PROCON nears framework completion at Rand-Whitney facility

Rand-Whitney in Stonewall Industrial Park- Dover, NH

Dover, NH Rand-Whitney has been a household name for nearly 80 years pioneering innovative and environmentally-friendly corrugated packaging. This year its Corporate Dr. facility in Portsmouth will be relocating to a new 118,600 s/f container building currently under construction at Stonewall Industrial Park. Rand-Whitney collaborated with Summit Land Development on the land and they selected PROCON as the design-builder on their new facility. PROCON is nearing completion on the framework. The $7.7 million enterprise is a welcomed sight to city officials as part of the city’s commitment to promoting an attractive environment for new businesses.

The 35-foot high structure will be segmented into 118,600 s/f overall with 112,500 s/f dedicated to manufacturing/warehouse use and 6,100 s/f for offices. The company intends to hire more employees and add additional equipment to the Dover facility. Plans call for transferring the existing equipment to the Dover location and integrating the new equipment and machinery – a move that is expected to increase their production values.

An expert assessment of the company’s existing equipment was conducted by PROCON’s design team to incorporate old and new equipment accurately into the drawings. The structure is a standard industrial building over a steel frame clad covered with 3” structured insulated panel (SIP). A 2” thermal break was installed between the interior and exterior slab to prevent the perimeter slab from exposure to excessive cold, which in turn will help minimize the operation’s energy consumption within the structure.

Initial work involved foundation placement in October 2015, simultaneous with the construction of underground utilities and subsequent installation of the parking area. Structural steel framework began in late November along with the mechanical, electrical and plumbing. Work also commenced on the erection of 3” insulated metal panels in January that will take approximately a month to complete. Roof work is set to begin shortly. According to the project manager, the project has been smooth and fluid. He added, “Our comprehensive weekly meetings with the owner to coordinate the equipment relocation have been mutually beneficial and has allowed us to maintain the project’s schedule and budget.”

This is a landmark moment for Rand-Whitney after years of searching for a new location in which to expand its equipment, production and workforce in the New Hampshire area. This summer, it will pack up its 45-plus Portsmouth employees and move into the substantially larger building adjacent to specialty food company, Stonewall Kitchen. The relocation is highly anticipated by the company and employees alike, since many of their current personnel already live in Dover and towns north of its location.

Rand-Whitney produces and ships corrugated displays, shipping containers and folding cartons to a variety of industrial and consumer end-users. Since 1938 Rand-Whitney has provided fast turnaround service and innovative solutions, along with broad resources, and award-winning capabilities exceeding demands in the consumer marketplace.

PROCON is a fully integrated in-house design-build firm specializing in industrial, aviation, athletic, commercial, hospitality, institutional, and multi-family residential projects. Celebrating over 80 years of business, PROCON is highly regarded for its single-source design and construction management philosophy and commitment to client success.