Precast Inc. - September/October 2008 - (Page 32) BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT WILBERT PRECAST’S NEW PLANT IN YAKIMA, WASH., HAD AN EXTREMELY TIGHT TIMELINE FOR COMPLETION BETWEEN BUILDING PERMIT ISSUANCE FOR THE NEW PROPERTY AND EXPIRATION OF LEASE AT THE OLD PROPERTY. THOROUGH PLANNING, A SKILL THE COMPANY LEARNED FROM PREVIOUS EXPANSION PROJECTS, HELPED ENSURE THE DEADLINE WAS MET. A PHOTO OF THE COMPLETED PROJECT IS ON PAGE 36. Expansion Projects: Look at ALL the Angles When expanding your operations, take some tips from those who have been there. BY WILLIAM ATKINSON here may come a time in your plant’s future when space – or lack of it – becomes a serious issue. Growth becomes nearly impossible because either you have run out of room in your existing buildings, or you have no more room on your property. Either way – annexing existing buildings or purchasing more real estate – you may be looking into new construction on your property. Many things, both major and minor, need to be considered that, if not anticipated and addressed, can trip you up in the end. Consulting with other precasters who have experienced their own expansion projects is also a wise move. Consider the following testimonials. T Timing is everything In some ways, business is like sleep. When you are sleeping, your body restores itself. When you are awake and active, your body doesn’t have the time, resources or energy to restore itself. Likewise, the best time to engage in an expansion or modernization project may be when business is slow. For 32 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 | PRECAST INC. precasters, this generally means in between the construction “booms.” Max Hoene is pleased when he runs into customers who have this type of insight. “I was visiting with a customer last week who is looking into the future and who has the current economic situation in perspective,” says Hoene, president of Advanced Concrete Technologies, Greenland, N.H. (www.concretebiz.com), which specializes in mixing and batching plants with complete turnkey plant designs. “When the economy is down, a lot of people focus on ‘doom and gloom,’ pull in their horns and don’t want to do anything.” When Hoene meets such people, he tries to explain that these lulls actually provide the best opportunities to get ready for the next construction boom. “We all know this is going to happen; it’s just a question of when,” he says. “However, if you try to schedule your expansion to coincide with the boom, you’re always going to be wrong.” As such, according to Hoene, the best time to modernize a plant and equipment is in between the booms. He explains to people that, when the next boom Photo courtesy Wilbert Precast Inc. http://www.concretebiz.com
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