Gage Brothers

Manufacturing Plant & Office | Sioux Falls, SD

The industrial sector plays an important role in an engineer’s world. Not only do we design facilities and infrastructure to support industrial manufacturing and storage – these same spaces can produce the construction materials and equipment engineers and architects spec on a daily basis.

In the case of the new Gage Brother’s headquarters, it was a unique combination of both. For more than 100 years, Gage Brothers has manufactured concrete construction materials for the buildings we design. Beginning in 2014, it was time to look at expanding the company’s manufacturing plant and office space. Working with JLG Architects and Fiegen Construction, West Plains provided the mechanical and electrical engineering design for the new 230,000 square foot facility, which is currently being constructed on a 45-acre site northwest of Sioux Falls, SD.

At an estimated $17.7 million, the factory includes precast process lines, metal shop, wood shop, office space, breakrooms, training rooms, and a concrete batch plant. This project is particularly interesting on the mechanical side. The heating and ventilation for the factory is provided by roof-mounted dedicated outdoor air makeup air units and roof mounted exhaust fans. To help with air quality and excessive humidity, the factory makeup air units are 100 percent outside air and do not return any air. This creates a better working environment for staff. While there is no air conditioning in the factory, supplemental exhaust fans and intake hoods are installed on the roof to move more air in the summer to cool the space. Gasfired radiant heaters were also provided throughout the factory space to shorten the curing time of the concrete.

The plumbing systems are also important to the manufacturing process. There is process piping and equipment in the building, which is supplied with well water from a well drilled on site. There are also hose bibs and compressed air connections spread throughout the manufacturing space. Finally, water coolers are available throughout the plant for employee convenience and care.

To help save water, the process water is cleaned and recycled. This system includes a well pump and well water storage tank, a screw auger for cleaning the process water, pressure booster pump, and a used water storage tank.

*Rendering reproduced with permission from JLG Architects.