OfCurrent Importance

Volume 2, Issue 2
Of
A quarterly publication from
Current Importance
Midland battery plant to
spark job growth, energy
independence.
Renewable energy is an important topic these days. New
hybrid and electric vehicles are introduced on a consistent
basis, and industries from manufacturing to defense are
working to utilize similar technologies to realize the benefits
of energy efficiency.
Dow Kokam, a joint venture between Dow and a leading
Korean equipment maker, has already positioned itself to
lead in providing the lithium ion battery cells and packs
required to power those electric vehicles and other new
technologies. In 2010, the company began development of
Midland Battery Park, a manufacturing facility that will, by
early 2012, be able to produce enough batteries to power
more than 30,000 fully electric vehicles per year.
The environmental
benefits of electricallypowered vehicles are
obvious, but the
economic impact of
this project alone is a
very positive one for
Michigan. More than 320 full-time jobs will be created with
the opening of the facility, and many construction jobs will
be generated during its construction. Feyen Zylstra is proud
to have been chosen to provide electrical construction and
energy management systems for the project.
Feyen Zylstra's diverse experience in industrial applications
was important in our selection. With the structure being
provided by Dow and the equipment from Kokam, the
"electrical backbone" of the design must remain flexible to
accommodate different voltages and power needs as the
project evolves. Feyen Zylstra's past experience allows us to
adapt smoothly to such changes and remain on course and
on deadline.
In addition, our unique experience and capabilities in
providing and powering "clean room" environments was a
big advantage. The "Power of Knowledge" strikes again!
Teamwork is an important aspect of this project, with many
entities involved. Clayco, a national contractor from St. Louis,
is overseeing construction. Every field person on the project
has completed Clayco's safety training. Total crew size will
reach 25 at project peaks.
The client is impressed and comfortable with Feyen Zylstra's
capabilities on its project, and pleased with the results so far.
Dow Kokam is helping to bring efficient energy to Michigan
and beyond. And we are excited to be able to put our energy
and experience to work to help them accomplish it.
Feyen Zylstra logs the miles for PLC USA
Last year, our experience on a project for PLC USA at a
Northern Michigan sawmill was responsible for the company
selecting Feyen Zylstra to handle another sawmill project in
Clarksville, Tennessee, and a waste separation line at a
recycling facility operated by the company in Lakeland,
Florida.
Thanks to the loyalty of our client and our continued good
work on those projects it's time to hit the road again! In
March, Feyen Zylstra started work on still another project for
PLC USA. This time, we headed for Fort Meyers, Florida to
work on a new separating line at the Lee County recycling
facility.
Our involvement in previous refuse recycling and sawmill
projects has added to our already significant experience, and
enabled us to "export" the "Power of Knowledge" to several
other states. We are pleased to be able to help with
recycling facilities that can make communities "greener" and
to make productivity improvements in sawmill operations
that help boost the local economies.
PLC USA is obviously very pleased with Feyen Zylstra's
performance. That's why, even as the Fort Meyers project is
getting underway, the client has asked us to participate in
yet another – a sawmill addition in Philadelphia, Mississippi.
An Electrical Services Firm
Kids rule! New Helen DeVos
Children's Hospital completed.
All kids, all the time. That's both the beauty
and the mission of the new Helen DeVos
Children's Hospital. Kids' medical needs are
very different than those of adults, and now
West Michigan has a brand new, ultra hightech facility dedicated exclusively to meeting
those needs with the most advanced
equipment and most qualified personnel.
This is a project that Feyen Zylstra was
honored to work on, not only for the client
but for the community. The Low Voltage
Systems group at
Feyen Zylstra installed
over a million feet of
cabling over a twoyear period, making it
the largest low-voltage
project Feyen Zylstra
has ever handled –
and certainly among
the most rewarding.
A hospital is a very
complex environment, with a vast array of
systems that must interact flawlessly to care
for patients and help things run smoothly. All
of these systems require power and cabling.
Just think about all the wired systems you
encounter during a single hospital visit.
