Tag Archive for: general-manufacturing-feature

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Corey Zachel, PE, LEED AP BD+C, Section Manager and Senior Associate at SSOE, recently authored an article published in Industrial Maintenance & Plant Operation Magazine (IMPO) that explains how to avoid shutdowns at manufacturing facilities. In this industry, repairs are inevitable, however complete shutdowns can create a major loss in revenue. Zachel writes that careful planning and tracking, data from previous work, as well as preparing for the unexpected can all help to lessen the chance of a shutdown.

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Corey Zachel, PE, LEED AP BD+C, Section Manager and Senior Associate at SSOE Group, recently highlighted the importance of proactively coordinating manufacturing equipment maintenance schedules in this IMPO Magazine article. Corey suggests pulling in experts to avoid guesswork and rework—and rather than waiting for a breakdown, figure out what’s needed to keep equipment running without a hitch to avoid problems altogether. Through various examples from out in the field, he shares how regular evaluations and preventive maintenance could have helped avoid costly disruptions to production and multiple headaches along the way. Read more

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Vince DiPofi, PE, Chief Operating Officer at SSOE, was featured in ENR’s May 2018 cover story, “The Top 500 Design Firms: Worry Despite Strong Markets”. From construction tariffs to talent acquisition, the article highlights some of the concerns surrounding the industry, despite its predicted continual growth. Vince’s commentary focuses on the impact of generative design and its ability to help architects and engineers deliver better solutions to clients. Read more

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Eric Hopkins, PE, Senior Chemical Process Engineer and Senior Associate at SSOE, continues his examination of the advantages of energy assessments in this Chem.Info Magazine article. In Part I of the article, he discusses the importance of planning and how to manage documentation and data disparities. In Part II, he focuses on strategy and involving key stakeholders to optimize the assessment process and qualify your data to achieve better results. Ultimately, a thoughtful, pragmatic approach to energy assessments will allow for continuous global competitive benefits long after the assessment is complete. Read more

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Eric Hopkins, PE, Senior Chemical Process Engineer and Senior Associate at SSOE, guides readers through the value of performing energy assessments to stay competitive despite the ever-changing market demands in this Chem.Info Magazine article. Although conducting an effective energy assessment can have its challenges and constraints, the in-depth data it provides often points plant owners to exactly where spending will be most lucrative for their specific operations. Eric shares his recommendations for navigating gaps in documentation and data and how careful planning upfront can make all the difference. Read more

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Tony Sabat, BIM / CAD Technical Specialist and one of several licensed drone pilots at SSOE, discusses the shift in reality capture as a result of drone / unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology in this AEC Next article—spoiler: reality capture is now easier than ever. Using this non-destructive technology to generate a 3D model can be a game changer, allowing you to turn assets into detailed, accurate deliverables. With the drone’s speed, mobility, and safety, it has become the most efficient method for capturing the existing conditions of many facilities and sites, with added benefits downstream. Read more

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Corey Zachel, PE, LEED AP BD+C, Section Manager and Senior Associate at SSOE Group, recently discussed the topic of design-build expansion projects in this Plant Engineering Magazine article. Tight project deadlines combined with competitive, rapidly changing manufacturing environments can result in a myriad of challenges—most of which are avoidable with thoughtful planning. Choosing a plan-oriented approach that brings in all parties to participate early in the design phase can eliminate issues downstream, making costly schedule delays, unnecessary rework, and production shut downs a thing of the past. Read more

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Dewayne Galyon, Basebuild Technical Specialist at SSOE, dives back into statistical process control (SPC) in this Reliable Plant Magazine article. SPC—a method of quality control that assists manufacturers in maximizing production, minimizing waste, and keeping costs down—consists of multiple procedures designed to monitor conditions critical for maintaining process control, which vary depending on the type of facility. Dewayne walks readers through his guidelines for fully leveraging the advantages of SPC, which can make significant impacts to a plant’s bottom line when correctly applied to a process. Read more

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Jason Christen, PMP, Senior Account Executive at SSOE, and Mark LaBell, Senior VDC Technical Leader, were both featured in a BD+C Magazine article that examines the rise of 3D laser scanners, which have recently evolved into handhelds. 3D laser scanning is the fastest, most efficient method to capture existing conditions. In addition to allowing us to scan harder-to-reach places, handheld scanners provide the ability to show clients results immediately after taking a scan with a workable model showing an accurate representation of the facility—a major benefit of the technology that often translates into cost savings for our clients. Read more

