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Quik-Brik Provides Quik-Solutions:
Oldcastle Architectural's Nationwide Presence and Color Matching
Capabilities Ensures Successful Construction and Opening of a Louisville
Wal-Mart Supercenter, Despite Natural Disasters
Overview:
When Wal-Mart chose to open a large-scale Supercenter in Louisville, Ky., they were challenged to find a product that was strong, durable, stylish, welcoming to customers and cost-effective. Their desire to provide customers with an overall pleasant shopping experience included the important component of an aesthetically appealing storefront. Thus, Wal-Mart's construction leadership team was tasked to find a suitable building material for bringing this company's vision to life. They contacted Oldcastle Architectural Products, Inc., the largest concrete products manufacturer in North America, for information and design ideas. Oldcastle Architectural's professionals reviewed Wal-Mart's construction goals, timeline and budget, and introduced them to the perfect product for the project - Quik-Brik. Quik-Brik is a structural concrete masonry unit (CMU) that provides the rich look and beauty of brick with a simple, one-step installation process. After an intense review of Quik-Brik, along with investigating several other building materials, the leadership team concluded that this appealing and user-friendly product was the best choice for creating a sturdy and pleasant structure.
With Quik-Brik, Wal-Mart could achieve the appearance of traditional brick, while remaining on schedule for a fast approaching opening, and stay within predetermined budgets. The product has been proven to save time and money, alleviating the additional work of installing a structural back-up wall and a brick veneer. Quik-Brik's variety and flexibility supplied Wal-Mart with the right combination of shape, size and color selection. Some important building attributes for Wal-Mart included the ability to easily obtain the concrete masonry units in the correct size and selecting an attractive and eye-catching shade for the block. They chose Promenade Blend from the varied color palette, which created a classic brick look, and because Quik-Brik is available in many sizes, the 8x4x16 blocks were easily acquired.
After selecting Quik-Brik, Schuster's Building Products, a local Oldcastle Architectural company, was chosen as the exclusive provider, offering superb customer service, years of product expertise and a wealth of knowledge regarding local building codes and standards. The attentive professionals at Schuster's guaranteed Wal-Mart and Holland & Fox Masonry, the masonry contractor, successful and timely job completion with precise production techniques and speedy delivery from the manufacturing plant in nearby Indianapolis, Ind.
A unique point about Schuster's is that because it is one of Oldcastle Architectural's 180 nationwide local companies, they offer a level of service and consistency no other supplier can match. This is a true advantage to small, privately held manufacturers because when disaster strikes or unforeseen events impede project plans, Oldcastle Architectural offers immediate access to product experts, suppliers and producers throughout North America.
Problem:
The Wal-Mart Supercenter was a 12-week installation project that called for nearly 210,000 square feet or 120,000 units of Quik-Brik, and required timely installation in order to meet the looming grand opening deadline. Schuster's provided on-site and "in the office" technical support, and worked with the masons to educate them on product details and installation specifics. Once the masons were up to speed on Quik-Brik's easy, one-step installation process, they began putting the CMUs in place and the Wal-Mart building was on its way to completion. The masonry units were delivered regularly, in accordance with a predetermined schedule, to meet production deadlines. Quik-Brik's simple installation process, along with Schuster's supportive customer service, contributed to a smooth and efficient construction of the store's exterior, until tragedy struck.
A series of tornadoes barreled through nearby Indianapolis, Ind., where the project's Quik-Brik was being produced, and destroyed the plant. The extensive damage closed the plant, preventing production of the remaining Quik-Brik, with the building more than 75,000 units short of completion.
Wal-Mart's opening date for the store was firmly set. The grand opening had been scheduled, and efficient budgets had been created around the precise time the store would open for business. The open date was a critical part of the timeline, and there was no room for variation. The store needed to open on time, no matter what, which required an immediate solution.
Solution:
An action plan was easily created and implemented because Oldcastle Architectural's national distribution and color matching capabilities meant Schuster's Building Products had access to an extensive network of plants and suppliers throughout the United States. Schuster's, along with Miller Material - also a local Oldcastle Architectural company and Quik-Brik producer in Kansas City, Mo. - outlined a contingency plan to get Wal-Mart back on the road to timely completion.
The professionals from Oldcastle Architectural banded together to create a suitable work schedule that ensured precise color and size matching. The impromtu plan hammered out new details for production and shipping procedures, and solidified alternative transportation needs. An identical product was produced and Miller Material's dedicated and efficient employees easily integrated the new work order into their busy production schedule. Within one week of the incident, Promenade Blend - the color of the Wal-Mart brick - was matched within industry standards, precisely replicated and quickly shipped to the construction site.
Schuster's met with the masons and the general contractor to discuss the new details of the Quik-Brik production plan. They also worked with them to ensure that the product and the accompanying schedule met their needs, with precise accuracy and timeliness.
Result:
Oldcastle Architectural's commitment to customer satisfaction and unmatched national capabilities provided a variety of color-matching, design and production solutions to Wal-Mart. As the only national provider of masonry products, Oldcastle Architectural easily offered many options for the store's successful completion. Schuster's accessed other Oldcastle Architectural professionals to quickly provide Wal-Mart with the perfect solution and an exact match of their original CMU through a streamlined design and creation process.
The Wal-Mart Supercenter opened on time because of Oldcastle Architectural's high level of customer service, nationwide product availability and guaranteed quality. As an Oldcastle Architectural client, through only one point of contact, Wal-Mart's construction team had immediate access to additional production plants and professionals throughout North America, who quickly created a successful alternative action plan. The swift response and ability to create the correct Quik-Brik at a different location ensured that the original production facility's destruction did not create new challenges for Wal-Mart's building process.
Oldcastle Architectural's knowledge, expertise and dedication to excellence resulted in the seamless transition of one product's manufacturing point with flawless color and size replication. The extraordinary product matching was so profound that there was no visible or structural difference between the blocks that were created at the two different locations.
The client was satisfied with the product and service, and the Wal-Mart Supercenter opened successfully, without any publicity surrounding the structure's building block delivery predicament. Quik-Brik's diverse traits and features, which encapsulate beauty, durability, and an easy, one-step installation process, gave Wal-Mart the ideal tools to create a distinct, aesthetically appealing building. The unique product's rich brick appearance coupled with its structural masonry durability provided Wal-Mart with a beautiful store that will stand up to the elements and provide its customers with a pleasant shopping environment for decades to come.
The Partners:
Architect: Boice Raidl Rhea Architects
General Contractor: Colcon Industries
Materials Manufacturer: Schuster's Building Products/Miller Materials
Masonry Contractor: Holland & Fox Masonry
Distributor: Lee Brick & Block
For more Information, visit:
For more information on Oldcastle Architectural Products, Inc., and to learn more about the variety of product lines available, visit www.oldcastle.com.
For more information on Quik-Brik and how the variety of ways it can be implemented into your next project, visit www.quik-brik.com.
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