When you walk into a patient room, you
notice all of the equipment in the room that
is wired and plugged in, including the phone
and television set. And think about the
important connections that link the patient
rooms to the nurse's station to monitor
important vitals of each patient.
As you walk through the facility, note the
watchful eyes of cameras throughout to ensure
the security and safety for all within. And
consider the ability of the doctors to carry
around laptops and connect wirelessly to all of
the important hospital systems and patient
records.
These are just a few things that Feyen Zylstra
worked on; take a look at the full list of
systems installed!
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Phones
Computers (LAN /Network)
Elevators
Mechanical Systems
TV's
Audio / Video
Nurse Call
Patient Observation
Patient Monitoring
Telemetry
Cameras
Security Access Control
Paging / Speakers
Wireless Access Points
Public Wireless Network (Cell phones)
In addition, fiber optic cabling was installed
to connect 32 unique communications
closets within the hospital, as well as
providing critical links between the hospital
and adjacent facilities Towers 25 and 35 on
Medical Hill.
The number of systems that required
installation, coupled with the normal
challenges of working in a multi-story
building made the project a perfect fit for
Feyen Zylstra's "Power of Knowledge"
approach. The company's previous
experience in healthcare played a key role.
Feyen Zylstra has proven itself in past
projects for Spectrum's Lemmon-Holton
Cancer Center, Meijer Heart Center, and
other initiatives on both the Blodgett and
Butterworth campuses.
Once the construction was completed, the
people that helped build the hospital were
invited on a tour of the facility to see the
finished product of their diligent efforts.
Feyen Zylstra's employees commented that
during the walk through, they clearly got a
feeling of gratitude from each of the nurses
and doctors they encountered. Smiles spoke
of thanks for helping build such a wonderful
facility. The sense of community, of many
people working together for a greater good
was felt by all.
Helen DeVos Children's Hospital is a
beautiful facility, and is a wonderful addition
to the city skyline. But every person who
steps into the building recognizes that its real
beauty lies in what it means for the health
and safety of the children of West Michigan,
now and for generations to come.
Kids rule,
indeed. And
in this special
place, the
community
wouldn't
have it any
other way.
The Leading Edge
Perspectives from the leadership team at Feyen Zylstra
Getting on with it
I imagine at some
point in the last
few months you
have caught
yourself thinking
about when the
economy will
turn, dreaming
about when your
business will
pick up again,
and anticipating
Nate Koetje
the day when
things will return
to the way they once were. For those of
you with whom this resonates, I have some
disheartening news. This is the Recovery!
Hard to believe, but it is a fact we are now
18 months into the recovery. Though the
depth of this recession was painful what
has made it particularly so has been the
recovery. This has been the worst recovery
following any recession in our history.
This is it. Things have changed. The past
is not coming back. Time doesn't travel in
reverse. Economists predict generally we
will see things in their current condition for
some time. We have recovered. What
does this recovery mean for you and your
career? What does it signal for you and
your business?
Does your old business model work in this
environment? Are you planning to apply
strategies that have worked in the past to
the present situation? Are you hoping the
old environment returns so your strategies
will again be successful? Are you waiting
for opportunities? Are you wondering what
the future holds?
work of braving a new path. If your goal is
to merely survive you may manage to do
that, but you will not thrive.
This is the recovery! If you are hoping that
you can somehow produce the results you
have in the past by applying the same
strategies and techniques to a new
environment, stop. It can't be done. The
environment has changed, and so must
each of us. Hope and optimism for the
future are phenomenal character traits to
possess. Hoping for the past to return is
detrimental to you and your organization.
Do you often wonder about trying
something new - perhaps a new strategy, a
new technique, or a new approach? Many
of us think about such things but fail to
implement
them. As
individuals and
teams there is
only so much
we can
accomplish in
this recovery by
merely thinking
about it. There
is no clear path,
no one to tell us
what to do, no
guide book.
Success will
belong to those
who possess
the courage to
step out and try
something, the
wisdom to learn from their experience and
the fortitude to try it again.
Stop hoping for the past to return. Stop
wondering. Stop waiting. Start doing.
Today is the day to try something new.
