If you’ve driven by the Lebanon Project site, you’ve likely seen large trucks delivering materials, steel being placed or concrete being poured. It’s a fast- moving, dynamic environment with hundreds of workers coming and going to ensure the project is successful.
“Eli Lilly and Company and the Lebanon community are trusting us to design and build this project safely, cost effectively and on schedule,” said Fluor Construction Director Todd Dando. “Our goal is to deliver a world class facility that meets Lilly’s requirements and expectations and is a positive addition to the Lebanon community. To do this we need to ensure we are building in a thoughtful, efficient manner.”
This is where Lean methodology in construction execution becomes a valuable tool for the project. Using Lean standard principles, teams analyze systems, methods and techniques with the goal to streamline and improve operations. This not only benefits the project, but also the neighbors and community affected by LP1 construction.
What is Lean?
Lean is a standardized method of project execution used in multiple industries, including engineering and construction, that aims to improve processes and eliminate waste. It’s based on two pillars:
- Continuous improvement: An ongoing feedback loop helps teams make progressive changes to processes, products, and personnel.
- Respect for people: Leadership recognizes the value of team contributions and uses customer feedback to make improvements.
Lean involves gathering a cross-functional team of people around a table, getting input from their different points of view and looking at each step of a process to ensure the work is done in the best and most efficient manner.
Community collaboration
Fluor Project Manager Francisco Irizarry oversees Lean initiatives for LP1. He says when applying Lean methodology to a project, collaboration is among the most important ingredients.
“Although we are ultimately building this facility for Lilly, our team realizes we have many other customers to consider as well – our workforce, our business partners, and especially our Boone County neighbors,” Irizarry said. “We’re listening to everyone’s voice to understand needs and make changes that improve our processes and minimize disruptions to the community.”
For example, before breaking ground last year, Lilly and Fluor representatives worked with Lebanon and Boone County government officials to learn about roads and infrastructure. As improvements were made, the Fluor team collaborated with these leaders to provide regular road status updates to area neighbors and the community.
To facilitate ongoing communication and understanding, community members can call and email to ask questions and provide feedback that’s used to make improvements. The LP1 team regularly responds to these emails and phone calls. (See contact information on page 4 of this newsletter.)
“You’ve got to get to know your customers and be willing to listen and work together in order to ensure you’re developing the most effective work plan,” said Jason Duff, Eli Lilly and Company LP1 senior director. “We aren’t just putting up some buildings and checking a box. We’re moving into the Lebanon community and calling it home. We want to build and create a workplace that we can all be proud of.”
