A&R Mechanical Contractors, Inc.

Our team has been working on an HVAC project in West Lafayette, Indiana for a 56,000+ square foot manufacturing and testing facility. There is a large demand for fresh air in these buildings. That along with full climate control means a lot of big ventilation equipment and ductwork. This project has sheet metal workers from local #20 and #218C. Field personnel include Jesse Keller, Gabe Cortapassi, Rich Roth, Carson Woodworth, Dave Mickler, and Kyron Knoth. VDC Ventilation Designer: Brandon Hayes VDC Piping Designer: Matt Anzilotti

Our Service Department recently completed several project phases for Hiffman National. The existing RTUs were in disrepair. Each of the 4 new units came on separate semis. Custom Service Crane, Inc. was on site with a 275-ton crane, as each unit weighed roughly 10,000 lbs. Getting the units down, safely and efficiently, required great communication among the entire crew, as well as the subcontractors. First Street traffic was strategically shut down, for brief moments, to allow us to fly the units over the road. Once the new units were in place, Wes Schell and Jesse Warner completed the start-up process. Field personnel for this phase included Levi Jury, Wes Schell, and Jesse Warner. Calvin Grace and Tyler Mills completed a facelift on the VAVs by replacing the antiquated control valves. Many were leaking and some weren’t hooked up, creating a massive energy loss for the building. Replacing these control valves will allow the building to run more efficiently, put less strain on the boilers, and ultimately create a more comfortable environment for the tenants. We will be able to accurately read and make the necessary adjustments using the Building Automation System in conjunction with Alpha Controls.

Have a safe and happy 4th of July.

Our Team has been working on the Fume Hood Exhaust at Illinois State University. We are currently fabricating the stainless-steel ductwork. The stainless-steel flat metal is cut with our Vicon plasma table, labeled, and assembled/welded to reduce the waste and minimize the onsite material handling. We fabricated the assemblies from field-measured drawings created by our Union sheet metal trades workers. One unique aspect of this project is we program the cut pieces on our in-house plasma cutting table, then form, assemble, and weld each custom piece. This process eliminates having to cut and build each assembly onsite in an uncontrolled environment. Personnel: Mike Anders, Keaton Swalls, and Mike Pearce

Our Project Highlight for June is the Bloomington Readiness Center, in Bloomington, IL. Our Teams are working on plumbing, heating, and sheet metal on this job. -Plumbing is installing underground SWV piping for vehicle maintenance bays, as well as Domestic Water and Natural Gas piping. -Heating is installing underground Geothermal Piping for Radiant Slab system vehicle maintenance work bays, HW piping to Unit Heaters, as well as a VRF Fan Coil Unit system for office areas. Our Subcontractor Alpha Controls is installing the BAS system which controls and monitors all of the HVAC equipment. -Sheet Metal is installing ductwork and equipment for ventilation systems throughout the building, as well as High Velocity, Low Speed fans in the vehicle maintenance work bays.   This project has a state-of-the-art mechanical and piping system for the vehicle maintenance work bays, which includes an Underslab Radiant Heating System, 5 large High Velocity/Low Speed fans, and a Vehicle Exhaust System with hose reels that keep the space from hazardous gases. A unique aspect of this project is the Geothermal Piping was fabricated using Niron Polypropylene pipe/fitting system. Project Manager: Luke Kirby Plumbing Superintendent: Carl Koester Piping Superintendent: Michael Wolken Sheet Metal Superintendent: Solomon Prothero VDC Piping: Matt Anzilotti VDC Plumbing: Brandon Farney VDC Duct: Marcus Jenkins

Our Team completed a crane pick this morning at Illinois State University. This portion of the project consisted of changing out the chemistry and biology fans on the roof as part of the exhaust renovation. Field personnel include Mark Fox, Dave Gudeman, Will Hammer, and Paul Anderson. Custom Service Crane, Inc.

Our Team has been finishing up an addition to the Champaign County Jail. The project consisted of 60 new cell units, exam rooms, indoor and outdoor recreation facilities, and a new mechanical room.   The plumbing scope of work was led by foreman Nick Banda along with newly graduated apprentice Nate Robertson. Their craftsmanship is evident around every corner of the mechanical room.   Due to security requirements, there’s a lot of detail involved that is not common on typical projects. Because of this, projects like these are challenging yet rewarding once complete. Great job Nick and Nate! P.J. Hoerr, Inc.

Our Team has been hanging cooling tower water piping in West Lafayette, IN for facilities that will test jet and helicopter engines for the United States military. Field personnel include Kyle Brown, Russell Ely, and Jeff Mooneyhan. Pepper Construction Group Purdue Research Foundation

From everyone at A&R, we wish you a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend. Our main office will be closed on Monday, May 27th, but our Service Department is always available at 217-819-5188 or servicedept@ar-mech.com.

We had a successful Safety Stand-Down and Employee Appreciation Day yesterday. Thank you to Altorfer Rents, Werner Ladder, Neal Asklund, and Tim Purcell for presenting to 100+ A&R employees. We'd also like to thank the vendors that contributed items to our raffle. It was greatly appreciated. #safety #employeeappreciation