Division 10 Specialties boasts a lot of unique scopes. It includes everything from bathroom partitions, wall protection, and window coverings to bike racks, mailboxes, and flag poles. To be an excellent Division 10 installer, you must have a knowledgeable, versatile, and skilled team.
That is the case for the OEC division 10 construction team. OEC makes complex things simple by excelling at on-the-job problem-solving and by investing in training for all its install team members. General Manager, Ian Phillips, shares more about the OEC Construction division.
OEC Flexibility
Ian’s job as General Manager is managing the construction personnel’s day-to-day activities, projects, budgeting, ordering, submittals, and more. The OEC team focuses on various projects, including commercial offices, distribution centers, healthcare facilities, etc. Each project takes a different kind of expertise and follows a unique timeline.
“Division 10 is challenging. We always do our work at the end of a project right before the certificate of occupancy is issued. This means that any delays in the project push back when we can work. So, we have to be very flexible with our scheduling.”
OEC excels at flexibility thanks to our onsite warehousing. When the GC gives the green light, the construction team can grab all their stored materials and be onsite the same week.
“It is always a rush to the finish, and we have to fight painters and other end-of-project sub-contractors. To help avoid any coordination issues, we send a team member to walk the site before we come in. That way, we know what to expect and can coordinate our materials and manpower.”
Reeser’s
A few recent projects stand out when explaining how the OEC team works. To begin, Reeser’s, a food distribution plant in Tri-Cities, Washington, is a large project where the team has traveled multiple times.
“Reeser’s is a significant project for us in size. We installed two large locker rooms and bathrooms and a lot of one-offs like benches, gear-up stations, and bathroom accessories.” One of the biggest challenges was the amount of material sent to the site.
“There were two to three truckloads of material, so coordinating the delivery onsite was challenging. We had to ensure our team was there to receive it and got a four-man crew there when the truck arrived so they could begin installing. Overall, they did very well on it.”
While the OEC construction team is not large, it leverages skilled tradesmen from the furniture side of the business to help with important installations. Having experienced team members on both sides makes sharing labor on different projects easy.
VA Hospital
The next notable project is the VA Hospital in Boise. This project is an excellent example of the team’s knowledge of ADA-compliant installation. “There can be issues with construction plans regarding ADA compliance, and we will notify the GC to ensure we are within the ADA guidelines. Our estimators will check for compliance issues, and if/when they catch it, the GCs are always very appreciative because it keeps them from having to redo work.”
This project is an excellent example of how OEC’s estimators work. “Our estimators break everything down per scope and product, so our estimates are 100% accurate. They are extremely thorough and detailed with their estimates.
Attention to detail extends to the install team as well. The Division 10 items the OEC team installed on this project were toilet accessories and grab bars. The installers had to be skillful and detailed with this installation because all the grab bars were drilled through tile, which is easy to crack. The team did an impressive job of mitigating cracks and installing everything quickly and efficiently.
The third project that stands out is the Boise Fire Station. The OEC construction team did about every Division 10 scope possible in this project and were in and out in two weeks.
“Our team did a lot of one-off installation work for the GC. They would say, ‘We need this installed. Can you send a guy out?’ Since we were local, we could send a guy that day and keep it super affordable for the GC.”
VAMC
Finally, the VAMC is an excellent example of our wall protection and rail installation. Since it is a hospital, the handrail and bumper rail has to follow strict guidelines and cleaning regulations. Everything must be cuffed, sealed, and at specific heights.
The team quickly installed the wall protection because they pre-measured and cut the material in the OEC warehouse. That way, when they showed up onsite, everything was pre-cut and labeled for easy installation.
What Makes OEC’s Construction Team Unique
Each of the projects above gives specific examples of the OEC construction team’s steps to make complex things simple. However, it is the team that is truly extraordinary. To begin, OEC’s field superintendent, Chip Vilhauer, has between 30 and 40 years of industry experience. With his expertise, he can always find a solution when a problem arises.
For example, he recently led a project in California installing twenty to thirty thousand square feet of wine storage lockers. He also knows how to manage and train his crew to be problem solvers. “Our team is smart, and they work very hard. They are masters at what they do, which sets them apart in the industry.”
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