October 2018
Walsh Construction Completes 480,000-square-foot Flex-N-Gate Plant in Detroit
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – Walsh Construction joined Flex-N-Gate owner, president and CEO Shahid Khan, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan to officially unveil the new $98 million Flex-N-Gate automobile parts manufacturing plant. Walsh served as General Contractor for the construction of the 480,000-square-foot plant, which now anchors a previously abandoned industrial park, and marks a major step in the continued revitalization of America's Motor City.
The 16-month project consisted of building the manufacturing plant along with a 40,000-square-foot, two-story administration building. The scope of work also included below grade utilities, earthwork, landscaping, site paving and lighting.
"Our project team succeeded in meeting an aggressive construction schedule. We set the first steel members in September of 2017 and had the facility completed and ready for the production of parts in October of 2018," said Bill Gilliam, Senior Project Manager.
Flex-N-Gate, which specializes in building front-end parts for vehicles, signed a long-term contract with Ford Motors Co., and the new plant represents the largest investment in Detroit by an auto company in more than 20 years. "This plant and the benefit it brings to the city of Detroit and its workforce, gives me as much pride as anything I've done in my entire life," said CEO Shad Khan. The plant projects to hire 750 employees and already employs 254 people-half of whom are native to the City of Detroit.
"As we bring more manufacturing facilities to Detroit, we're going to ensure that they look to Flex-N-Gate as an example when it comes to putting Detroiters to work," declared Mayor Duggan at the ribbon cutting ceremony.
The Walsh project team was led by Business Group Leader Sam Bahou, Program Manager Joe Scappaticci, and Senior Project Manager Bill Gilliam, Project Manager Tyler Kondel, Assistant Project Managers Ryan Deprez and Nick Janicke, Project Superintendents Stephen Colone and Ryan Beaudrie, Project Engineer Ryan Cueny, Project Scheduler Tom Suter, Quality Manager Laura Suter, and Senior Safety Managers Anthony Revay and Johnathan Pike.