Project Overview
Over the past two decades, KLS Martin Group, a worldwide medical technology firm headquartered in Germany, has experienced significant growth. In the United States, this led to the need for a new, larger facility in Jacksonville, Fla. In the early design phase for the building, the owner evaluated both structural steel and precast concrete as potential building systems. However, ongoing supply-chain disruptions and volatile steel pricing resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic posed significant risks. Ultimately, the flexibility, durability, and architectural quality of precast concrete aligned more closely with the owner’s vision for a high-performance, future-ready facility. Wells, alongside Dasher Hurst Architects and Keister Webb Structural Engineers, collaborated on a modern design for KLS Martin featuring 55,000 ft2 and more than 500 pieces of precast concrete.
Significant Growth, Significant Time-Savings
This project was designed and manufactured during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was marked by significant delays in steel procurement. To address these challenges and keep the project on track, the team selected precast concrete—including walls, beams, columns, solid slabs, hollow-core, and stairs—valuing its availability, ability to meet design goals, and compatibility with the accelerated timeline. Had the structure been designed with steel, the extended timelines for detailing, fabrication, and erection would have added an estimated six months to the overall schedule, making precast concrete not only a strategic design solution, but also a critical driver of project success.
“In 2021, the schedule for structural steel was over a year out, and steel joists had an even longer lead time,” says Mark J. Keister, principal at Keister Webb Structural Engineers. “As a result, in the schematic design, we submitted a precast alternative. The pricing was competitive with steel, and the schedule was very reasonable.”
One of the project’s primary technical challenges was expanding a one-story, pre-engineered metal building into a new three-story facility, as this required both structural integration and spatial efficiency. The first floor extended the manufacturing area, while the second and third floors were built out for administrative and engineering office space. Rather than tying directly into the existing structure, the new precast concrete building was constructed 15 ft away. To optimize usable space above the gap, the second and third floors featured cantilevered hollow-core extending 10 ft 9 in. beyond their supporting beams. This reduced the separation between buildings to just 5 ft at those levels and maximized floor area. Additionally, the precast concrete approach enabled wide-open spans and flexible layouts inside the facility, helping to accommodate a combination of private offices, collaborative workspaces, manufacturing zones, and workplace amenities.
“Precast allowed for an exposed structure with high, airy spaces,” Keister says. “This flexibility is key to supporting a productive and adaptable environment tailored to the needs of KLS Martin’s workforce.”
Precast concrete was instrumental in achieving the project’s core objectives, which included rapid delivery, long-term durability, and a cohesive, modern design. By manufacturing all structural and architectural components off-site, the project team accelerated the construction schedule while maintaining a high level of quality and precision—critical for a facility that integrates office and production functions. To further leverage the advantages of precast concrete, two of the building’s four exterior walls were constructed with vertical precast concrete panels and later finished with stucco. The remaining two walls were completed using a combination of curtain wall, light-gauge framing, sheathing, and stucco—striking a harmonious balance between durability, aesthetics, and cost-efficiency. And the inherent strength and resilience of precast concrete offer a robust, low-maintenance structure capable of supporting heavy industrial use and long-term occupancy.
“The ability for KLS Martin to further innovate and develop solutions for surgeons and their patients, and in turn have the capacity to quickly and efficiently manufacture and deliver those critical components, is a significant benefit this project provides—both to the local community and the Western Hemisphere at large,” says William Huff, owner of project contractor WB Huff Construction.
Mason Nichols is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based writer and editor who has covered the precast concrete industry since 2013. |