Today is the day to stop battling your
memories of what worked in the past, to
break your own paradigms, to step out, to
take some risk, to try something, to learn
from your experience, and to try it again.
You owe it to yourself. The thought of
change can be paralyzing but the
alternative is much worse. Overcome your
paralysis and you will discover that change
can be engaging, energizing, and exciting.
I invite you to join us in getting on with it.
Try a new approach. Implement something.
Experiment with new strategies. Learn
from your experience. Create your future.
Are you trying to survive this recession until
your industry recovers? Stop. In order to
not be left behind you must stop waiting for
things to change, stop waiting for
conditions to improve and get on with the
News, Notes and More...
Final "Medical Hill" building nearing
completion.
Tower 35, the final building in Spectrum Health's
downtown expansion project, is scheduled for fall
completion. Feyen Zylstra has been asked to
provide electrical services for the structure; it is the
fourth project building for which we have done so.
Tower 35, which will house Spectrum Labs and
Pediatrics, requires a higher level of safety training
and orientations of healthcare construction plus the
tightened storage and logistics complications of a
downtown project. But Feyen Zylstra's experience
and track record in dealing with these issues
smoothly led to our selection for the project.
Military precision required for Camp Grayling
project.
Feyen Zylstra's Electrical Construction and Low
Voltage Systems groups have just completed a
substantial project at the Michigan National Guard's
Camp Grayling training facility. The project included
officers' quarters, a headquarters/training building,
dining facility, and five barracks buildings, all spread
over 40 acres.
Temporary power to all buildings had to be provided
from a single source. Materials management and
project organization was critical to coordinate our
efforts with contractors doing building construction.
Feyen Zylstra crews did rough-in work in some
buildings while others performed finish work in
nearby structures.
The new and improved Camp Grayling now offers
increased capability to prepare our military personnel
for today's changing needs. We were proud to help.
Successful as planned.
Healthy lifestyles require planning. So do successful
hospital expansions! Our Electrical Construction
group is working with Northern Michigan Hospital on
the addition of the John and Marnie Demmer
Wellness Pavilion and Dialysis Center. Along with
providing critical kidney dialysis services, the center
will also include a pool, spa and sauna and
complete physical rehabilitation facilities.
The project, scheduled for completion in early May,
featured a short schedule and very limited site
storage availability. Feyen Zylstra, the client, and
other parties involved met early in the process to
anticipate potential needs and identify solutions
when necessary. As a result, the customer and our
partners on the project are very pleased.
New battery plant to deliver for FedEx.
In early March, Feyen Zylstra's Low Voltage and
System Engineering groups completed work on a
new Johnson Controls-Saft plant that will help the
environment and the state of Michigan, creating
good high technology jobs. The facility will make
lithium-ion batteries for hybrid and electric cars as
well as trucks. FedEx has already signed on as a
customer.
Feyen Zylstra's experience in clean room and dry
room applications was vital; special protocols must
Community Spotlight
Charitable efforts get a strong Foundation.
Feyen Zylstra has earned an excellent reputation with the work we
do on building projects; it is our mission and our passion. But from
a larger perspective, there is nothing more important than the
responsibility we feel to help build communities and the people who
live in them.
In summer 2010, the company took a big step to formalize that
commitment by establishing the Feyen Zylstra Community
Foundation, an officially-sanctioned 501(c)(3) organization. This
foundation will oversee and serve as the focal point for all of Feyen
Zylstra's charitable activities including financial and in-kind
donations. And everyone in the company is excited that such efforts
will gain even more momentum by giving them an official "place to
live," and that this legacy of giving will continue long into the future.
Feyen Zylstra has been giving back to the community for 30 years.
From the beginning, our founders Marlin Feyen and Bob Zylstra
believed (and continue to believe) that it is not a "public relations"
gesture, but simply a matter of doing the right thing: helping to
make the communities in which we do business better places to
live.
Education has always been a primary focus. Feyen Zylstra
employees have been tutoring in the Schools of Hope program for
the Grand Rapids Public Schools. Those people include Marlin and
Bob themselves; our company officers don't merely set the policy,
they set the example. We also participate in the Mona Lease-a
program, in which companies "lease" pieces of student art for
display in their offices, which helps to support the art program in the
schools.
