Moraine, Ohio (May 15, 2015) – It has been one year since Fuyao Glass America Inc. announced its purchase of 1.4 million square feet of the former General Motors Moraine Assembly Plant. In that time, Fuyao has increased its investment at the plant from $230 million to $360 million and nearly doubled its projected employment from 800 to 1,550.
Early on, the Chinese glass manufacturing company enlisted the local services of Woolpert Inc. to provide architectural, engineering and design consulting services, as well as construction support. Fuyao also tapped Miller-Valentine Group to lead construction at the plant.
As Fuyao has grown, so have the roles of its Dayton-area team.
Beyond the initial work procured, Woolpert has been contracted to create a new entrance via Ohio 741 on the south side of the Fuyao property and upgrade an existing entrance to the north. Woolpert also was selected to design an additional 90,000-square-foot warehouse on the southwest side of the site.
Working together, Woolpert and Miller-Valentine designed and constructed a tilt-up tunnel system that runs throughout the Moraine plant. The tunnel quickly and efficiently collects and removes discarded pieces of glass from the manufacturing floor.
The tunnel system, which is 1,215 feet long, was modeled after a version patented by Miller-Valentine.
“This tilt-up tunnel design solution will save time and money, and was designed specifically for Fuyao’s needs,” said Chris Knueven, Miller-Valentine president.
Work with Fuyao also has extended beyond Moraine for the Dayton firms, with multiple projects pending. At present, Woolpert is designing and performing site improvements for a 10,000-square-foot industrial office space for Fuyao in Mt. Zion, Ill.
Jamie Dobrozsi, Woolpert project manager, said his many months working with Fuyao have been highly productive.
“Getting to know Fuyao and how the Chinese do business, along with seeing how they execute projects, has been very educational and enriching – both personally and professionally,” Dobrozsi said. “I look forward to continuing our relationship, and plan to get back to China for another visit soon.”
About Woolpert
Woolpert, ranked by Engineering News-Record as a top national design firm, provides professional architecture, engineering and geospatial services to clients in public and private sectors. Founded in 1911, and with more than 600 professionals in 25 offices located throughout the U.S., Woolpert’s colla-borative and multidisciplinary approach is driven by great people, great clients and great projects. For more information on Woolpert, visit woolpert.com. Woolpert Labs is a cross-functional group of industry leaders who are focused on discovering new uses for geospatial technology and practices to continue fueling advances in the industry. For more information, visit woolpertlabs.com.
About Miller-Valentine Group
Miller-Valentine Group offers real estate solutions in the areas of construction, development, property management and financial analysis for both commercial and multifamily markets, and provides commercial brokerage and leasing services throughout the Dayton market. Miller-Valentine Group, founded in 1963, develops real estate in the Midwest, Southeast and Southwest regions of the country. The multifamily division of Miller-Valentine Group is the 28th largest owner of affordable real estate in the country, and has developed/constructed over 13,000 housing units with a presence in 17 states. For more information, visit mvg.com.