Story

Kent Companies was hired to provide a turnkey concrete package for the new World Headquarters for the Whirlpool Corporation located in Benton Harbor, Michigan.  Because of unstable soils, this 110,000 square foot three story structure is built on h-piles capped with concrete grade beams and pile caps.  A structural steel frame with a concrete slab on metal deck comprises the remainder of the structure.  The project began in late December 2010.  This timing of the start of construction, along with the fact that the project is located on the Lake Michigan shoreline, presented some weather challenges that Kent overcame to complete its scope of work.  Kent was responsible for providing all heating and weather protection for installation of the slabs on metal deck for the entire structure.  A high water table was also a factor in the forming and pouring strategies Kent used to accomplish this job.  Due to the ingenuity of Kent’s field staff, despite the weather conditions and rising water, the foundations were completed on schedule.