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Gavin Kaleta, PE, LEED AP BD+C, Mechanical Department Manager at SSOE, recently authored an article published in Area Development Magazine discussing the advantages of preliminary project planning, concise scheduling, and front-end loading (FEL) when renovating an existing manufacturing facility. Even experienced teams benefit from deliberate, phased steps early on in a project, which alleviate productivity issues and inefficiency later on. Gavin’s advice for creating significant savings: spend early. By creating room in the budget for early FEL, you’re investing in up-front engineering that consistently delivers long-term cost benefits, while avoiding unplanned downtime and the dreaded shut down. Read more

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Corey Zachel, PE, LEED AP BD+C, Section Manager and Senior Associate at SSOE Group, recently authored an article published in Industrial Maintenance & Plant Operation Magazine (IMPO) that encourages early process planning and consistent, inclusive communication to better anticipate the inevitable last-minute changes that occur on manufacturing projects. Using examples illustrating some of the challenges that can emerge late in the project game, Corey shares lessons learned to prepare readers for similar project hurdles. By defining for stakeholders what is driving the project—such as speed to market, product quality, or cost containment—the team is able to prioritize project objectives, while avoiding disputes and mediocre results. Read more

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Vince DiPofi, PE, Chief Strategy Officer at SSOE Group, was featured in ENR’s May 2017 cover story, “The Top 500 Design Firms: Market Poised for Takeoff”. From healthcare reform and regulation changes to the race to rebuild U.S. infrastructure, the article highlights some of the questions and concerns surrounding the industry following the recent election. Although preliminary indicators point to a strong, healthy market and we’ve already seen an increase in private sector jobs, a theme of caution continues to persist.

Vince, who has experienced nine presidential elections during the course of his career, comments on the buzz surrounding the election and its effect on the industry. He also discusses how potential changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) have already impacted the automotive market, as seen in postponed spending. Read more

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Jim Lewis, Electrical Controls Department Manager and Principal at SSOE, recently authored this informative article in Area Development Magazine advising readers to take a business-driven approach to utility projects. Whether your project is driven by production capacity, energy efficiency, regulatory requirements, or environmental sustainability, the ultimate objective is to add value to the business. Jim shares examples showing how a utility challenge can be turned into a business advantage. Read more

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Alan Liddy, AIA, NCARB, Senior Project Manager at SSOE, was recently published in Product Design and Development Magazine on the topic of cleanrooms. Alan explains that keeping cleanrooms clean can come at a lower cost, depending on the cleanroom’s classification, while offering strategies to cut costs without cutting corners. Clean standards continue to climb, but with a few operational enhancements, you can avoid contamination economically. Read more

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SSOE experts, John Gill, PE, PMP, Director of Virtual Design and Construction, and Mike Duffey, PE, Principal Account Executive, explore the many benefits of combining an integrated approach with Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) to achieve a collaborative aerospace facility. With this approach, significant advantages result, including a more transparent and collaborative team environment that fosters participation and valuable input during the early stages of a project, increased flexibility and efficiency during the project’s development in the virtual world, and reduction of RFIs. On average, SSOE has seen 20%+ schedule reduction through strategies including concurrent engineering and the use of prefabrication and modularization. Read more

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Alexandra Segers, Dipl.-Ing, PE, MS, General Manager of SSOE’s Southeast U.S. operations, was recently published in Area Development Magazine discussing the worldwide trend of OEMs—and subsequently suppliers—moving operations to Mexico. With this number growing every day, Alexandra reminds readers the Southeast U.S. is still a viable, competitive option for automotive parts production. Read more

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Thomas Nestor, PE, responds to some common electrical challenges faced on projects, and guides readers through examples of careful pre-planning strategies in this article recently published in Plant Engineering Magazine. Thorough research combined with a unified, “holistic” approach can help meet invariable objectives such as budget adherence, plant safety, reliability, and productivity. Capturing accurate, comprehensive information and fully understanding existing conditions, although laborious and often difficult, is critical as it directly correlates to the success of a project. Read more

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SSOE Group is a leader in leveraging the latest technology to enable integrated and collaborative project delivery. SSOE Group was featured in BOSS Magazine, in an article highlighting the company’s technology strategy and culture — both of which are helping provide better solutions to clients. Driven by collaboration, SSOE is using innovative tools and customized applications to deliver high quality projects more efficiently, while working to maintain employee engagement along the way. Read more

