Nothing is more central to Haskell’s working DNA than its Design-Build philosophy, which holds that having a single entity assume responsibility for the design, construction, and commissioning of a project creates value, increases efficiency and reduces cost.
Over the years, this philosophy has expanded into Haskell’s unique approach to the Engineering, Procurement, Construction (EPC) project delivery system. This system takes the Design-Build idea one step further, to include the design, engineering and installation of the complex manufacturing systems critical to the client’s operation.
While an EPC project may or may not include construction of the physical structure housing the production line, Haskell offers a level of integrated service so advanced as to make it a “one-stop shop,” allowing true collaboration that results in faster and more reliable business outcomes.
For J.P. Saenz, Haskell’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, this integration is the key to Haskell’s success. “Preston Haskell had the vision that the best way to deliver a project was to integrate all the components – so architecture, engineering and construction. And that integration would lead to a better product for our clients.”
The EPC process breaks into three distinct phases that guide the client and the project from initial idea to completion. These phases are Think, Buy and Build.
Think
The key to the Think Phase is establishing a partnership very early with the client. Haskell believes in putting clients first, listening generously to their unique situations and responding with innovative solutions that emanate from their point of view.
“The reason you would want to start with a business like ours is that we are comfortable starting from the business case,” said Jonathan Toke, Vice President, International. “Then we can lead you through the creative process so you can select the right system, product or element. Then we can go and execute for the client.”
Helping the client realize its vision is a cross-functional team of architects, engineers and project managers who will see the project with different eyes and bring various skillsets to the project. This allows any problems to be spotted quickly, resulting in reduced costs and more timely delivery.
“We developed a capability that, honestly, has been unique for many years,” Saenz said. “There are very few companies that have all of those services under one roof. Some companies will dabble in it, but to have more than 300 process and packaging engineers in what was traditionally a facilities Design-Build firm is really unique.
“EPC is not a proprietary delivery system. But what is proprietary is our ability to integrate all the resources needed for EPC – all of those in-house. And those resources are our people, all under one roof.”
Buy
The Buy phase is all about helping the customer acquire the large equipment centers from the U.S and overseas. Once output requirements, equipment specifications, costs and delivery schedule are agreed upon in the Think phase, clients can benefit significantly from Haskell’s experience buying and eventually building these systems during negotiation with vendors.
“Our team will create a project specific procurement strategy in coordination with the client,” said Dave Bartels, Director of Consumer Packaged Goods Planning and Development. “Clients hire us for our deep industry expertise and broad knowledge of production, packaging, and material handling equipment. We will identify multiple key Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) for each unit operation and make recommendations. We jointly decide on the best solution providers”
“The Haskell team has industry relationships with a broad range of OEMs. We leverage a combination of our relationships and the client’s to drive for the best possible financial and technical outcome.”
Build
The Build phase includes the installations of all the assets and facility construction, but it also includes other milestones, such as ensuring that the build-out meets the intended design and completing all regulatory, contractual and archival activities required in the project scope.
Quality control and safety are outstanding features of Haskell’s Build stage. The company’s quality control is industry-leading, and its worker-safety standards far exceed OSHA requirements.
“Everyone understands that’s our priority,” Saenz says. “We don’t circumvent safety for anything.”
As the Build phase ramps up, all eyes turn to the project managers. And this is where Haskell’s cross-trained teams shine.
“Our Project Managers provide an end-to-end Haskell client experience that is unparalleled in the industry,” Bartels said. “We coordinate all detailed activities of the process, packaging, material handling, and facilities construction required to bring the clients project to life.”
Integrated services. Always putting the customer first. Highly efficient, multidisciplinary teams under one roof. These are the factors that set Haskell and its EPC project delivery system apart.
For Saenz, it’s part of the continuous evolution of Haskell that started with that brilliant idea from Preston Haskell back in 1965.
“We were founded on innovation and realize every day if we are not delivering innovation in the way we deliver these projects to our customers, we are just falling behind.”
Clients see many benefits of Haskell’s integrated EPC process, including:
- Single point of contact
- Faster speed to market
- Lower overall project cost
- Improved quality
- Reduced risk
