Lean Spotlight: How Abraham Valentin Is Using Lean to Keep Tampa’s SkyCenter One on Track
On the job at SkyCenter One at Tampa International Airport, superintendent Abraham Valentin brings 21 years of KHS&S work experience. Over more than two decades, he has witnessed how Lean techniques have impacted his industry, and now he is responsible for using and improving them.
“Eliminating waste is paramount on any project,” he said. “Lean allows us to gain time on the schedule, ensures materials are accurate and guarantees we don’t run out of materials or have errors in material delivery.”
Part of a major phased expansion at TIA, SkyCenter One is a nine-story office building in the airport’s new mixed-use project. KHS&S’ work scope includes wall layout, metal framing, drywall and finishing. The project general contractor is JE Dunn Construction.
Like many KHS&S projects, the Lean journey began with Pull Planning. Project leaders collaborated to create an accurate timeline, visualizing the order and dependencies of tasks and any possible overlaps that could cause delays.
Other Lean principles are contributing to meeting the May 2021 completion timeline by streamlining work and identifying any potential issues:
Stand-Up Boards
Color coded by day, the boards identify current or foreseeable issues. An original plan to fire spray each floor starting from north to south would have made it difficult for the trades to work around. A new plan to start at the core of the building and work outward was brainstormed and agreed upon.
Stock Planning
As concrete was poured for each floor level, Valentin measured the height from floor to ceiling and relayed specific measurements to the project manager to order studs. As heights could vary between floors, the studs were precisely manufactured by floor to eliminate waste of material and manpower.
Weekly Work Plan and Delivery App
Metal framing was measured and calculated for each floor to accurately schedule manpower and guarantee on time material delivery. An app provided by the general contractor allowed KHS&S to schedule crane and elevator usage time. Based on the Weekly Work Plan, Valentin could secure usage time weeks in advance to move materials to each floor as needed on the specific day required.
Point of Use
During a daily huddle, the materials required and stock quantities for the following day’s work are reviewed. This includes studs, track, drywall, drywall mud, insulation and the necessary screws and fasters so the guys on the wall are ready to go the next day.
“Abraham does a great job studying and understanding his schedule and looks ahead to arrange delivery dates, tasks and milestones accordingly,” said JE Dunn’s Trevor Morris. “He identifies constraints and eliminates potential issues prior to them ever becoming a problem.”