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Gavin Kaleta, PE, LEED AP, Mechanical and Process Department Manager at SSOE Group, co-authored an article published in HPAC Engineering Magazine that focuses on high-performance fan systems, which are critical to industrial processes. From air flow to duct leaks, the article digs deep into ANSI/AMCA Standard 210/ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 51, sharing real-world applications to optimize fan performance. Read more

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Firms being asked to play a bigger role in providing expertise

Dave Sipes, Chief Operating Officer at SSOE Group, was featured in this article recently published in Engineering News-Record (ENR). The article highlights manufacturing, a particularly robust market currently, and the need within this market to improve processes — with an emphasis on output. Popular among manufacturers is integrated project delivery, a concept that focuses on collaboration and commitment among all parties, which is successfully executed with the help of highly evolved technologies like 3D modeling and laser scanning. Read more

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Matt Oberts, PE, LEED AP, Automotive and Industrial Division Facilities Manager at SSOE, recently published “An A/E Perspective on Optimizing the Design-Build Strategy” for Design-Build Institute of America. In his article, Oberts talks about design charrettes, which he defines as “an intensive, collaborative session that is held as early as possible in the life of the project.” This daylong assembly of project participants — from both the design side and the build side — sets the foundation for a successful project in which goals and objectives are understood, agreed upon, and ultimately achieved. Additionally, the design-build process itself becomes increasingly effective by employing the various components of Virtual Design and Construction (VDC). Through early process planning, and optimal implementation of 3D/BIM technology and measureable benchmarks, a design-build project has the potential to exceed client expectations, regardless of whether the focus is schedule or budget. Read more

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A thorough process definition lays the foundation for a successful greenfield project

Dale Feldhaus, department manager in Industrial Process Controls at SSOE Group, was recently published in Chemical Processing Magazine. In his article, he discusses the importance of the preliminary phase of a greenfield project, which Feldhaus refers to as the “process definition phase.” Feldhaus has nearly 30 years of experience, specializing in the design, specification, and coordination of controls and instrumentation for projects within the industrial industry. Read more

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Mark Hoffman, Department Manager at SSOE Group, was recently featured in this article in Food Engineering Magazine. The article works to demystify airflow and room pressure questions in relation to food production, and offers expert suggestions to ensure cleanliness is achieved and cross-contamination avoided — namely at points in the process where the product is most vulnerable. From pressure differential gauges and processors, to filtration options and software tools, this article effectively covers a lot of ground, offering a collection of valuable tips that are far from intuitive. Read more

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David Wilson, PE, LEED AP, Senior Mechanical Engineer at SSOE Group, recently authored this article in Laboratory Design Magazine. The article explores when it’s worth it to consider commissioning for your facility through three case scenarios encountered by an HVAC commissioning expert. What is observed through testing and verification may prevent expensive operational problems from occurring, by detecting flaws and inefficiency prior to the end of the warranty period. The best approach is to be proactive in knowing what you need before it’s too late. Read more

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Foreign companies are trending in the direction of the U.S. as they review global site selection options, with suppliers following.

Alexandra Segers, International Senior Account Executive / Program Manager at SSOE Group, shares her insight in this article published in Area Development Magazine. Within, Segers discusses some of the important items — including incentives and cost offsets, utility factors, and workforce availability — that are making the U.S. an advantageous area to consider development, with the Southeast U.S. leading the pack.
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Correct design basis requires deep understanding of raw material characteristics and facility conditions.

Mark Hoffman, PE, PMP, Department Manager in Food and Consumer Products at SSOE Group, was recently published in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Magazine. Hoffman has over 30 years of experience in project and engineering management in the pharmaceutical processing, food processing, nutraceutical processing, bio-processing, renewable energy, ammonia refrigeration, and food ingredient industries. In his article, he explains how a consistently dependable environment for raw material storage and conveyance is imperative to practical and profitable production flow in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

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A roundup of tools and services that architects are using to break free from company servers and physical boundaries.

Lauren Collier, Assoc. AIA, design technology section manager at SSOE Group, is featured in this article recently published in ARCHITECT Magazine. The article reviews recent industry trends related to cloud-based system use, going beyond file sharing and backup. Companies are beginning to incorporate the cloud into schematic design, project management, energy performance analysis, renderings, and other outsourced tasks. The cloud offers adept speed that releases us from our dependency on less-efficient company servers, and generating productive collaboration.

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Third party assessments can provide crucial insights.

