SMC Headquarters Expansion
Noblesville, Indiana
SMC Corporation is the world leader in pneumatic technology for innumerable industries, as evidenced by their 30% global market share. The SMC North American Headquarters, located in Noblesville, Indiana, includes 2.6M square feet of administrative, manufacturing, and warehouse space on 345 acres of land. Patriot played an important role in the expansion of their HQ footprint to its current size.
2012 Project
In 2012, SMC undertook an expansion by constructing an additional 600,000 square feet of building space. SMC and their construction management firm selected Patriot to provide construction materials testing and engineering services for the project.
The project entailed the construction of two 300,000 sf additions – one on the east side of the existing building and another on the west side. The schedule for completion was aggressive with work starting in March and completion needed by September.
Patriot provided continuous materials testing and inspection throughout the construction period, including:
- Cast-in-place and pre-cast concrete
- Reinforcing steel
- Structural steel and masonry
- Foundations
- Soil
Patriot used a Deficiency Log to document and track inadequacies from initial inspection findings through final repair. The Log proved invaluable to the client in such a fast-track environment. Patriot’s experienced structural steel staff also provided consultation to the structural engineer to promptly remedy several unforeseen conditions.
SMC planned to use robotics for numerous tasks within the new spaces. This required precision flatness and leveling of the new floors. Patriot developed and implemented a workflow that was used to test and confirm floor flatness and levelness throughout the new additions.
2019 Project
In 2019, SMC undertook an even larger expansion project, and Patriot was again asked to be part of the team. The project included the construction of a tall, one-story, slab-on-grade building that added an additional 987,500 sf of space to the SMC headquarters.
Patriot completed a pre-construction geotechnical investigation and risk assessment of the 22-acre site to fully characterize the subsurface. They installed 89 deep soil borings across the site to provide detailed information for the design team.
Patriot discovered relatively deep soft clay layers in the subsurface that presented a challenge for foundation design. Using the subsurface data and their engineering expertise, Patriot provided the design team with foundation recommendations that were tailored to site conditions.
Patriot also provided environmental and compliance assistance, including:
- Recommendations for pavement and stormwater basin location and construction
- Stormwater pollution prevention strategies, inspections, and testing
Patriot’s ongoing relationship with SMC and Victory Unlimited Construction helped SMC more than double the size of their headquarters between 2012 and 2019. Today, Patriot provides SMC with industrial compliance monitoring services at their HQ site.