JE Dunn led a design-build team to deliver an 893,600 square foot greenfield plant for Georgia-Pacific’s Dixie brand, the first new Dixie facility since 1991.
The plant includes manufacturing, warehousing, rail dock areas, maintenance shops, and a 16,000 square foot office area. The team designed and engineered a process wastewater pre-treatment system, process systems, IT and electrical infrastructure. JE Dunn managed procurement and commissioning of all infrastructure and major process equipment, including printers, compressed air with dryers, paper coating systems, conveying systems, and a trim paper collection system.
The project began with a six-month early engagement process, emphasizing collaboration across all disciplines. Georgia-Pacific’s commitment to “design-build done right” focused on maximizing scope and reducing risk. The team adopted a “going slow to go fast” approach, building trust and aligning goals early on, which facilitated overcoming challenges swiftly.
The team optimized the program by bringing together the right people with the right skills, minimizing effort in decision-making. This approach reduced the building footprint by 200,000 square feet without sacrificing the program and achieved over $7 million in cost savings by transitioning from custom joists to K series joists.
The “one team” mentality fostered a culture of challenge and discovery, allowing the team to analyze budget, scope, and permitting through the lens of what was best for Georgia-Pacific. This transparency and collaboration eliminated silos and maximized long-term value.
The design-build process also focused on enhancing the employee experience to promote well-being and retention. Key components included a combined single-entry point for office and plant employees, natural lighting, noise abatement, and outdoor function areas.
Choosing by advantages played a crucial role in planning, ensuring the best decisions based on function and cost.
JE Dunn partnered with Georgia-Pacific to drive a “one team” mentality on this nearly 900,000-squre-foot new manufacturing plant. Our team established shared conditions of satisfaction to ensure the project culture was inspiring, welcoming, and transparent.
With “One Team, One Vision, One Result” as our project slogan, we wanted all stakeholders to feel their opinion mattered. Together, we created a project-specific onboarding video shown to every individual beginning work on site. This video highlighted several key “I will” statements, empowering everyone to communicate, challenge, and be transparent with dignity and respect.
This approach proved effective, with JE Dunn and Georgia-Pacific being awarded a Gold Safety Award by Liberty Mutual Insurance. To qualify for that award, a project must be 80% below the industry average for days away and restricted and/or transferred (DART) rate, with at least 200,000 labor hours.
From the outset, our approach was deliberate and collaborative. We prioritized trust-building and alignment around shared goals and commitments. This foundation allowed us to transparently address challenges and foster collaboration.
Our intentional team composition—bringing together skilled individuals from stakeholder organizations—ensured efficient decision-making. Notably, we reduced the building footprint by 200,000 square feet while maintaining program functionality. By transitioning from custom joists to K series joists, we achieved cost savings exceeding $7 million.
When the time came for detailed design, key decisions were already made. By bringing the right people together and utilizing choosing by advantages (CBA), we were able to complete front-end planning stages two and three in six months, meeting the original design schedule.
One significant advantage of early engagement was the ability to start sourcing equipment early. Icon Mechanical identified the necessary equipment and incorporated it into their 3D models, enhancing the accuracy of the fabrication process. Additionally, Icon Mechanical proposed $6 million worth of value engineering options, of which nearly $4 million were accepted, thanks to early collaboration with the project team.
As the design progressed, Icon and JE Dunn simultaneously developed the 3D models and prefabricated components, allowing for a seamless transition from design to construction. Approximately 42% of the pipe fitter hours were completed offsite in shops rather than on-site, including the fabrication of mechanical racks, pump skids, and piping systems. Prefabricating these components in a controlled environment improved quality control and reduced on-site labor requirements.
The prefabricated components were designed for modular assembly. Once the concrete and building structure were ready, these prefabricated modules were transported to the site and installed, significantly accelerating the construction schedule. Examples of prefabricated components include mechanical racks, pump skids, and cooling tower piping, all of which were built in the shop and ready for immediate installation upon arrival at the site.
Prefabrication helped maintain the project schedule despite challenges such as weather delays, allowing the team to continue progress regardless of on-site conditions. This approach also resulted in substantial cost savings by reducing waste and rework in the controlled environment of the shop and minimizing on-site labor costs. Fabricating components in a controlled environment ensured better quality control, meeting all specifications and standards before being transported to the site.