Batson-Cook 'Leans' Into a Future Building Plan

"Materials come off the truck and get installed," says Mike Waddell, Buckhead project manager. "It's easier to deal with."

Some contractors are further eliminating waste by pre-assembling some components. On the Raleigh job, for example, the electrical contractor pre-manufactured panels and box assemblies.

The Buckhead and Raleigh SkyHouses are on similar schedules, with the North Carolina contract heading for a January completion, and the Atlanta job wrapping up in February. Both are tracking slightly ahead of their original schedules.

Looking Ahead

The SkyHouse program has proven a nearly ideal education in lean, says Batson-Cook's Thrasher, the Buckhead project executive.

"It's the perfect example of how lean can work, because it's a repeat building over and over," he says, adding: "If you don't learn from your mistakes, you're not practicing lean."

Thrasher, who calls the lean experiment a "game-changer," says he plans to implement some of the processes on other projects. "You definitely can see how it would help out a job and improve coordination."

Meanwhile, Hall, the Batson-Cook CEO and president, thinks lean represents the future for his firm.

"Lean is a cultural shift," he says. "To change a company's mind-set takes time; I don't see us going back."

Scott Judy is Deputy Editor for Regions, and editor of ENR Southeast, one of Engineering News-Record's 10 Regional publications. His roughly 27 years as a construction journalist began with an 11-year stint covering Midwest construction projects. In 2000, Judy helped launch the publication now known as ENR Southeast. He often delves into controversial aspects of the construction industry such as bankruptcies and fatal accidents, and wishes he would never have to cover another accident but suspects that he might.