we navigate the unchartered territory of COVID 19, we stand on the shoulders of giants who weathered the Spanish Flu, multiple recessions, a great depression, two World Wars, and came out stronger. In doing so, we are creating our legacies and traditions. 

New strengths emerge because of our core values and our ongoing confidence that our work is unique, impactful, and has great purpose. 

Austin is resilient.

The Austin Company is proud to be recognized by ERC as one of 99 great Northeast Ohio workplaces for top talent. This is the first time that our organization has received the NorthCoast 99 Award.

NorthCoast 99 is an annual recognition program and event in its 22nd year that honors 99 great Northeast Ohio workplaces for top talent. “More than a business award or event, NorthCoast 99 is a yearlong research project that ERC established to help employers make a notable difference not only in the lives of their employees, but also in the economic vitality of their communities,” said Samantha Marx, ERC director of client service, who oversees the program.

NorthCoast 99 winners participated in a rigorous application process that asked for detailed information on how their organization addresses top-performer attraction, development, and retention in the following areas: organizational strategy, policies, and benefits; talent attraction, acquisition, and onboarding; employee well-being; employee engagement and talent development; total rewards; and diversity and inclusion.

Brandon Davis, Vice President and General Manager says, “By focusing on building people, teams, partnerships, communities, we attract, grow, support, and work to ensure the success of some of the most amazing and talented people in the world.”

“Especially during these unprecedented times, we’re thrilled to recognize and celebrate this year’s NorthCoast 99 award winners! Winning organizations are elevating the employee experience with increasingly progressive and innovative HR practices and benefits that are critical in today’s market. We look forward to sharing the success stories of our esteemed winners,” said Kelly Keefe, president of ERC.

The 2020 NorthCoast 99 Awards program is sponsored by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield; CareerCurve; Cleveland Magazine; ERChealth; Gino’s Awards; Impact Architects; Maloney + Novotny; Wayfind Creative; Meyers, Roman, Friedberg & Lewis; Oswald Companies; Staffing Solutions Enterprises; and Ultimate Software.

About ERC

Founded in 1920, ERC makes workplaces great by providing training, HR consulting and support, coaching and assessments, and research services. ERC also sponsors the ERChealth insurance program in Ohio. Additional information about ERC and its services can be found at www.yourERC.com.

I was thinking about this quote after the surprise virtual happy hour on my 40^th anniversary with Austin. An amazing number of well-wishers were on the Teams call which demonstrated how much technology has benefited our human interactions over the past few months. Trying to greet the huge number of people lining up on my small computer screen got to be a bit awkward, so I shared a few stories about my 40 years with Austin. The fact that many were still on after more than an hour of reminiscing hinted that telling a few stories might have been a good way to connect with everyone.

The aspect of my history with Austin that I think is of greatest value and interest to most employees is made up of stories. Stories about projects.  Stories about people. Stories about mistakes and achievements. Before the internet, before printing presses, before the written word, stories were passed on from one generation to the next because they were important.  They had value.  Simply, they gave directions and a basis for living better lives from one generation to the next.

In his book, Start with Why, Simon Sinek likens businesses to the brain.  The  “why” a company exists correlates with the limbic brain, that part of the brain that controls emotions, feelings, and decision making, but it has no capacity for language, which is why some say, “it felt right” or “my gut instinct”.

The following is an excerpt from the book:

“Put bluntly, the struggle that so many companies have to differentiate or communicate their true value to the outside world is not a business problem, it’s a biology problem. And just like a person struggling to put her emotions into words, we rely on metaphors, imagery and analogies in an attempt to communicate how we feel. Absent the proper language to share our deep emotions, our purpose, cause or belief, we tell stories. We use symbols. We create tangible things for those who believe what we believe to point to and say, “That’s why I’m inspired.”

Austin has more than 140 years of stories.   These stories are what make up our corporate values of Team Building, Innovation, Passion, Get it Done, Own It, and Committed to Service, which are all distilled from stories told about great Austinites past and present.

Consider this:  we are 142 years old this year and we have a handful of employees who have worked for Austin for more than one-third of the company’s existence. How does that happen? Think of the people they worked with, the projects they were involved in, the achievements and the failures they have witnessed.  Think of the stories they can tell. Exactly!

