SSOE recently announced that they will be providing design services for BMW’s new 1.2 million SF assembly plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina. SSOE will provide the detail architectural and all civil, structural, mechanical, electrical and fire protection engineering services. Kohlbecker is contracted by BMW and partnered with SSOE.
This plant will be responsible for production of the next-generation X3 Sports Activity Vehicle beginning in 2010. The building is being designed to meet the EPACT 2005 standards for “Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings”. This includes increases in insulation in the walls and roof, efficient lighting systems, high efficiency heating and cooling systems and high efficiency hot water systems.
SSOE is ranked 5th nationally in Automotive Design Firms (ENR, 2008) and has performed design for 50% of all automotive assembly plants built in the US over the last ten years. This includes the Toyota Assembly Plant in Blue Springs, MS currently under construction.
SSOE Wins Deltek ’s First Annual Project Excellence Award for Innovation
SSOE is proud to announce that they have received the Project Excellence Award for Innovation from Deltek, a leading provider of enterprise applications software. The award recognizes outstanding achievements in improving business processes and performance. SSOE won the Innovation Award because of their creative use of Deltek Vision to power their corporate budgeting process. This new system will allow SSOE to streamline internal systems to improve efficiency and lower the overhead costs passed on to clients. It also provides project managers with the most technologically advanced project management systems which will allow them to more carefully track project budgets and schedules and make better decisions to keep clients’ projects on track.
SSOE Wins HR Award of Excellence
SSOE is proud to announce that once again we have been honored for our outstanding Human Resources program in the form of the 2008 Human Resources Award of Excellence from the University of Toledo.This award was presented based on SSOE’s outstanding recruitment program as well as our clear career progression track, industry leading 401(k) and profit sharing plans, flexible benefits program, wellness program and training and development program all resulting in an impressive retention rate—94%.
In 2007, SSOE was also honored as one of the nine “Best AEC Firms to Work For” nationwide by Building Design + Construction Magazine and as one of Crain’s Detroit Business’s “Cool Places to Work.”
GO GO Hybrid Kart
With all the recent talk about high gas prices and environmental concerns, one group of University of Toledo students embarked on a project that takes a small step toward a solution. All UT engineering students are required to complete a hands-on senior design project. This team took on the impressive task of converting a standard SSOE-donated go-kart to a hybrid vehicle. This was accomplished by combining a standard internal combustion engine with a Direct Current electric motor. The design project was successfully completed and showcased in an expo this past May.
SSOE has also donated a go-kart to students at Ohio Northern University for a similar project that will take place next year. SSOE supports higher education through a number of channels. SSOE has pledged over $600,000 to universities nationwide in 2008, and we currently employ more than 80 co-op students across the country.