ABC Company Provides Prefab Surface for Gordie Howe International Bridge
The future of commercial building has always been a fertile ground for new and innovative construction technique and development—International Precast Solutions, LLC (IPS) is no exception. This state-of-the-art commercial prefab concrete company is one of the premier suppliers of the decking system for the new international bridge.
According to Alex Baker, COO for IPS, they are supplying 1,200 prefabricated concrete and stainless-steel rebar decking sections for the 3-year project. This required IPS to create a completely new form assembly line allowing for multiple pours and a minimum of three sections to be built daily.
“This has been the largest project to date that we have been involved in—and that is really saying something,” said Baker. “We provided much of the precast concrete for the Little Caesars Arena, Lifetime Fitness, University of Michigan, Greektown Casino, General Motors to name a few. It is very humbling to have our ‘fingerprints’ all over these major projects in southeast Michigan. Being the largest supplier for the new international crossing is a major source of pride for our team and something we really enjoy being a part of.”
With more than 100 employees, IPS is one of the largest employers in River Rouge and employs most of their workforce from the surrounding communities. According to Renzo Collavino, Vice President of IPS, it is a commitment to their employees and their families they do not take lightly.
“There is a lot at stake when we take on these major projects,” Collavino said. “Certainly, we want to be profitable, but we need to be mindful of the changing needs in our industry and make sure we are investing in and adapting our facility to meet that need. With a team as large as we have here, we need to know well in advance what our next job will be, and more importantly, that each person who works here will continue to have a job. Our employees have made a commitment to give us their best each day and we want to ensure that is rewarded with stable employment—we take that seriously.”
Covering 36-acres in River Rouge, IPS has a large footprint—this is needed to house the number of prefabricated pieces as they cure prior to delivery. In addition, they have their own concrete plant, rail system, and industrial yard cranes to assist in shipping their products all over the country and even the world.
“It can be a bit of a workout to cover our facility, but in prefabricated concrete construction you are dealing with large scale products of immense weight—you need a lot of room to properly produce that,” said Baker. “There are a lot of minds and hands involved in creating our products—from design to fabrication—each as important as the rest. It is that teamwork that makes our quality second to none and what sets us apart from our competitors.”
IPS was formed in June 2008 when PSI, through its U.S. Holding company, purchased the operating assets of an existing precast operation in River Rouge, Michigan. The formation of IPS provided PSI with the capacity and ability to produce architectural precast components. It also gave PSI additional structural precast production capacity and a major manufacturing plant located on the U.S. side of the border. The two companies can now bid complete precast structures by combining products and cross-marketing each other’s products.
Over the years a strong and dedicated management team, with a combined average 25 years of precast experience, has been instrumental in growing these two companies, into a full-service structural & architectural precast operation known as The Prestressed Group.
International Precast Solutions in River Rouge, Michigan is an AltusGroup Precast Producer. Twenty-two members who are leading concrete manufacturers combine resources to develop, manufacture, and market innovations for new concrete products. Their breakthrough C-GRID® carbon fiber grid reinforced CarbonCast® enclosure systems are ideal for precast walls. C-GRID® thinner precast panels and can reduce the weight by up to 50% while offering significantly improved insulation value and durability.
- One of IPS’s many concrete pouring trucks fills up to pour a new bridge deck
