When a major automotive manufacturer decided to build its billion dollar manufacturing plant in the United States, the company partnered with the city along with a local technical college and major suppliers to create a state-owned facility for intensive training programs. This training center would cover 163,000 square feet of space and house a conference center, LEAN center, automotive center, automation center and vocational skills center. It also contains 19 classrooms and a cafeteria with seating for 100 people.
Project Overview
Application: Training Center
Product: OmniFlex (15 feet tall), Full Glass Windows, and Fire & Sound Panels
Benefits Provided:
- Attractive appearance
- Flexibility to create different sized training rooms
- LEED points for the construction project
- Quick turnaround time
The Challenge
Both the automotive manufacturer and the city wanted the new center to be recognized as a world class facility. It had to look impressive and function in a manner conducive to the two pronged educational approach being employed as well as take into account the accelerated time line for completion and environmental goals of the organizations involved.
The Solution
To create the appearance of a world class facility, designers chose PortaFab's OmniFlex system with 15 foot high wall panels and 8 foot tall, full-view windows. The system allowed designers to not only create an extremely open atmosphere conducive to learning, but its high tech appearance provided the look of a world class facility.
The attractive appearance of the PortaFab modular system was complemented by its flexibility and functionality. With its demountable glass wall partitions and ability to construct freestanding walls, the centers' classrooms and lab centers could be modified quickly and easily to create different sized rooms to match the needs of particular training programs.
Since the center is expected to educate a work force of 2,000 by the time the plant opens in early 2011, the speed of construction was imperative. PortaFab's systems were able to be configured and installed in about a week's time which significantly helped the facility meets its aggressive construction schedule.
The environmentally friendly nature of PortaFab's components along with the inherent advantages of modular construction helped the organizations meet there environmental goals. In fact, freestanding wall systems that allowed the facility to share lighting, HVAC, and other systems were key to achieving LEED points.
Photo Gallery