After our virtual happy hour, I spent much of the evening thinking about the people who most influenced Austin’s reputation and culture as I was coming up.  Wally Edwards went from Houston to Irvine and built a powerhouse of a business unit.  Bob Leishman, Ralph Luke, and Jim Peterson were instrumental in the design and construction of most of Boeing’s facilities in Everett.

Norman Vincent led our UK subsidiary to become a leading pharma/life science design builder in the UK. Art Kage opened the office in Kansas City in 1973- a very creative and innovative leader.   I worked with Art for 11 years and learned a lot from him.  It wasn’t until he died that I learned he was in the Army in WWII and fought in the Battle of the Bulge.

Floyd “Brownie” Higgs, a Texas born Native American who was a great architect, musician, and eternal optimist.  Brownie took on some of the toughest assignments Austin had, and nailed each one of them.  He was also the strongest advocate for The Austin Method and was passionate that the Austin Method and aesthetic design were not just able to co-exist but were interdependent.

Bob Spangler was our laboratory architect.  He was one of the most passionate architects I ever worked with.  He insisted on “living” with the client’s user groups while he did his planning and design, and sharing ideas and layouts with the users and facilities teams to achieve a design everyone felt was optimal. Bob might be gone for eight to ten weeks for major projects. Needless to say, when Bob was planning the laboratory client satisfaction was never an issue.

Coming up, these men were giants. They, and many others, were impressive in what they had to offer me in terms of business, technique, managing clients and people, and really being genuine. It was a gift to have exposure to them.  Exposure to them, in retrospect, gave me exposure to the stories they told about the giants who influenced their careers.

Why does Austin have so many long tenured employees?  What occurred to me   thinking through these stories and histories was that none of them were about Company presidents. The president’s   job was—and continues to be—to give the opportunity to the story makers to create stories, memories, and legends that are true, teach values, and sustain Austin. The opportunity to create stories, to be part of them, gives meaning to your work.  It is motivating.

Importantly, we exist to do great projects for great clients. Projects, project teams, and the experience gained by working together is the backdrop for these stories and legacies and is in the character shown by these giants.  It is serving clients that brought us together to experience each other, mentor, teach, and model how it should be done.

From Samuel Austin’s humble confidence in starting this company, it was never about him.  It was about the customers and finding a better way to serve them.  It was about allowing employees to exercise ingenuity and innovation to achieve that goal. It allowed employees to create their personal legacy within the context of the Austin legacy. These legacies are interconnected and interdependent. They are interwoven.  They are a fundamental part of our WHY.

In years to come, many of you will be the subject of stories in one way or another.  Each story adds its own innate value to the organization.  That value builds company value over time, day by day.  It is who we are. Personal legacies and Company legacies interwoven into the fabric of a culture.

What will your story be?

Designing and building projects in Mexico requires unique considerations that may differ from what many from the US, Asia and Europe think. Most of the projects Austin delivers in Mexico are for US, Asian, or European owners. Setting a project up for success is difficult, and doing so outside your home country can provide even more challenging. With more than 50 years experience delivery projects in Mexico and more than 8.5 million square feet (0.8m M2) of industrial plants and facilities completed in the past six years in Mexico, Austin team members have gained many lessons learned. Austin’s team includes members who have previously worked on the owner’s side of the owner-contractor equation, so below are two lessons learned from the owner’s perspective, and two from the contractor/design-builder perspective.

Lessons Learned from the Owner’s Perspective

1. Select the Right Contractor

Selecting a contractor to complete a project in Mexico is complex. To ensure you select the right one, interview the contractor in person, ideally in Mexico, to evaluate their presence, team members committed to the project, and how the work will be executed.

Beware of assumptions. Don’t assume that a Mexico-based contractor can save money or that going with a Mexico-based contractor makes sense. On the other hand, a U.S.-based contractor with reference projects in Mexico also might not give you the result you want. Do your due diligence by asking these questions:

1. Do they have a physical presence in Mexico?
2. Who will be performing the work and how and where will the work be performed?
3. When were their reference projects completed and what were the results
(safety, schedule, budget, etc.)?
4. What were their roles and responsibilities on those projects?

It’s critically important to vet your contractor, no matter where they are located, and lock in their delivery approach. This will help avoid a project that gets turned over to a Mexican operation without what you thought would be American quality and project management protocols, or a project executed from the U.S. that does not leverage Mexican resources, knowledge, standards and practices – leaving you with the same problems as hiring someone that has no real presence in Mexico.