Peter Wilmarth, RA, an architect at SSOE Group with over 35 years of experience, offers his thoughts as to how those of us in the chemical industry can gain insight from the West Fertilizer plant explosion in his recent Chemical Processing Magazine publication. The tragic blast occurred in 2013 in West, Texas — killing 15 people and injuring over 160 — and elevated the issue of safety in relation to hazardous industrial processes.

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David Young and Jim Swope, PMP, senior project managers at SSOE Group, wrote a newly published article in Food Manufacturing Magazine discussing the advantages of pre-owned manufacturing equipment and some of the challenges related to its utilization. Between food and personnel safety, operational productivity, and overall integrity, there is a lot to think about in relation to equipment. Choosing the right used equipment can significantly cut costs while also shortening lead time—a winning combination serving to improve the bottom line without sacrificing quality.

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The article “Selecting, Retrofitting, and Integrating Used Equipment” in Food Quality & Safety Magazine’s August/September 2014 issue serves as an informative overview on how to better choose pre-owned food processing equipment and the significant savings in capital and time it yields.

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Vince DiPofi, Chief Strategy Officer at SSOE Group, is featured in the July issue of Engineering News-Record (ENR) Magazine. The article discusses current trends in manufacturing, in addition to the new technologies appearing in the automotive sector.

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The article “Effective Manufacturing Construction Project Management: On Site, and On It” in Area Development Magazine’s 3rd Quarter issue discusses how an on site owner’s representative solves problems and adds value by assuring coordination of trades and maintaining project focus. In addition, John Hernandez, Section Manager at SSOE discusses how hiring the right person for the job, whether a current employee, member of a consulting engineering firm on the project, or a member of a firm with no other project contract will save the client time, trouble, and money while completing their project.

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Senior Project Manager, Bob Van Antwerp is interviewed for his perspective on issues critical to the overall food industry marketplace in Food Manufacturing Magazine’s July/August 2013 “Brainstorm”. Within, Van Antwerp expands on the following options food manufactures have to reduce energy costs – new technology, cooling load energy reduction, and utility incentives.

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In the Spring 2013 issue of Area Development Magazine, SSOE’s Laura Orlich is featured and takes an in-depth look at how the Volkswagen’s  Chattanooga Plant achieved LEED® Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in April, 2012. Orlich served as the On-Site LEED Coordinator for the Volkswagen project Read more

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SSOE is mentioned in this article by Building Design + Construction magazine discussing ways for building teams to utilize new online tools for complex project document management. SSOE and partners employed relatively new collaboration software Read more

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Tony Damon, CEO of SSOE Group, was interviewed for the August 25, 2012 edition of The Economist. Damon provides insight on questions surrounding the increasing presence of work available in China and the effects this may have on jobs locally. In response, Damon states, “global growth is a question of survival, not choice, and that profitable work in China keeps jobs in Ohio”.

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Volkswagen’s new Chattanooga, Tennessee automotive manufacturing campus is featured in Site Selection Magazine’s May 2012 issue. SSOE Group’s Brian Spencer, PE and Louise Schlatter, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C discuss the integration of LEED principles into the design of the 2.7 million SF facility. Read more

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SSOE Group is featured in Architect Magazine’s February 2012 issue. This article highlights the design and construction management SSOE performed for Volkswagen’s new automotive assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

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SSOE’s Dan Vining, a general manager at SSOE, discusses how tackling risk planning and management with intensity leads to positive project results.  Read more

Tag Archive for: general-manufacturing-feature

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LAGRANGE, Georgia, July 11, 2017 – Sentury Tire, a global advanced-technology tire manufacturer of automotive and aircraft tires, selected SSOE Group, a global project delivery firm for architecture, engineering, and construction management, to design its 1.4 million square foot tire manufacturing facility in LaGrange, Georgia. Read more

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TOLEDO, Ohio, June 7, 2016 – SSOE Group, (www.ssoe.com) a global project delivery firm, specializing in engineering, architecture, and construction management is proud to announce their certification as a “Great Workplace” by the independent analysts at Great Place to Work®. SSOE earned this credential based on exemplary ratings provided by their employees in an anonymous survey. Read more

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TOLEDO, Ohio, May 19, 2016 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm is proud to announce that Michael Duffey, PE, Principal Account Executive, has been nominated to serve as the next President of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Ohio, effective July 1, 2016. Read more

