After a behind-the-scenes tour of the Milwaukee Brewers’ Miller Park, where Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) members got to explore Bob Uecker’s press box, the visitor’s clubhouse, dugout and bullpen, two busloads of contractors headed over to the new headquarters of Kujawa Enterprises, Inc. (KEI) in Oak Creek, Wis.
In addition to learning about the $9 million company’s new 42,700-square-foot facility, attendees heard about the firm's successes in safety and inquired about general operations.
A signature KEI orange truck is repaired in the 9,600-square-foot service center. On the left is a staircase to the 15,200-square-foot mezzanine level, which KEI plans to convert into a training room that seats 200. |
KEI, which specializes in landscape design/build, maintenance, interior plant and seasonal decorating services, has 140 full-time employees, including six H2B workers. KEI services greater Milwaukee, including 25 miles north of the city, south to the Illinois border and west to Madison, Wis., with the help of two satellite locations.
KEI’s headquarters, completed in 2003, is an atypical landscape facility. The company consulted with its developer and property management clients prior to construction, and decided to design the building as an investment, rather than a custom landscape facility. The result is a general multi-purpose structure that willl one day be attractive for prospects in a variety of industries to lease or purchase.
Members of the Kujawa family and supporting staff led four tour groups around the building, which has a 32,000 square-foot footprint – 9,600 square feet each for the office area and service center; the warehouse, workshop and greenhouse areas encompass 12,800 square feet. Another 15,200 square feet on the mezzanine level brings the total usable floor space to nearly 50,000 square feet. The mezzanine currently serves as storage space, but KEI plans to turn the area into conference and training space that seats 200 people.
The material holding yard serves as a storage area for annuals that KEI keeps on hand throughout the season in case damage requires flowers to be replaced. |
Behind the facility, dozens of KEI’s signature orange trucks are lined up in the depot. Behind the truck area, the material holding yard takes up another several acres. In the yard, KEI uses 12 large storage containers to hold seed, salt, fertilizer and other materials. Cement blocks create holding bins for mulch and stones. The yard also serves as a storage area for annuals that KEI keeps on hand throughout the season in case damage requires flowers to be replaced. KEI purchases about 15 semis a year of flowers.
The holiday decorating and greenhouse area, which stores hundreds of plants awaiting installation at KEI’s interior accounts, takes up one corner of the building. The interior and holiday side accounts for 12 percent of KEI’s business. About 40 percent is maintenance, 44 percent is design/build/installation and 4 percent is commercial equipment sales.
The service center, which takes up another fifth of the facility, is operated by a handful of mechanics and a fleet manager. In addition to repairing and maintaining KEI’s vehicles and equipment, the service center staff generates work from the outside – as KEI is a dealer of Hustler parts and products.
SAFETY FIRST. Throughout the tour, it was evident that safety is front of mind at KEI. Employees wore safety glasses and a sign touting 395 days without a loss-time accident is displayed prominently outside of the employee commons entrance. Vice President Joe Kujawa explained that a poor safety record in 2003 caused management to reevaluate safety procedures. KEI implemented and enforced safety policies such as mandatory steel-toed boots, ear protection, safety glasses and a using a spotter when backing any vehicle.
A sign touting 395 days without a loss-time accident is displayed prominently outside of the employee commons entrance. |
Incentive programs like “Safety Bingo” have help to rejuvenate and sustain the safety program. At spring start-up, each employee is issued a Bingo card. For every day that passes without an incident, a number is pulled. Employees that get “Bingo” receive prizes (typically gift cards) valued at $30. On days when minor incidents occur, no Bingo number is pulled and an explanation of the incident is posted. Major accidents end the game. New cards are distributed and the game starts over.
KEI established a new safety-related program in 2006. In an effort to start off the day with a safety focus, management instituted a stretching program. At 7 a.m., employees gather in the yard for three to five minutes of stretching, followed by an informational tailgate meeting or safety message. In addition to the physical benefits of stretching and making KEI's insurance provider happy, Joe Kujawa pointed out that the stretching program also has created a greater sense of camaraderie among employees who start the day doing an activity together. A focus on safety has resulted in a reduction of eye injuries from eight in 2003 to zero the following year and a reduction of overall safety incidents by 83 percent.
Throughout the facility, “MAGIS” is conspicuous on signage and employee apparel. “Magis” is a Jesuit term adopted by Vice President Chris Kujawa’s alma matter, Marquette University, and in turn by KEI. Employees explain that the word means to “exceed, excel, go above and beyond” in everything you do.
It looks like KEI is heading in the right direction.