2. There are Rules, Lots of Them

You might think it’s a lot easier to complete projects in Mexico compared to the U.S. or your native country. After all, its Mexico, right? No regulation, no permits, possibly no environmental permitting barriers like back home? Not the case.

In fact, Mexico has most of the same regulations and environmental permitting as the U.S., and in some ways, can be more burdensome. Coupled with the fact that you may not have connections like you do in your home country to get answers, guidance or an understanding of the permitting processes and procedures.
You will want to hire an engineering or design-build firm, and possibly an independent environmental consultant if the engineering provider doesn’t have environmental, that can speak intelligently about these topics and help guide you through the process.

Lessons Learned from the Contractor/Design-Builder’s Perspective

1. Real Design Is Critical, Not Just a Communication of Design Intent

First, design must be detailed. If you leave things as “field selected” or “field directed,” you are leaving it to whatever someone in Mexico decides they want to do in the field, potentially without supervision, and that may be different from what a craftsman would do in the U.S. in the field.

Second, ensure the design is Mexico-based. On occasion, Austin receives design packages that are completed in other parts of the world that include materials or equipment that are not standard or aren’t available in Mexico.

Third, Spanish is important. Outside the most senior level management within the trades, the ability to read and understand English, especially technical language, drops dramatically. Trade management can’t be one-on-one with every craftsman and still provide competitive pricing. Make sure you have Spanish-based drawings and specifications.

Fourth, translation tools are not viable solutions. Many times, Austin receives design packages completed in the U.S. or other parts of the world that were translated using software (e.g., Google Translate) and the translation was simply not right. Have the drawings and specifications created or translated by a native Mexican Spanish speaker. Or, develop your own in-house design operation in Mexico with native Spanish and English-speaking designers and engineers to complete the design.

2. Be Prepared to Stay on Guard in the Field

Safety and quality practices are not the same country to country. First, the “norms” in Mexico are different. Most of the time, especially on industrial projects, the bidding process drives pricing down. If nothing else is said and the field is not proactively managed, a craftsman may execute to the lowest cost Mexico “norm,” based on previous reductions to their cost and schedule.

Second, the Mexican construction market is busy. Most projects are fast-track, the workforce is stretched, and not the best craftspeople may be assigned to your project. Be engaged to catch this issue as soon as you see it. Also, these conditions cause field supervisors and managers to push their tradespeople more, which can lead to unsafe behavior and impacts to quality.

Successful Projects in Mexico

Designing and constructing projects in Mexico involves special requirements and unique considerations that are different from projects in the U.S. or other parts of the world. However, there are strong construction leaders in Mexico and talented craftspeople. The trick is making sure those are the people on your project. With the right experienced contractor who understands how to execute projects in Mexico and the owner’s active involvement in the vetting and execution of the process, projects in Mexico can be as successful and enjoyable as they are in the U.S.

This article was first published in Results Magazine, a publication by The Austin Company.

Time is a valuable commodity. For design-builders with single-source responsibility, mapping out the time it will take for each component of the project and having an organized plan are crucial to meeting the client’s needs.

Nirav Mehta, Austin’s Western Operations architectural and engineering design project manager, believes that the 30/60/90 day deliverable schedules developed at the start of a new project only tell part of the story. With the pressure to get projects completed as soon as possible, especially those with quick turnaround deadlines, engineering schedules are often compressed.

At first glance, the accelerated 30/60/90 day milestones can seem overwhelming to an engineering team. Mehta explains that the introduction of new software called Touchplan allows engineers a more practical focus on the individual tasks within those milestones, especially those they can begin immediately.

“Our general manager has already used this tool on a construction project with great success,” he says. “We were excited about adapting its capabilities to engineering.”

Touchplan is a web-based collaboration tool based on lean construction principals. The tool transforms the traditional sticky note pull planning process and connects the team digitally, providing real-time updates for greater efficiency and communication.

Mehta has found the program is excellent to help design teams—as well as construction teams—identify critical milestones, define a work plan, look ahead to identify potential constraints, increase accountability, and focus on continual improvement.

Austin’s Western Ops has used Touchplan for several months now, and team members are becoming more adept at maximizing its features. The Weekly Work Plan and the Percent Promised Complete features are particularly helpful to engineers, Mehta states.