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POINT CLEAR, Alabama, July 10, 2015 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm, announced today that Alexandra Segers, Dipl.-Ing, PE, Program Manager and International Senior Account Executive at SSOE, has been invited to present at the Economic Development Association of Alabama (EDAA) Summer Conference. The event will take place July 19-22, 2015 at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Alabama. To supplement her presentation “Changes in the Site Selection Process,” Segers will also facilitate a panel discussion on “the New Automotive Corridor”; Dennis Cuneo, Outside Board Member for SSOE will participate as a panelist. Read more

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MONTERREY, Mexico, May 29, 2015 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), ranked 12th internationally among Engineering Firms (Building Design + Construction, 2014), announced today that they have opened an office in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico—their second office in the country. SSOE’s first office was opened in early 2014 in the city of León, Guanajuato, Mexico to support the region’s growing automotive manufacturing base. The addition of the Monterrey office will allow SSOE to better serve for our current food and automotive clients located in Saltillo, Ramos Arizpe, Monterrey, and surrounding areas, with a closer geographical concentration of resources. It is the second office SSOE has launched to serve the growing industrial investment in North America in as many months. Read more

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ATLANTA, Georgia, May 05, 2015 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global project delivery firm ranked 4th among Automotive Plant Design Firms (Engineering News-Record, 2014), is proud to announce the opening of a new office in Atlanta, Georgia. The office will serve as the hub for the firm’s Southeast U.S. operations, currently anchored by four existing SSOE regional offices in Birmingham, Alabama; Huntsville, Alabama; Nashville, Tennessee; and Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina.

“SSOE’s expansion into the Southeast U.S.,” comments CEO Bob Howell, “dovetails with the area’s projected growth and will enhance the firm’s expansive portfolio in the region.”

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LEÓN, Mexico February 14, 2014 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), ranked 10th internationally among Manufacturing Design Firms (ENR, 2013), announced today that they have opened operations in León, Guanajuato, Mexico—their first office in the country. SSOE now has operations in eight countries. Over the next three years, SSOE plans to hire 25-30 individuals to support the León office. SSOE’s expansion into Mexico continues the company’s trajectory of international growth; the firm has added nine offices in new geographic markets in the last three years through both acquisition and organic expansion.

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Toledo, Ohio, May 31, 2013 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm along with their client Volkswagen Group of America is proud to announce that it has received one of eight Grand Awards for Engineering Excellence at the 47th Annual Engineering Excellence Awards—a national juried competition sponsored by the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC). The award, presented in honor of the new Volkswagen Assembly Plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, was presented to SSOE and Volkswagen representatives at an award gala in Washington D.C. on April 23, 2013.

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TOLEDO, Ohio, January 31, 2013 –SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm, is proud to announce that it has been ranked second by Engineering News Record (ENR) in their 2012 Top International Design Firm Rankings survey results for Auto Assembly. The rankings were released in December and are based on revenue.

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Toledo, Ohio, November 14, 2012 –SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm is proud to announce it has been named one of Consulting-Specifying Engineer’s (CSE) 2012 MEP Giants. The MEP Giants program ranks the top 100 mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP), and fire protection engineering firms in the United States based on total MEP design revenue. SSOE ranked thirteenth, moving up six spots from 2011.

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Shanghai, China, October 23, 2012 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm, along with General Motors (GM), celebrated another significant safety milestone recently. Two million hours have been worked with no recordable incidents during Phase 2 of construction of GM’s first Chinese automotive research and development (R&D) facility, otherwise known as GM China’s Advanced Technical Center. The new facility, currently being constructed in Shanghai, celebrated two prior safety milestones of 500,000 hours worked without a recordable accident back in September 2011 and 1,000,000 hours worked without a recordable accident just five months ago in April 2012.

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Chattanooga, TN, May 15, 2012 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm, is proud to announce that the Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant has been awarded the prestigious Gold 2012 Edison Green Award, the highest honor among Green Award winners. The award recognizes “excellence personified by Thomas Alva Edison, inspiring the drive to remain in the forefront of innovation, creativity and ingenuity in the global economy.”  The Green Award specifically recognizes the environmental and sustainability achievements at Volkswagen Chattanooga. SSOE performed architecture, engineering, and construction management for this $1 billion+ production facility which produces the 2012 Passat. SSOE also functioned as the Project Team Administrator (PTA) and Design Lead for all LEED credits.

