In the discussion of architectural firm’s qualifications the question often comes up as to ones specialty.  Is ones specialty Residential? Is it Commercial? Or is it Light Industrial.  Although the most evident answer is defined by a firm’s resume or recent clients.  For ArcWest Architect’s this would be “Publishing Facilities”. Although a fair assessment, it does not reveal the depth of experience and knowledge that other project types can benefit from.  It simply defines the project type most successfully won in the past.

A publishing facility embodies four distinct project types, which includes Office, Manufacturing, Warehouse, and Information Technologies, as well a wide variety of processes. The publishing facility project type demonstrates ArcWest is actually proficient in numerous project types.

So the real question for an owner/client to ask: “What type’s or projects has the architect completed and what aspects are most paramount to the owner’s proposed project type?”  Based on the answer to this a client can look to his own operation and project goals to determine if a good match exists.

ArcWest Architects clearly has a great depth of experience collectively spanning over 40 years serving the Publishing and Newspaper industry.  What that indicates, beyond the experience with that one client type, is that ArcWest has a knowledge base which includes feasibility studies, masterplanning, building design, space planning, engineering coordination, process integration, equipment coordination, programming, project management, etc.  The key is not the built project type, but the depth of project planning experience.

As a case study, ArcWest recently entered Phase II of construction for a client who provides navigation and informational materials to the aviation industry.  In this case ArcWest’s resume of clients would not appear to have a strong relationship to this Client, but upon further review, ArcWest has strong credentials in process planning, equipment coordination, expedited schedules, and existing facility integration.  The project was the renovation of an existing space to integrate digital imaging equipment, within a extremely short period.  Thus this is a prime example of matching the Project Type to the Project Experience, opposed to looking specifically to a resume of clients.

Project experience is transferable to a variety of project types.  The active or potential project benefits from both the institutionalized knowledge, but also the variety of solutions that might be employed based on past experience.

- Todd Heirls

We have successfully implemented this into several manufacturing organizations in this past year resulting in over a 10% savings and yielding a 20 to 1 return on the consulting dollars spent with ArcWest.  We would very much like to add your organization to our growing list of satisfied clients.

- Rick Ruffino

For those less acquainted with the concepts of lean manufacturing, or lean production:  Lean is about increasing efficiency to offer greater value to a customer or client.  Another way to phrase: Lean is about preserving value with less work.  This approach can create savings through efficiency which can be shared between reduced costs to the customer and greater profit to the business.

Rick shared “We are only at the beginning of implementing lean in our (newspaper) organizations and most would benefit from a structured lean program” in response to the the question:  “How much further can this concept be taken into our daily practice?”

Please see the complete “Interview with Rick Ruffino” article by Charlotte Janischewski.

For more information, contact ArcWest Architects

Article from News & Tech | October 2009

Click the following link to see the original Article.

Facility Expansion Skagit Valley

What is a Flexible Newspaper Facility and how does the Architectural Design team plan for the future?

The traditional approach to ultimate flexibility in the design of a flexible facility by Newspaper Architects has been to allow for additional space in the facility or the procurement of additional land such that the facility could be easily expanded in the future.  The additional space in the facility is planned into the process flow for equipment that is anticipated for the future and the site is planned to allow the building to expand in a logical direction such that the existing process is not disrupted.   This approach is not necessarily wrong or even misguided, but it can lead to spending capital dollars on infrastructure that may not be realized for 5 to 10 years.

In our capital deficient environment, is it right for any investment to sit idle for the foreseeable future?

As technology changes, is it really possible to accurately foresee the equipment needs of the future?

In designing a newspaper production facility or really any process intensive, light industrial facility the key to flexibility is maintaining options for the future, and evaluating all initial investments against the potential return.

Some key issues open to exploration:

Flexibility in the Process Flow:  The process flow and the associated equipment should be evaluated to allow the flow to be opened up in the future.  As one example the inserters could be oriented and installed in such a way that they are easily relocated or expanded.

Flexibility in Utility Infrastructure:  The utility provisions should be evaluated as to the ability to add capacity in the future as well as serve new or different pieces of equipment.  Utility routes should be arranged to allow relocation and additional service points.  Caution should be employed to avoid installing infrastructure with excess capacity where the initial service costs are higher due to the ultimate capacity.  In this case scalability is the key element.

Material longevity:  One element in expanding or retrofitting any facility is the evaluation of the facilities worth in expanding.  The selection of materials based on durability, clean-ability, and the ability to repair is paramount to this aspect.  In some cases decisions may be made to spend more at the outset to offset future repair or replacement costs.  When it is time to expand, it is important that the facility is worth expanding.

Although this is only a small sampling of the items to consider in Facility Flexibility, the overriding theme is not to have a finite plan for expansion, but to work to never preclude expansion.

- Todd Heirls

]]> http://www.arcwestarchitects.com/2008/10/17/facility-flexibility-architecture/feed/ 0 http://www.arcwestarchitects.com/2008/10/16/one-of-these-is-not-like-the-other/ http://www.arcwestarchitects.com/2008/10/16/one-of-these-is-not-like-the-other/#comments Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:44:15 +0000 theirls http://www.arcwestarchitects.com/?p=141 Newspaper Production continues to get leaner and leaner.  Formats are getting smaller and smaller with new cut-off’s and reduced web width, thus reducing the usage of raw materials.  New equipment is allowing for significant reductions in waste generation and lower levels of staffing.  Automation is allowing the newspaper to be touched fewer and fewer times before landing on the doorstep, also reducing staff.  Production Directors and Managers are being tasked to find every opportunity to reduce the cost of newspaper production, while maintaining high levels of quality.  Although it is certainly possible to improve the margin through refining the production process, it is fundamentally impossible to “cut” ones way to the goals of profitability.  Once the production process is trimmed to the point where it can reduce no more and production quality is still at its peak, has the newspaper production goal not been met?

The editorial content and advertising sector of the current business model has its own set of goals centered on keeping the public informed or providing a timely account of current affairs, all the while providing a suitable positive return on the investment for the ownership of the Newspaper.  In this model the print production of the newspaper is only one means to then end in disseminating the information generated in a salable manner.

The real question in this discourse is, “Are both elements really best hosted under the same business structure.”

If the production element is decoupled from the advertising and editorial process it is free to concentrate on its ultimate goal of providing an avenue for the dissemination of the content generated by its “client” the newspaper for a negotiated fee.  The production element is free to make equipment and facility design decisions that best meet the needs of its aggregate client base, which includes the newspaper as well as other commercial print endeavors.

If the editorial and advertising element is decoupled from the production component it will be free to explore all current and emerging delivery methodologies, and determine what delivery method or combination of methods provides the best return on investment.

This is certainly the direction being seen in the industry as many announce the consolidation of operations, competitors printing each others products, and commercial printers building facilities to print newspaper products.  The question is how far this will go?  Will the Newspaper Facility Design industry and ArcWest Architects continue to see newspapers consolidate their operations, outsource their printing, or create separate printing entities?  Time will tell.

- Todd Heirls