The Weekly Work Plan is a report of To-Do tasks that are to be completed before the next weekly meeting. Mehta says the report serves both as a meeting recap and to identify specific tasks for each team member.

The Percent Promised Complete report keeps track of the number of promised tasks that are complete. This report helps identify whether a team is meeting its deadlines or if it needs additional support to do so. It also reveals when a team is ready to assume other tasks.

Weekly Touchplan meetings promote communication between individual members of the team and the client. Using the tool to review task lists allows the engineers to see the sequence of events required and where communication can move the project ahead.

Mehta gives the example of an electrical engineer who might need to determine the placement of outlets in a room. To accomplish this, the engineer must have a layout of the room. However, the room layout cannot be sent to the electrical engineer until the client approves it. Touchplan allows the engineer to see on screen this opportunity for communication to move the project ahead.

Typically, delayed tasks are identified through these weekly meetings. As a result, a separate meeting can be held to determine how the engineering team can work to get the project back on schedule. By identifying the delay, the team can craft their solutions to reach the milestone date.

“Team members are encouraged to login daily to update tasks. Then during the weekly meeting, you can check off completed tasks. And for the tasks that are still open, you can determine if other issues have come up or if you’re waiting on information,” Mehta continues. “Once you know that, you can then plan tasks for the next week. Touchplan helps keep things on track. If you see things slipping, you schedule the necessary meetings to stay on track.”

Mehta feels that adapting this new program to engineering provides new opportunities for the team to fine-tune their processes. “Austin is always focused on meeting and exceeding clients’ expectations. Touchplan is another tool to help us do that on every new project.”

This article was first published in Results Magazine, a publication by The Austin Company.

For decades, the aerospace industry’s advances have been the very essence of innovation. This industry’s continual progress requires cutting-edge manufacturing environments or future factories as commonly referenced. For clients like The Boeing Company, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, General Atomics, and Aerojet Rocketdyne, choosing the right construction partner is critical.

We sat down with Jim Cathcart, Austin’s director of project planning for aviation, aerospace, and defense to find out what Austin considers the crucial focus areas when constructing a manufacturing facility, often called a “future factory” for an aerospace industry client.

“First,” says Cathcart, “the thought and creativity Austin invests in constructing these facilities are related to the way current aircraft and spacecraft components and assemblies are manufactured.” From there, five critical areas must be considered when designing and building a future factory.

1. CLIMATE-CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT

There is a demand for temperature and humidity-controlled environments over a large volume of space, such as high-bays. “Composites, polymers, and lightweight non-metallic materials are sensitive to environmental conditions in maintaining critical tolerances during the assembly process. And that’s a challenge,” says Cathcart. The aerospace facility must sustain a consistent interior environment, which means designing for anti-static and climate-controlled areas, clean rooms, infrastructure and utility flexibility, as well as security for Department of Defense programs. “The temperatures, humidity, and air quality inside the facilities must be consistent around the clock every day of the year, even if there’s a monsoon outside,” he adds.

2. MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION

Demands for cutting-edge ideas aren’t limited to designing, engineering, and constructing these facilities. Technological advances in the methods of assembling spacecraft, airplanes, rockets and satellites have also required Austin to plan for new systems and techniques.

Cathcart explains, “Today’s sites must support automation and robotics, as well as additive manufacturing like rapid prototyping. In many cases, the manufacturing process begins with a powdered metallic or non-metallic material which is built up from there.”

Specialized spaces and environments are not necessarily common in general manufacturing, but in these cases, they are necessary. With potentially fewer humans involved in the manufacturing process and assembly floors occupied by robotic equipment such as AGVs and Air Bearings, Austin has to support these new assembly and material handling technologies. As an example, Cathcart cites the need for super flat floors in assembly plants where massive aircraft or spacecraft are moved throughout the facility using these material handling systems.

3. STRUCTURAL REQUIREMENTS

Austin also adapts traditional features of aerospace buildings to meet the industry’s ever-evolving needs. Newly constructed and renovated facilities are designed to meet current manufacturing needs, but often include the flexibility to adapt to future program requirements as well.

Cathcart says the use of trenches is one example. “The trench is nothing new in aircraft facilities; it has been used since World War II,” he explains. “However, the evolution of trenches for utility distribution has been remarkable.” Creating utility networks in a trench system enables the manufacturer to move processes quickly within the space because they can tap into the utilities in any part of the plant as needed.