Communities and people who
face particularly challenging
circumstances have also received
considerable support. Feyen
Zylstra greatly admires and
supports the work of the Baxter
Community Center as it helps to
meet a wide variety of human
needs for the people and families
in the surrounding neighborhood.
This need has only grown more
critical in these stressful economic
times. On a broader scale, the company works with The Right
Place, an organization committed to fostering economic
development in West Michigan.
Protecting the environment and improving public spaces have also
long been a priority to Feyen Zylstra. Employees have donated their
time and efforts to clean up sections of the Grand River through
downtown Grand Rapids. And on Arbor Day and Earth Day, our
people joined the Grand Rapids Friends of the Parks and other
partners to plant nearly 100 trees to help reforest the local park
system.
Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, Aquinas College, the Spectrum
Health Foundation and many other organizations have received
assistance from Feyen Zylstra in the form of financial or in-kind
donations. And that list seems destined to grow even longer with
the establishment of the Feyen Zylstra Community Foundation.
Many quality companies make a point of supporting charitable
efforts. With the establishment of the Feyen Zylstra Community
Foundation, Feyen Zylstra is planting its flag firmly in the ground –
and on the side of people and organizations that need help in
Michigan and in all the communities we serve.
Mona Lease-a Art; Watercolor Tree & Birds
"We owe a lot to the people of West Michigan and all the
communities we serve. And we feel a strong responsibility to share
our success to help make those communities better, whenever and
however we can," said Bob Zylstra, Chairman of Feyen Zylstra.
To qualify for 501(c)(3) status, an organization's efforts can target a
variety of worthy causes, including reducing poverty, improving
public spaces or the environment, supporting and enhancing
education, and more. One look at Feyen Zylstra's charitable history
shows that few of those areas have not benefited from the
company's efforts.
be followed to ensure that no moisture or
contaminants enter various parts of the system. Our
expertise in management systems and process
controls contributed to a flawless installation.
Productivity drives change for West Michigan
auto parts suppliers.
Auto parts suppliers have been under pressure to
improve production efficiencies for years. So when
Johnson Controls updated its Upper and Lower Roll
Form lines in Holland, Michigan, it called upon Feyen
Zylstra to retrofit aging machinery with a new control
panel and controls package to operate it.
Benteler, another local parts supplier, also chose
Feyen Zylstra's System Engineering group to install
new controls and automate the equipment on the
muffler weld line, leak, gauge and assembly.
Long work days and weekend shifts were required for
both projects. But thanks to Feyen Zylstra's extensive
experience with building control panels and motion
control systems in manufacturing, and the automotive
Feyen Zylstra employees volunteer for tree planting in Riverside Park.
industry in particular, timelines were met successfully
and the customers' aggressive productivity goals
were achieved. Both are very pleased.
Greenville gets even "greener."
The city of Greenville is committed to renewable
energy, with several publicly-owned buildings already
equipped with photovoltaic energy systems. A recent
project, calling for the placement of such a system on
the roof of the Greenville Community Center, was
awarded to the partnership between Uni-Solar and
Feyen Zylstra.
Snowfall at the time made roof work challenging. And
project complexity increased with the first Michigan
installation of Uni-Solar's "Power-Tilt"- a unique
racking system that enables a photovoltaic array to
be installed on the roof without physical attachment
to that roof. With the expertise of this partnership,
the system went in smoothly and is expected to save
Greenville approximately $5,000 annually in energy
costs.
Feyen Zylstra goes to Washington!
Recently, Feyen Zylstra was asked by Rockford
Construction to install low voltage cabling at the Allan
P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and
Citizenship in Washington, D.C.
Focused on teaching about the American
Constitution, the center - a part of Hillsdale College is housed in a small historic building near the
Supreme Court, the Senate office building and other
landmarks.
The cramped environment offered virtually no parking
or storage space for materials. But Feyen Zylstra was
honored to be involved in helping to renovate the
structure, and proud of the reputation that earned us
the opportunity.
