Innovative Light Manufacturing Facility Design

Project Overview

Schier Products, a manufacturer of grease interceptors for commercial kitchens, was searching for a new light manufacturing home in Shawnee, Kansas, surrounded by ample natural area for a park-like setting. GBA partnered with Schier Products to assist in site selection, architecture, interior design and construction administration services.

This led to a new 52,500-square-foot facility on a heavily wooded 30-acre property that would house both manufacturing and office functions.

“Our team partnered with Schier Products early on in the process,” said Molly Oller, GBA Architect Project Leader. “They are proud of their products and wanted the same commitment to quality reflected in a new facility.”

The Design

Integrating Schier Products’ company culture into the facility design was essential. The family-owned business wanted to create a space where employees could gather during and after the workday. GBA Project Architect Jacob Vestal worked closely with the owner to incorporate these requirements into the design. The break room, which has the potential to host everything from training classes to ping-pong tournaments, showcases this. Glass overhead doors line the room and open to a wide, wrap-around, covered porch. Tiered outdoor seating off the porch provides another space to congregate and socialize. The seating area transitions to a lawn further defined by cast-in-place planter boxes.

Having a building as durable as the goods produced inside was also important. From its people to its product, Schier Products is built to last, and the new facility needed to reflect that. Schier Products was looking for a simple, honest, industrial aesthetic. The structure of the building would highlight this aesthetic with:

• Fully insulated tilt-up concrete wall panels with bright white paint for a modern, minimalist feel. The panels’ interior is left unfinished to showcase the construction lift points.
• Exposed raw concrete and steel roof framing in the office to create the spartan aesthetic the client wanted, similar to the warehouse and production spaces.
• Spaces left open to the structure and clerestory windows bring natural light to the manufacturing and open-office spaces.
• A horizontal form liner is revealed between the office windows to add texture and frame the large clerestory windows above.

When creating the design elements, GBA kept in mind that Schier Products needed a facility to take the company into the future. To allow for growth, GBA created a series of large knockout panels in the expansion wall designed to open the existing building up to future expansion. This will maintain the wall’s integrity while creating continuity between the expansion and the original structure.

The Final Product

GBA has a long history of balancing a client’s wants with a budget. The team utilized its expansive light manufacturing and industrial experience and partnership with the general contractor to assist them in providing continuous construction cost estimates. Clear communication and teamwork were key when maintaining the client’s budget.

“The client invested the time to communicate their vision, which made the project successful,” said Vestal. “It was rewarding to bring this to life in what is not just another run-of-the-mill industrial building.”

The 52,500-square-foot final light manufacturing facility design includes 8,000 square feet of office space and 44,500 square feet of warehouse/production space. The site will accommodate future expansions of up to 225,000 square feet, ensuring the company can remain in its new home for years.