SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA (May 23, 2018) – Sigma Contracting, Inc., celebrating its 35th anniversary, converted a distribution center into a manufacturing facility for Katerra, a technology-driven offsite construction company. For this $7.9 million project at 624 N. 44th Ave., Sigma constructed 200,000 SF of single story manufacturing area and 40,000 SF of two-story office space for Katerra’s design team.
Sigma was charged with converting a 30-year-old distribution center to a modern, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, and an office area to house Katerra’s engineering teams and component designers. In addition, the construction scope included a full-service kitchen facility that can prepare up to 500 meals a day for Katerra employees and guests. When construction was completed in late 2017, there were approximately 30 employees occupying the office portion. Today there are more than 100 staff members utilizing the office space and more than 100 working on the factory floor.
This was the first of six scheduled manufacturing plants that Katerra will operate. Katerra, headquartered in Menlo Park, California, manufactures large building components off-site, particularly for the multi-family industry. The Phoenix plant will produce fully-loaded wall panels, floor joists, roof joists, and has 10,000 SF dedicated to manufacturing cabinets and stone countertops, all off-site for final assembly at a construction site. The technique allows for lower cost and higher-quality finishes.
“As the first manufacturing facility to be built for Katerra, the project continuously evolved as thought processes evolved and additional employees with new thoughts and perspectives were brought on board” said Dan Hinkson, owner and president of Sigma Contracting. “With this rapid growth, everything about the processes and staff was new and untested,” Hinkson said. “Each new manager brought a slightly different vision as to how to best set up and run the new plant and the office space. In addition, the office, showrooms, kitchen, dining, and conference areas continued to change as demand changed due to the rapid growth in employment.
Hinkson went on to say, “Katerra’s goal is to revolutionize design and construction by creating a platform that allows them to control the entire distribution process from concept to completion, including direct buying power from other manufacturers. Sigma was honored to have been on board to help bring this first factory to life for Katerra, and we look forward to the innovative changes Katerra will inevitably bring to our industry.”
Other team members on the project were Richard+Bauer Architecture, architect of record; and notable subcontractors Statewide Electric, Lifetime Plumbing, R&M Concrete, and J. Wolf Mechanical.