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Shanghai, China, April 10, 2012 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), an international engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm, along with General Motors (GM), is celebrating another significant safety milestone. One million hours have been worked with no recordable incidents during Phase 2 of construction of GM’s first Chinese Automotive Research and Development (R&D) facility, otherwise known as GM China’s Advanced Technical Center. The new facility, currently being constructed in Shanghai, reached its’ first milestone of 500,000 hours worked without a recordable accident just seven months ago, during construction of the Advanced Materials Laboratory Building, or Phase 1, which opened on September 21, 2011.

SSOE and GM were both represented during the celebration. President and Managing Director of the GM China Group, Kevin Wale, applauded the group noting, “This is truly a remarkable achievement – made possible only through the conscious effort each person put forth day in and day out to continuously review surroundings and look out for hazards on the job site before starting work. Safety is not just about numbers. It’s about protecting workers from injury. I want to congratulate the SSOE construction team and contractors on-site for managing the success of this project and for working with GM to support our safety program.”

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Shanghai, China, September 29, 2011 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com) the EPCM firm of record, along with their client The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, announced today that they have successfully reached seven million hours worked with no recordable incidents at Goodyear’s newest tire plant in China. This plant, which currently produces passenger tires and soon will produce truck tires, is the largest manufacturing project under construction in China. Read more

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Nashville, Tennessee, August 25, 2011 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), an international engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm, announced today that it along with leaders from Volkwagen Group of America’s Chattanooga Operations accepted the 2011 Tennessee Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award for Building Green at the awards ceremony held in Nashville,Tennessee on August 12th. Read more

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Greenville, South Carolina, June 30, 2011 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), an international engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) firm, announced today that it is teaming with prime contractor Walbridge on the design of ZF Friedrichshafen AG’s first passenger car transmission plant in North America. Located near Greenville, South Carolina, the facility will produce fuel efficient, eight and nine-speed automatic transmissions for the passenger car and light truck market. Walbridge is leading the overall design and construction management team for the project. Read more

Tag Archive for: general-manufacturing-feature

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In moving a project from statement of work to completion of construction, regular collaboration between owners, designers, and contractors is no longer a luxury. It is the managerial insurance the project must have in order to stay on schedule and budget. Much of the unbudgeted time and expense incurred by change orders can be attributed to a lack of integration between the players. It’s often because these parties failed to include the resources and intentional effort for collaboration. Read more

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In the AEC industry, when a client asks for a project to be completed “faster, better, and cheaper,” chances are they will be told that two out of three is about as good as it gets. Thanks to technology, integrated delivery methods, and an exceptional team effort, SSOE raised the bar and delivered on all counts on a recent project for a global leader in the food industry.

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Huntsville, Alabama has a lot to celebrate. It was recently selected as the site for the new Polaris plant, which will generate up to 2,000 jobs and create a ripple effect that will boost the area’s economy. Huntsville’s Mayor, Tommy Battle, jokingly suggested it was a plate of exceptional barbecue ribs that clinched the high-stakes deal. SSOE’s Alexandra Segers stands by the full story. Polaris selected her from a field of qualified candidates to conduct the site selection process — beginning to end. Alexandra considers this one of the fastest site selection processes of this magnitude she’s ever conducted. To put that in context, she has more than 15 years of experience helping major corporations find the best sites worldwide. Read more

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Whenever a company needs new manufacturing facilities to capture market share, getting up and running quickly is critical. It needs to pick a firm with solid experience, one that won’t flinch at challenges that might arise, and will do what it takes to meet an aggressive schedule. In this case, the firm is SSOE. The market is the oil and gas industry and the product is high quality API Grade steel tube – over 500,000 metric tons annually.

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When Germany-based KSM decided to advance its global production footprint by setting up operations in the U.S., they enlisted SSOE to help with site selection. SSOE began by developing the site criteria for the company’s new greenfield high-pressure aluminum castings plant into an RFP. SSOE solicited bids from various states, performed site evaluations, recommended a site, and supported negotiations of the settlement contracts.

KSM was very pleased with the results and extended the scope of SSOE’s services with the conceptual design and cost estimate for the Shelby, North Carolina location. We then performed all design and engineering services for the new facility and acted as the Owner’s Representative which included providing an onsite contact.

SSOE used a cost / benefit analysis, including value engineering, to help KSM determine its “must haves” — items required for production support — verses its wants. This analysis helped the client create a facility that projected the image they were looking for while keeping costs within budget. In fact, by applying intense value engineering, SSOE was able to reduce estimated completion cost by 33%.  