In certain situations, especially in super flat flooring applications, trenches may not be advisable, so utilities are run underfloor in a grid formation. Utility pop-up stanchions are provided throughout the manufacturing floor to produce electricity, compressed air, and other services as needed. A retractable lid covers the stanchion keeping the floor smooth.

4. CYBER BORDER PROTECTION

In addition to meeting the structural requirements of manufacturing in the aerospace industry, Austin works with clients whose hardware, software, and communication channels must be secure without fail. Austin’s aerospace clients include defense contractors for the United States government whose security needs are particularly extensive. Cathcart says, “Austin must deliver solutions that keep clients’ facilities secure from both cyber-attacks and espionage.” Austin’s team members undergo extensive training to maintain compliance with ICD-705 requirements and other national and international mandates, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).

“We comply with the federal government classified requirements,” Cathcart goes on. “Our solutions enable our clients to maintain the highest security to meet SCIF requirements and by addressing redundancy in systems such as backup generators and batteries. Even in an earthquake, these facilities cannot have any interruption in power and security. Our clients’ data centers are critical. Much like protecting our country’s physical borders, we make sure our clients can protect their cyber borders.”

5. ATTRACTING TOP TALENT

Modernizing manufacturing campuses has become a unique and intriguing aspect of renovating aerospace facilities. Austin plans and designs its clients’ facilities to entice the engineers and STEM talent that will be attractive to their clients’ potential workforce.

“Until five-plus years ago, most aerospace campuses were stuck in a time warp of antiquated buildings,” Cathcart says. “We’ve been modernizing facilities with mindfulness to employee retention and attracting talent. Through innovative design, engineering and construction, the renovated buildings are becoming exciting places to work and collaborate, “ he adds.

From creative solutions in the physical environment to creating spaces that are both efficient and appealing, The Austin Company will continue to meet the needs of its aerospace clients in the future and beyond.

For more than 100 years, The Austin Company has made enhancements in the design, engineering, and construction of aerospace manufacturing and assembly facilities to meet the needs of the aviation, aerospace, and defense industries.

This article was first published in Results Magazine, a publication by The Austin Company.

Resources

Building for a Century of Flight: https://issuu.com/theaustincompany/docs/building_for_a_century_of_flight_eb?fr=sMDExOTQxNjMxNw

Henry David Thoreau felt that “most men lead lives of quiet desperation.” I prefer to take a different view. I believe most men and women lead lives of quiet heroism. I am seeing it every day, and it shows the character of the people we encounter in our work and in our communities.

There is an overwhelming commitment for people to just do their part, and this commitment leads them to do more in unprecedented circumstances. Certainly and justifiably, we applaud those in healthcare and our first responders. They are seeing the tragic and heartbreaking impact of this pandemic each day. Like those on the frontline of a war – which this is- what they are witnessing and experiencing may even lead to the PTSD suffered by soldiers returned from the battlefield. We hear the stories of many people on their deathbed without the opportunity to see, touch and be with their most loved ones. It must be so hard on the healthcare workers and families.

Beyond the first responders and the healthcare workers, there are the rest of us. At the very least, there are people who are doing their part by staying at home and learning how to accomplish their jobs in a new work environment. They still have all the things that have always given them purpose in their work. Others may have an entirely new challenge, as both work and families must now exist in the same space.

There are others who are far less fortunate. They have suffered a loss of income and security. They may have more doubts about the future than they’ve ever experienced before. We are all impacted by this new reality that COVID-19 has brought to our doorsteps. 

The future. What will it be like? 

Change is hard enough as it is. Change that is driven by random circumstances that cannot be rationalized is an even greater challenge. What is most difficult is a change that is brought about randomly without the security of a clear path forward. How do we deal with that? For some, especially for those quiet heroes, it means going about everyday tasks despite it all, despite what it means. 

One of the essential industries where people continue to go to work every day is construction. Concurrently, the stimulus package allows some workers to stay home and collect as much in (or more) than they would make if they were working. Many chose to remain on the job. Others have chosen to stay at home instead of risking greater exposure because of family, personal health, or household members who have compromised immune systems, etc.

This situation is certainly not the equivalent of an NYFD firefighter running up the stairs of the World Trade Center, knowing he won’t likely come down alive. Still, for those of us who are not first responders, it has some similarities.