"Using someone with their knowledge and whom you
can trust to complete on time and on budget, made
them an easy choice," explained Joe Kuhn, Project
Executive from Rockford Construction Company.
Now at an auto showroom near you – the latest
models of lighting efficiency!
You ought to see what's in today's new car
showrooms! Not just the cars, but the
modern, energy-efficient lighting fixtures that
are helping area dealers show off those new
vehicles and save money in the process.
Many businesses in West Michigan and
across the state are finding that, by replacing
lighting fixtures, they can add warmth and
brightness to their facilities while reducing
energy costs! That's because today's
"green" fixtures deliver maximum light with
the lowest possible energy consumption.
Feyen Zylstra has been involved in many
lighting "retrofits" that have saved business
owners enough to actually pay for the work
in as little as 8 months (and go on saving
after that). In addition, projects often qualify
for credits and rebates from power
companies such as Consumers Energy that
can amount to many thousands of dollars.
At Fox Motors, the facility was updated with
over 500 new energy-efficient lighting
fixtures. The project was completed without
disruption to the business, which remained
open and accessible throughout. The
response has been remarkable, earning
praise from customers and employees alike.
Fox Hyundai Kia and Keller Ford. And the
savings haven't been limited to car
dealerships. Factories, printers, even an
airport hangar have been among the many
businesses that have realized similar benefits
with Feyen Zylstra's help.
On just nine of these projects, Feyen Zylstra
has replaced more than 1,600 lighting
fixtures, generating a combined energy
savings of over $100,000 annually.
The process begins with a simple site survey
to identify opportunities for saving and
generate a project proposal. And Consumers
Energy offers energy credits through
programs designed for both small and large
business customers.
The successful results at the Fox Honda and
Ford dealerships led to additional projects at
So sometime soon, head out to a Fox
Motors or another local auto dealership.
You'll find plenty to "ooh and ahhh" about.
Oh, and the vehicles are fun to look at, too!
Team approach works well for Greenville water
system project.
Today, the
people of
Greenville are
enjoying
better water
quality and
paying less for it! The recent modernization
of the municipal well field and water
system has allowed the city to chlorinate
the water it distributes. And with the
increased efficiency, the system now
requires less electricity to operate,
resulting in actual refunds from the power
company.
Many different groups of professionals
contributed to the success of this project,
and - we're proud to say - three of them
were from Feyen Zylstra.
Teaming up to make it happen were Feyen
Zylstra's Construction, System
210 Front Ave. SW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
In This Issue
KIDS rule at the HELEN DEVOS
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
1
MIDLAND BATTERY PLANT TO
SPARK JOB GROWTH
1
FEYEN ZYLSTRA LOGS MILES
FOR PLC USA
1
GETTING ON WITH IT
BY NATE KOETJE
2
News, Notes, and More
2
FEYEN ZYLSTRA FOUNDATION
3
FOX FORD LIGHTING EFFICIENCY 4
GREENVILLE WELLFIELD PROJECT 4
210 Front Ave. SW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
616-224-7707
Fax 616-224-7799
2969 Keystone Rd.
Traverse City, MI 49686
231-486-8800
Fax 231-486-8882
1-800-748-0180 • www.feyenzylstra.com
Engineering, and Service work groups.
The familiarity and cohesive spirit of these
groups were essential in keeping this
complex project on track.
Improvements to
the existing
system included
new control
panels that were
built by the
System
Engineering group and installed, along
with new feeds and wiring, by the
Construction group. The Electrical Service
group provided solar energy panels for the
project.
Smooth interaction and flexible scheduling
was essential. The facility had to remain
fully operational while the entire electrical
service was replaced. This required careful
attention to the customer's schedule to
ensure that water service was never
compromised.
Feyen Zylstra personnel found that
working with other company groups was a
unique experience. Scott Aikens, Project
Manager for the Construction group put it
this way:
"It turned out to be one of the easier
projects I've worked on, because having
the different groups under one roof helped
shorten the entire process and provide a
more cohesive end result for Greenville,"
Aikens said.
The client is very happy with the results of
the project. The "Power of Knowledge"
always makes a big difference. And in this
case, that goes double… er, make that
triple.