For a new medical product manufacturing plant, North Mechanical chose Morris Group International® (MGI) brands Acorn Engineering Company® and Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.® to meet the tight deadline and accelerate the manufacturer’s production capacity. MGI’s flexibility and willingness to prioritize the contractor’s needs proved crucial in helping North Mechanical overcome obstacles and deliver a successful project.
North Mechanical won the bid to be the mechanical plumbing contractor for a new 560,000-square-foot state-of-the-art plant for an Italian-based pharmaceutical company. The company manufactures glass vials that are crucial to the distribution of lifesaving medicines, including vaccines.
The project, located in Fishers, IN, was a response to the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the owner’s production facility in Italy—a country hit particularly hard early in the pandemic. Plant operations were not the only point of impact; the entire supply chain all but came to a halt. The pressure was on to establish a new, reliable source of these essential components in the United States and help ensure supply chain security and reliable sourcing during a surge in demand. The new plant will play a critical role in the fight against disease today and in any future pandemics.
This critical project was on an expedited timeline. North Mechanical needed partners who could deliver high-quality products quickly, adapt to the demands of the construction process, and help them navigate the unique challenges of getting laboratories up and running before the building was complete.
Working with MGI representative P-M & Associates, North Mechanical selected Acorn and Smith stainless steel sinks and floor drains. P-M & Associates has worked with North Mechanical for nearly 40 years, through generations of leadership at both companies. It is a partnership that values quality, integrity, and service.
“Acorn and Smith products are high-quality, and everything is fabricated well and built to last,” said Tyler Holman, project executive at North Mechanical. “And we knew they’d be stocked and shipped to us on time.”
John Marini, national sales manager for Smith, added, “We’re lucky to have a rep with over 50 years of drain experience. P-M & Associates know how to accurately fill an order and have it delivered exactly the way the customer wants. That’s how they ensure their customers a superior level of service.”
Expect the Unexpected
The pressure to meet customer demand for the glass vials created a domino effect for construction. The entire project focused not only on building the plant quickly so it could start production, but also on getting the labs operational before the completion of the whole plant. That meant getting a certificate of occupancy for the lab area as construction was still underway. North Mechanical installed temporary water heaters for the labs, because the plant’s hot water system was not in place.
That was not the only challenge. There was also a shortage of concrete that began right around the time the project broke ground. Drains are usually placed before the concrete is poured, but the shortage meant that pour schedules changed daily. North overcame this challenge by prefabricating the drain assemblies in the shop so they could adjust to meet the erratic pour schedule.
MGI’s Distribution Powerhouse
Holman had confidence ordering the drains and stainless steel sinks because he knew that MGI could ensure the products were stocked and ready to ship, thanks to what MGI calls their “Golden Triangle.” Products made in City of Industry, CA, and Mexico are shipped to Montgomery, AL, where they join the Smith inventory in a 340,000-square-foot warehouse. From there, the orders are loaded onto trucks and sent on their way. MGI CEO Donald E. Morris likes to call the Montgomery distribution center “the beehive” because stock trucks are always coming and going with precision.
Montgomery’s central location helps make the Smith plant, warehouse, and property one of the best distribution centers in commercial plumbing, and Smith’s experience adds to the value. Smith products—drainage, cleanouts, backwater valves, and traps—are often the first products to go into the ground on a jobsite. Nothing is worse for a contractor than having a cement truck lined up to pour a slab and not having drains and fittings in place because those parts have not been delivered.
“That is the sort of pressure Smith is used to dealing with, and they’ve done a fantastic job and continue to be the best in putting product out in the field on time,” said Barrett Morris, president of Acorn and Smith. “It is why we’ve made Montgomery our distribution hub.”
Get a glimpse of day-to-day operations at the Smith plant and warehouse in Montgomery, AL in this video.
Partnership + Expertise = Results
The manufacturing site is still under construction, but it is on schedule to open this year. Thanks to North’s ability to adapt and react quickly to get the labs open on time, the owner celebrated the production of the very first product in the new plant late last year.
North Mechanical’s expertise, combined with a strong partnership with MGI and P-M & Associates, allowed it to navigate the demanding timeline and deliver outstanding results. Michael Henderson, president & CEO of P-M & Associates, said, “North Mechanical is one of the most progressive and innovative contractors in the country, and their leadership team continues to find ways to provide value-add to their projects and customers. From the field to the front office, the North Mechanical team works consistently and cohesively to deliver projects on time and not get bothered by the pressures you sometimes see on large-scale projects.”
Take a video tour of the MGI manufacturing facilities in the City of Industry, CA, where Acorn and other MGI products are made.
For more information, visit www.morrisgroupint.com.
