Bastian Solutions, as an integrator, has developed innovative and creative approaches that allow existing floorspace to be renewed without the need to add additional square footage. A recent brownfield (existing building) retrofit was complicated because it involved more than ten different facilities that were spread across two countries and from coast to coast, as well as from coast to coast.

Assembly Line the account manager for this project reinforced the importance of serving as a liaison between vendors and customers. Management of logistics and conversion, sourcing management, and synchronization across all sites were all part of the job description. Despite the fact that the project was a success, three key considerations made all the difference in terms of working smoothly through this complicated undertaking.

1. Effective communication is essential!
With so many moving parts and key players involved at the same time across the country, effective communication was critical to ensuring that the project ran smoothly and efficiently.

As an account manager, the first point of contact with a customer was through the customer's account representative. After determining the scope of the project, the next step was to hire a regional Bastian Solutions project engineer or field application engineer to assist with the implementation. After that, the engineer would contact local vendors to put together their team. The parties involved would then negotiate the specifics of the project before deciding on a timeframe and schedule for completion. As we progressed through the project, we worked diligently to ensure that the scope, objectives, and deliverables were clear and in focus.

2. The devil is in the details
Beyond the technological requirements, managing the logistics of a multi-site project necessitated meticulous attention to detail. Simple aspects such as managing quotes in Canadian dollars versus United States dollars, for example, could easily be overlooked. Additionally, working with a large number of people – vendors, customers, and internal employees – as well as overseeing installation details and payments necessitated meticulous planning and organization.

Despite the fact that we were working on similar projects all over the country, the materials used varied from one region to the next. Prior to beginning the project, it was critical to ascertain which materials were available in each of the designated locations. This saved us from experiencing delays and incurring additional costs during the shipping process.

COVID, COVID, COVID, COVID, COVID
Many sites restricted access to outside third parties as a result of an increase in COVID numbers and a reduction in warehouse capacity. The installation window for many sites was restricted to the hours of 5-7 am, depending on the scope of the project.

It was important to communicate the logistical constraints to all team members in order to ensure smooth access to the building. Onboarding and COVID screening were completed successfully prior to entry, which was a major accomplishment. This reduced confusion and start/stop situations, and, in general, ensured that we made the most of our available time. Because of our meticulous planning, we were able to complete the project within a reasonable timeframe despite the constraints of our working hours.

When attempting to implement a retrofit project in an existing operation, company leaders must contend with the challenge of keeping day-to-day operations running as smoothly as possible in order to maintain high levels of customer service. Cutovers, in which a new system is brought online in the middle of a live operation, must be handled with care as well in order to minimize downtime and general disruptions.

These types of projects are primarily logistical in nature, with timing and communication Assembly Line critical to the overall success of the project. Whenever you are thinking about upgrading, modernizing, or changing your automation system, there are three important considerations to keep in mind.