We, the Construction Industry, have a duty to build infrastructure and be a critical part of the economy. Some answer the call to that duty with dedication and focus on what the job requires, accepting the risks of that job.

I have a nephew in Chicago who delivers pipe to construction projects. He has never been busier. There is work going on everywhere in Chicago and northwest Indiana. At home, he has a wife who is an elementary school teacher and an 18-month-old daughter. He wipes down his truck every day, after every stop, and continually uses hand sanitizer. He does this countless times a day and is very careful when he comes home at the end of each day, taking precautions to minimize the possibility he would bring the virus into the home. 

His brother is an RN who had a “Hero Lives Here” sign planted in his yard by neighbors, which he humbly dismisses as he feels he is just someone doing the job he loves. His wife and three sons are staying with her parents to ensure proper quarantining. Although they are only a short distance away, he cannot hug his boys each night. 

I maintain that both are heroes in unassuming ways. Both go about their work, accepting the risks, taking the necessary precautions, and making sacrifices to do their part.

People are quietly and humbly going about their work in the face of a global pandemic, pulling their weight and making their contributions. In Kalama

Location, Location, Location

To say that Austin Consulting is all about the location is to state the obvious. However, for Location Consultant Kyle Johnson there is more to location than meets the eye. Johnson’s real-time, in-depth information on potential site locations provides clients with the data necessary to make important site selection decisions and gives them an edge to get the project deliverables quicker than ever before.

To do this, Kyle has mastered technology tools such as ESRI, EMSI, and CoStar. The valuable information these applications provide gives Austin the tools to advise clients quickly on everything from geological information to local labor market conditions to the property listing specifics of potential locations.

ESRI

ESRI is spatial mapping software, explained Johnson, “In layman’s terms, it’s a human-made system with which you are deciding how far you are from other things in terms of physical space. Like, from this spot on the map to a river.”

Using ESRI, Johnson can see a complete picture of the physical site, including topographical information. “We can look at the contours of hills, or whether the site is flat. We also look at utility locations because the client will need access to water, electricity, gas, and sewer to be operational.”

Johnson also uses ESRI to map existing site features that will impact clients. “We can identify railroads and highways, which is helpful to our clients. But we can also locate our client’s competitors relative to a site,” Johnson added. “What other manufacturers might be nearby? We map those, too. An adequate workforce, as well as the local competition for that workforce, are always big considerations.”

That’s when Johnson will employ another software program known as EMSI. This program is a labor market analysis tool that provides Austin a valuable snapshot of the local workforce.

EMSI

EMSI analytics focuses on general population demographics like education, age, income and wages, and population and employment changes. But, said Johnson, it takes a much deeper dive into labor, specifically in determining how many people in a particular industry are employed in a specific region.

This sort of information is crucial to site selection, Johnson added. “We look for the location of a potential workforce physically. Maybe the nearest population center is within 15, 30, 45 minutes or an hour. We’re determining whether or not there are enough people to meet this facility’s needs. If they need 2,000 workers, selecting a site near a town of just 10,000 people may not provide our clients with sufficient workers to operate their facility.”

Johnson explained further, “A lot of this information is just not readily available to the average researcher. If we secure detailed data on workforce populations based on legitimate labor statistics, we can give our clients quite an advantage.”

EMSI also offers a deeper dive into workforce parameters by providing job-posting information. “We have real-time postings,” said Johnson. “So, we can tell our clients which businesses are hiring, how long it takes that employer to hire, and how many positions they’re looking to fill. Whatever info our client needs can be on the screen in front of us and presented to them in a matter of minutes.”

Costar

In addition to ESRI and EMSI, Austin has added CoStar to its technology arsenal, which Johnson described as “The property listing database. It’s what real estate brokers use.”

Thanks to CoStar, Austin’s site location team is now able to access valuable property information in a matter of minutes. “Before CoStar,” said Johnson, “Austin depended on individual communities to provide property information, which could not be delivered as quickly. “This allows us to see all the same information that a broker sees: transactions on a property, square footage of a building, how quickly it sold, how long it was on the market, and other site information. We can also learn about the acreage, how many floors the building has, and special features like the presence of a crane inside the structure. This information gives us a detailed snapshot upfront of what’s available.”

