From Fixtures to Flooring

We associate many sights and sounds with springtime – birds chirping, flowers blooming and bats hitting baseballs – but the ones that can have a profound impact on our economy involve construction crews hard at work. Prime construction season is in full bloom, and industry analysts expect it to be another busy one.

Total construction spending this year is projected to reach $1.341 trillion. In April alone, the construction industry added 33,000 new jobs, helping to drive the national unemployment rate down to 3.6 percent. And, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, construction spending totaled $277.7 billion through the first three months of 2019, marking another strong quarter for the industry.

But for construction crews to remain on task and productive, they need their materials to arrive at the jobsite quickly, efficiently and undamaged. Protective packaging plays a key role in keeping construction projects of all sizes humming along. Chicago’s Old Main Post Office building, which is undergoing a $600 million renovation, is a perfect example of a project that demands quality control and efficiency as it looks to successfully bring to life 2.5 million square feet of new Class A office space.

With about 200 construction workers onsite every day, any damaged shipment has the potential to delay progress and throw off the construction schedule.

Old Building, Fresh Look

The Old Main Post Office served as the city’s main postal facility for more than 60 years and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001, but the Art Deco-era building has been vacant since 1997, when a modernized facility opened up across the street.

Plans for the new building, designed by the prominent architecture firm Gensler, call for the restoration of its marble-clad lobby and the construction of a conference center, food hall, and four-acre rooftop terrace featuring a landscaped park and a track for running and walking. When all the tenants have moved in, the building will have 12,000 workers filing in and out every day.

The 15-story facility will also boast a library, cafés, bars, lounges and complete fitness center – not to mention 2,404 new windows looking out over the Chicago River and the bustling downtown.

Protecting Key Materials

Windows aren’t the only delicate components being used. The project calls for a steady stream of new materials and furnishings, including flooring, countertops, leather and cloth furniture, gym equipment, light fixtures, decorative art installations and electronics. And they all need protective packaging materials such as temporary films, cushioning and foam to prevent costly damage, reshipping and labor strain. With about 200 construction workers onsite every day, any damaged shipment has the potential to delay progress and throw off the construction schedule. And few things draw a construction foreman’s ire more than idle workers. 

Of course, not every construction project during this busy prime construction season can match the Old Main Post Office’s size, scope and reputation, but if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right. The right mix of protective packaging materials is essential to avoid cost overruns and delays.

This construction season, workers can expect to remain busy from coast to coast. In March, the unemployment rate among construction workers fell in every state except Nebraska, marking the first time on record that so many states saw declines. That means thousands of construction workers are depending on shipments of new materials each day, making protective packaging an especially crucial component of a thriving, fast-moving construction industry.

To learn more about Pregis’ comprehensive protective packaging solutions for the construction industry, visit www.pregis.com/building--construction.