To keep the project on track required prioritizing production areas and construction packages. And to keep the budget intact, SSOE drew on its design solutions that had been successful in other automotive applications.

At this point, site work is complete and Phase 1 construction is underway. The design included expansion areas to be built out as needed for future growth of operations.

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Choosing the wrong consultant and especially the wrong property could be detrimental to your project budget and schedule. SSOE provides an overview touching on the important aspects of site selection and the details that will help you make an informed choice on a firm to partner with. In our site selection presentation, we explain our step-by-step process of securing solid ground for your facility, and how our way of working helps save you time, trouble, and money on your project. Read more

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Set Up an Effective Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Plan

In this month’s issue of Chemical Processing, SSOE Group’s Anna Koperczak, Senior Environmental Specialist, discusses the upcoming deadline mandated by the U.S. EPA. In this article Koperczak also breaks down the components of a successful monitoring plan necessary to fulfill this federal regulation. Click the link below to read Anna’s article in Chemical Processing magazine. “Set Up An Effective Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Plan”

Our Senior Environmental Specialist, Anna Koperczak, gives expert advice on how to set up a GHG monitoring plan. Anna has more than 20 years experience preparing environmental permits and helping clients comply with environmental regulations for their facilities and processes. She has utilized her extensive knowledge of reporting and permitting requirements for a variety of clients, including those in the automotive, energy, food, chemical, steel, and refining industries.

View the Q&A below

Federal Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Tailoring Rule

Download the complete chart
What is it? In May 2010, the EPA issued a final ruling to increase the major source thresholds for GHGs from
100/250 TPY to 25,000 TPY, effectively “tailoring” the PSD and Title V permit programs to target only “major” GHG sources and major modifications. GHG’s include CO2, N2O, CH4, HFCs, PFCs, and SF6.
Why does it exist? To phase in permitting requirements and reduce the number of applications submitted at one time.
Who does it affect? All facilities applying for, renewing, or revising an air quality permit; or facilities that increase their GHG emissions by 75,000 TPY.
What’s required? Phase 1:Permits Issued Jan. 2, 2011 – June 30, 2011

  • PSD permit: new construction projects or modifications that increase GHG to more than 75,000 TPY are required to conduct a Best Available Control Technology (BACT) analysis.
  • Title V permits: only when applying for a new, renewing, or revising a permit.

Phase 2: Permits Issued July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2013

  • PSD permit: new construction projects that emit GHG emissions of at least 100,000 TPY, and modifications to existing facilities that increase GHG emissions by at least 75,000 TPY.
  • Title V permit: facilities that emit at least 100,000 TPY
How does SSOE help?
  • Help clients understand the permit requirements and how they apply to them.
  • Complete / coordinate permit applications and help revise processes and/or building plans to meet guidelines.
How does SSOE add value? SSOE applies its broad knowledge of industrial processes and facilities and full range of services to identify emissions issues before permits are submitted for review.

Mandatory GHG Reporting Rule

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What is it? In October 2009, the EPA issued the “Mandatory Reporting of GHGs Rule” that requires industrial facilities to report their GHG data and other relevant information. The Rule is referred to as 40 CFR 98 (or Part 98 Rule).The gases reported include CO2, N2O,and CH4.
Why does it exist? To gain accurate and timely GHG data that will inform future decisions.
Who does it affect? Facilities that emit 25,000 TPY of GHGs, and any of the following facility types:

  • Adipic acid production
  • Aluminum production
  • Ammonia production
  • Certain electricity generation
  • Certain manure management systems
  • Certain municipal solid waste landfills
  • HCFC-22 production
  • Certain HFC-23 destruction processes
  • Lime manufacturing
  • Nitric acid production
  • Petrochemical production
  • Phosphoric acid production
  • Silicon carbide production
  • Soda ash production
  • Titanium dioxide production
What’s required? Facilities that exceed thresholds are required to submit annual reports to the EPA.
How does SSOE help?
  • Help clients understand and interpret industry-specific requirements.
  • Identify processes and sources that emit GHGs.
  • Help create and implement an effective GHG monitoring plan.
  • Identify areas and strategies to decrease GHG emissions and increase efficiency.
How does SSOE add value?
  • Alleviate the cost and time of internal resources.
  • Experienced specialists know what data needs to be collected and calculations performed, as well as how to organize the reports to meet the EPA’s criteria.
  • Full range of services allow us to help implement components of GHG monitoring plan (i.e. integrate meters and controls systems).