ESRI, EMSI, and CoStar have changed the landscape for Austin’s site location team, as well as for its clients. Working with these new tools is an ongoing task for Johnson. “I constantly keep an eye on new programs and technology being released to see if any of them can increase the advantage we provide to our clients in site selection.”

“I’m continually figuring out what’s going to be cost-efficient as well as beneficial for us,” he added. And most importantly, “All of this is proving to be immensely valuable to our clients. With the addition of these technologies, we are now able to provide more accurate information to clients more quickly than ever before.”

Get to Know Kyle Johnson, Location Consultant

Kyle brings over nine years of valuable experience in location, community, economic development, and real estate consulting to the Austin team. He maintains a strong background in research and redeveloping strategies for complex economic issues, including trade, supply chains, industry competitiveness, and business intelligence. Kyle has performed work in the food and beverage processing, agriculture, general manufacturing, consumer products, business services, healthcare, and public safety industries.

This article was first published in Results Magazine, a publication by The Austin Company.

Resources

• Austin Consulting Website: http://www.theaustinconsulting.com
• Results Magazine Fall/Winter 2019: https://issuu.com/theaustincompany/docs/2019_results_magazine_123119?fr=sZTliMzQxNjMxNw
• Austin Consulting Brochure: https://issuu.com/theaustincompany/docs/austin_consulting_brochure?fr=sYTg5MTQxNjMxNw

In preparation for this article, I recalled a quote I read from an Austin Board meeting sometime around 1942. At the time, Austin’s sales were peaking at $285,000,000. The company grew from a staff of 571 employees to over 49,000 employees in just two years. The quote I remembered referenced workforce shortages and then complimented the resourcefulness of our construction executives, where “you will now find ‘girls’ working on our job sites.”

What an interesting perspective on how times have changed. Austin’s historic Fort Worth Bomber plant was likely where many of these “girls” worked. Coincidentally, Fort Worth was the birthplace of the National Association of Women in Construction just eleven years later.

In 1991, I sold a project at the Denver Airport. Austin was selected by the City and County of Denver to be the architect and engineer for a hangar, cargo facility, flight kitchen, and ground support equipment facility. Instrumental in our winning this work was the advice and counsel of Ginger Evans, who was the assistant director of aviation for the airport in charge of a $16B program. Ginger was one of the most impressive, genuine, and down-to-earth professionals with whom I have ever dealt. As this was early in my career, I had no preconceptions about women in construction. After working with Ginger, I knew without a doubt that women belong in this profession.

It is encouraging to see the continued growth of women throughout our projects and our company. I recently visited the Project Palladium site with Kajima USA Chairman Nori Ohashi. Project Palladium is one of the most complex, process-heavy jobs we have undertaken since the 1980s. Giving us a complete review of the project was Site Safety Engineer Daphnie Sharp; Design Team Captain for Mechanical and Process Engineering Sara Simpson; Area Superintendent April Harmer; and Document Control Specialist Ashley Shugar. Project Controls Manager Sandi Shubert was unable to join us that day. All of these team members—these women—bear the responsibility of wearing the Austin hard hat and continuing our legacy of Results, not Excuses®. They are a strong, cohesive team dedicated to the successful completion of one of our most challenging projects.

Last quarter, we awarded our first round of value coins. Value coins go to individuals who have been recognized by their peers for living one of Austin’s values in the work they perform. Those values are: Committed to Service, Passion, Innovation, Get It Done, Team Builders, and Own It. 25 percent of those first-round coins went to female team members for exceptional dedication to their roles at Austin.

All told, Austin’s female workforce totals about 20 percent of our ranks. When I began working at Austin in the early 80s, most women in the company were in administrative, clerical, or accounting roles with an occasional architect or engineer thrown in.

Today, almost 75 percent of our female workforce are in technical or professional positions in engineering, preconstruction, construction, marketing, and accounting. And, at the mid-management level, we have many women holding leadership roles in engineering, project management, and marketing. No doubt, these rising stars will change the leadership landscape in the years to come.

The design and construction industry needs to increase its efforts to educate and attract more women to participate in the creation of buildings and infrastructure. Just as it was in 1942, workforce shortages are a challenge we face today. By necessity, this shortage will force an end to old preconceptions and create many new opportunities for women to have an increasing impact on the future of our industry.

There is no room for the old preconception that this industry is not for women. Here at Austin, it most certainly is.

Article published in Results Magazine, Winter 2019.