LAN launches rapid response architecture/engineering services for food distribution industry

Houston — Planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) is launching a new rapid response architecture/engineering service for its food distribution clients. The new service will enable the firm’s clients in the food distribution industry such as Sysco to have a pre-existing architecture/engineering contract in place to address emergency issues. Some of the tasks the firm provides under this service include facility repairs, site assessments, MEP commissioning, and other specialty design services as needed.

“Through this service, we can quickly respond to a client’s problem without the hassle of paperwork,” said Jeff Thomas, P.E., LAN’s facilities team leader. “Within 24 hours, experts from our firm will be at the site to address the issue. For example, a client wanted to evaluate some cracking in the concrete walls around their loading dock doors. They didn’t want to engage a contractor to patch the walls until they knew the extent of the problem. We dispatched a structural engineer, who evaluated and recommended further testing followed by more comprehensive repairs. These repairs went beyond simple surface patching and provided a long-term solution that prevented further cracking.

“Recently, another client called us to help them with a concrete floor in a large freezer space that had cracked and heaved. We went to the site, provided guidance for additional testing and made recommendations for repairs. More importantly, we evaluated the root cause and made suggestions for enhancements to the underfloor freeze-prevention system to avoid a repeat of the problem.”

Currently, LAN is providing rapid response services in Houston, Austin and Dallas. The firm is also planning to leverage the expertise of its parent company LEO A DALY, an international architecture/engineering firm, to provide these services to clients in Minneapolis and West Palm Beach, Fla.