Boiler MACT Rule –Major Sources

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What is it? In February 2011, the EPA issued new regulations regarding the emissions of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) from industrial, commercial, and institutional boilers.
Why does it exist? To regulate the emissions of HAPs, such as HCl, particulate matter, CO, mercury, and dioxins/furans from major sources of HAPs.
Who does it affect? Facilities with boilers that emit at least 10 TPY of any single HAP and/or at least emit 25 TPY of all HAPs. The rule covers new, reconstructed, and existing boilers.
What’s required?
  • All units with heat inputs less than 10 MMBTU/H are required to have biennial tune-ups.
  • Natural gas fired units with heat input equal to or greater than 10 MMBTU/H are required to have annual tune-ups.
  • All facilities are required to have a one-time energy assessment.
  • All facilities are required to be in compliance within three years of publication of the rules (February 2014).
  • Emissions limits for coal, biogas, and other fuel burning equipment.
How does SSOE help?
  • Help clients understand and interpret specific requirements.
  • Perform required energy assessments / boiler studies.
  • Identify areas and strategies to increase efficiency.
  • Help create a plan to update equipment / processes, and provide engineering and design support.
How does SSOE add value? Experience with various industrial boilers and comprehensive services, qualifies SSOE to identify cause and effect of emissions throughout both facilities and processes and provide integrated solutions.

Question and Answer with Anna Koperczak

Q: We need to develop a reliable monitoring plan to measure the level of greenhouse gas emissions in our facility. How do we get started?

A: To begin, you’ll need to identify the sources of GHG emissions in your facility. The obvious places to consider are any combustion sources, boilers and heaters for example, or the actual production of GHGs. Also look at any chemical reactions that emit GHGs.

Q: Once I know all the sources of emissions, how do I measure them? Are meters the best way?

A: Not necessarily. There are various ways to measure GHGs and you’ll want to determine the most efficient and accurate way for your circumstances. Meters are a common solution. Make sure you use the appropriate meter for the equipment. Consider too that you may already have some metering in place that can be used to measure GHGs. You can use a PLC to gather the information from the meters. Make sure to include the calibration of equipment in your step by step monitoring plan.

Measuring the amount of fuel a piece of equipment uses is another way to calculate the amount of GHGs it emits. Also, the throughput of a piece of equipment can also help you calculate the GHG level.

Another viable option for gathering information is to examine past utility bills and use the reports to determine emission levels over a period of time.

Q: How often do I need to gather information to satisfy the reporting and permitting regulations?

A: You will want to collect your data at a minimum monthly. That way you can see trends in emissions if there are issues.

Q: How long does it typically take to develop and implement a monitoring plan?

A: That depends somewhat on the size of the facility(s). I estimate three to four months for identifying the sources, establishing the best monitoring approach, calibrating equipment, and collecting data.

Q: What are my options for reducing GHG emission levels?

A: You have many options for reducing levels. Among them are converting from coal-fired to natural gas boilers, configuring your process to use fewer, larger boilers (or more small ones), updating older equipment, upgrading processes, recovering waste heat, and installing various types of equipment that reduce emission levels.

We help clients compare these solutions, taking into account the cost of equipment, labor, and maintenance, as well as the results they generate.

Q: When does it make sense to use an outside resource to handle these activities?

A: I think you first have to consider if you have the internal resources to keep abreast of the changing regulations as opposed to an outside resource whose job it is to do so. It is valuable to have the person filing reports know how the EPA wants the information structured and how to compile it efficiently. That comes with experience.

Since understanding current regulations, reporting, monitoring, and permitting require special skills, many companies prefer to use an outside expert rather than increase headcount. Another approach is to use an outside resource to train your staff to do some of the activities—calibrating the monitors and collecting data for example.

Q: What can we expect as next steps from the EPA in regards to reporting and controlling GHG levels?

A: There is little doubt that the EPA intends to eventually mandate that companies reduce their emissions to meet certain levels, regardless of whether they are seeking permits. As part of this, the emission levels of companies will become public knowledge.

Q: How would you advise companies to prepare for public disclosure of their GHG levels?

A: I’m advising our clients to consider how public knowledge of their emissions levels will impact all aspects of their business, the public’s perception of their environmental policies, their relationships with partners and vendors, and perhaps sales. Companies should start now to reduce their levels and see this as an opportunity to gain recognition as an environmental leader.

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