Excellent teamwork and fast decision-making enabled Krusinski Construction Company to complete a manufacturing and office complex for SK Hand Tool in record time.

Krusinski Construction Company’s lightning-fast completion of a new manufacturing and office complex in Sycamore, Ill., is a testament to the value of long-standing relationships among trusted business partners.

IDEAL Industries’ acquisition of toolmaker SK Hand Tool Corp. required that Krusinski build a 130,000-square-foot facility in record time. For a project that would have normally required 32 weeks, Krusinski needed only 16 weeks.

Trusted working relationships with partners were the key to Krusinski’s success. The company called upon Julius Kwasek of Kwasek Architects in Inverness, Ill., a firm it has worked with for more than 30 years. Krusinski knew that Kwasek would complete the design and drawings quickly.

“He takes every project to a personal level,” says Andy Johnson, senior project manager at Krusinski. “That really meshes well with the passion of Krusinski’s team members.”

Quick decisions were crucial to the endeavor’s success. Krusinski developed a floor plan with IDEAL and Kwasek within three days of the project’s award. The complete design and site plan were approved just five days later. The budget and permits and subcontractors’ assignments were finished in five weeks, much less than the typical 12-week process.

“A lot of credit goes to IDEAL for making fast decisions,” Johnson says. “Timely responses from Sycamore’s city manager and from DeKalb County officials were also instrumental in helping us mobilize so quickly.”

Of the four construction firms Dave Juday, IDEAL’s chairman of the board, considered for the project, only Krusinski guaranteed completing the manufacturing portion by Christmas. Juday knew it was going to be difficult to achieve, but believed in Krusinski and Kwasek.

During construction, Juday says, Project Superintendent Rick Drews was an integral part of the quick turnaround, working hard on site every day to get the job done.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better team,” Juday says. “From the start, it was clear that Krusinski and Kwasek worked well together. It was a wonderful experience to see everyone so engaged and enthusiastic about working on this project and meeting the deadline.”

The project’s biggest challenge was getting crews and materials to the site swiftly without sacrificing safety or quality. Workers had to move some 10,000 truckloads of soil to the site before building the foundation, for example. They managed the task in seven days. At times, more than 100 workers were on site.

Krusinski’s logistical skills shined. It even planned the delivery of materials down to the hour, careful not to disrupt construction that had already begun. Krusinski’s long-term relationships with trusted subcontractors and suppliers were vital to meeting tight deadlines. For example, one vendor fabricated the precast in six weeks, half the time it usually takes. Krusinski was also able to get steel for the project in half the normal time.

In all, Krusinski was able to construct a manufacturing facility in 12 weeks and an adjoining office complex in another four weeks. It even considered the future growth of SK Hand Tool, planning an additional 100,000-square-foot expansion.

“Everyone went above and beyond,” Johnson says. “The project is an outstanding example of what can be accomplished through excellent business relationships, personal commitment and quality work.”

Pronger Smith MedicalCare now has a state-of-the-art medical office building, thanks to Krusinski Construction Company. Krusinski recently began the second phase of the project, which includes a pathology lab, an ophthalmology center, a reception area, clinical rooms and an executive suite.

Here’s an update on our most recent work:

• Comcast payment center, Mishawaka, Ind.: Krusinski completed the interior buildout for a 20,000-square-foot payment and training center. Senior Project Manager: Joe Krusinski III; and architect: Partners in Design.
• Diana’s Bananas, Chicago: Krusinski completed the renovation of a 17,000-square-foot food production facility in January. Project Superintendent: Jeff Cali; Senior Project Manager: Joe Krusinski III; and architect: Archideas.
• JFC International, Hanover Park, Ill.: Krusinski completed a 20,000-square-foot freezer area and cooler vestibule in January. Project Superintendent: Shawn Barry; Senior Project Manager: Joe Krusinski III; and architect: Gene Cipparone Architects Inc.
• Pronger Smith MedicalCare, Tinley Park, Ill.: Krusinski completed a 37,800-square-foot medical office building in February, and immediately began renovating existing reception, waiting and clinical areas. New construction will include a pathology lab, an ophthalmology center, a reception area, clinical rooms and an executive suite. Development manager: Irgens Development Partners LLC; Senior Project Superintendent: Dan Gratzl; Senior Project Manager: Steve Moeller; and architect: Brubaker Architects.
• SK Hand Tool Corp., Sycamore, Ill.: Krusinski completed a 130,000-square-foot design-build manufacturing facility and corporate office in less than four months. The project ended in January. Project Superintendent: Rick Drews; Senior Project Manager: Andy Johnson; and architect: Kwasek Architects.

Joseph Krusinski, CEO of Krusinski Construction Company (second from left), shares his thoughts about how the economy is affecting the construction and real estate markets during a panel discussion on Feb. 24. Photo credit: Daily Herald

Joseph Krusinski, CEO of Krusinski Construction Company, shared his expertise about the current state of the real estate and construction industries during a business forum in Woodridge on Feb. 24. The panel discussion focused on lingering economic challenges following the recession, such as federal and state tax policies and a high vacancy rate in existing real estate.

Krusinski told the group at the “Newsmakers’ Forum on Real Estate and Construction” that smaller construction projects, such as medical office buildings and food production facilities, are in demand and that it may take some time before large-scale construction makes a comeback. The Daily Herald Suburban Business magazine and the Daily Herald Business Ledger sponsored the event.

Learn more here.

Andy Johnson, senior project manager at Krusinski, was named as one of the Midwest’s “Top 20 Under 40” in the January Engineering News-Record Midwest, an honor that recognizes him as one of construction’s rising stars. Now part of the firm’s strategic planning team, Johnson began with Krusinski in 1999.

The award makes special mention of his work with the Association of Subcontractors and Affiliates Chicago, which named him “General Contractor Representative of the Year” in 2009. Johnson is also a member of the Chicago chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council and speaks with students about sustainable construction at his alma mater, Purdue University.

“The accomplishments I’ve made in my professional life could not have been possible without the excellent support and diligent mentoring from my colleagues in the construction industry,” Johnson says. “I am honored to be recognized and look forward to sharing my knowledge and experience with others who want to pursue a construction career.”

Krusinski’s main business might be building, but we’re pretty fond of the people who inhabit them, too. Did you know that a pint of donated blood can save three lives? That’s why on March 8, we’re hosting our fourth blood drive for Heartland Blood Centers. The drive will be from 8:30 to 10 a.m. in our parking lot at 2107 Swift Drive in Oak Brook, Ill. All donors will receive a $5 gift card from Dunkin’ Donuts.

For information about future blood drives, contact Gina Krusinski at ginak@krusinski.com.