In the Loop: June 2022

Message from Adam

The recent warm weather tells us that 2022 is moving along and we seemingly switched right from winter to summer. The year is off to a good start for PDM, and as always, we have a lot going on as a company. Construction of our new precast production and shop buildings continues as we are busy pouring the wall panels, removing a portion of the hollowcore building, and pouring the footings for the new buildings. It will be great to get the project completed to provide more cover for our wall panel crews and to improve the employee space for everyone in the plant.

Business continues to be strong on all sides of our business. Whether it is a large project like Project Morgan, which will require a huge amount of output from our metals plant, or an architectural precast project like The Venue, we have some interesting and beautiful projects coming through. We also have many large warehouse projects that will keep us busy throughout 2022.

As we work at this busy pace, safety remains our top priority. No amount of production or profit is worth putting any employee at risk of significant injury. Of course, while we work safe, we are also working hard to meet our production goals, produce quality product, and do it efficiently. When we talk about being “happy” at work, it is really a combination of all these things. Working with people you respect and who respect you, doing work that is meaningful, and successfully completing that work goes a long ways toward being happy at work.

Above: PDM construction progress and rendering of The Venue

10-Year Anniversary Celebration

PROJECT PROFILE

LEVEL AT BRIDGE DISTRICT
If you’ve noticed the cranes and project being constructed just South of I-235 near the Des Moines River, you may have been looking at Level at Bridge District. PDM is providing precast and steel for this multifamily housing project. This project features precast with a buff integral mix and form liner as well as a stunning cantilever steel upper deck that overlooks the river. When finished this project will provide a beautiful place for members of the community to live.

Support Your Community

We received this from the Make-A-Wish organization about our annual participation in Jolly Holiday Lights. It is nice to see that our participation makes a difference!

“I wanted to personally thank you for your support of Jolly Holiday Lights 2021 and share some numbers that show the impact of your sponsorship!

  • Cars Through the Lights: 22,000+
  • Jolly Holiday Lights Interactive Website: 289,733 Total page views & 12,228 Map page views
  • Marketing and Media: 298 Media Stories & 861,932,570 Viewers
  • Most importantly, the funds raised from this year’s event will help us grant 90 wishes.

We recently granted a wish that has been waiting for a long time. This sweet girl wished to go to Walt Disney World® Resorts, and she and her family had such a wonderful time. Thank you for making wishes like hers come true!”

PROJECT PROFILE

PROJECT MORGAN
Project Morgan is a large data center slated for erection to begin this fall in Waukee. We will be working with Turner Construction, who we have also recently worked with on DMU and multiple Facebook data centers. This project will utilize 1,800 cubic yards of concrete with an acid etch and sandblast finish, and over 1,950 tons of steel. Project Morgan owners are focused on building an efficient facility while doing everything possible to reduce their carbon footprint. Based on plans, this data center will be the first of six on this campus. This is another high-profile project PDM is proud to be a part of.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHTS

Ben Brown

Position: Finished Goods
Year started at PDM: 2021

Q. What do you want to tell us about yourself?
A. I am so excited to be part of the growth of this amazing company. I suffer from huge dream syndrome so don’t be surprised when you see me trying to jump to the stars.

Q. What is something about you that surprises people?
A. People say my voice doesn’t fit my body.

Q. What do you do for fun outside of work?
A. I play a lot of video games and spend time with my son, August and fiancé, Sydni.

Q. Favorite food?
A. If it was 100 degrees in the desert and I was about to die, I would still ask for some Chinese food!

Q. What are you most proud of?
A. Being released from prison and still putting food on the table for my family.

Q. What would you like to do in the future?
A. Build a painting company on the side, like I said big dreams and goals. Anyone who knows me can tell you if I want it, I will find a way.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHTS

Cody Kilhullen

Position: Quality Control Foreman I
Year started at PDM: 2021

Q. What do you want to tell us about yourself?
A. I’m 26. I immediately went into the Air Force out of high school. I did a lot of moving around with that and kind of just ended up in Iowa. I started a life here and actually enjoy the area and the people and what it all has to offer.

Q. What is something about you that surprises people?
A. Typically people are surprised when I tell them I’m from Pennsylvania.

Q. What do you do for fun outside of work?
A. Almost anything outside. I love hunting, fishing, shooting, biking, traveling to snowboard, and riding my one wheel. No, it’s not a unicycle…

Q. Favorite food?
A. Definitely Italian and pb&j.

Q. What are you most proud of?
A. My military career.

Q. What would you like to do in the future?
A. Personally, I’d love to keep working to become a well-rounded outdoorsman and not just someone who hunts or fishes. I would also like to travel to see more of the world and possibly hunt and fish in other countries.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHTS

Michael Kuhns

Position: Senior Project Coordinator
Year started at PDM: 2021

Q. What do you want to tell us about yourself?
A. I’ve been married to my best friend, Tracy, for 20 years and we have two amazing children, Hannah and Peyton, that we are so proud of.

Q. What is something about you that surprises people?
A. That I have worked the majority of my career from home. I have been very blessed to be here every day, to see our kids off to school and to be waiting for them here each day as they grew up. It has been an awesome privilege!

Q. What do you do for fun outside of work?
A. In a word, travel. Every free moment I have with my family, we are piled in the car, exploring western mountains, southern shores or just throwing a fishing line in some watering hole near home.

Q. Favorite food?
A. No question: AUTHENTIC MEXICAN!

Q. What are you most proud of?
A. I’m most proud of turning my life over to Christ. It has made me a better man in every part of my life.

Q. What would you like to do in the future?
A. I’d like to retire to a log cabin on a mountain lake somewhere and spend every day fishing with my best friend!

Privacy Preferences
When you visit our website, it may store information through your browser from specific services, usually in form of cookies. Here you can change your privacy preferences. Please note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our website and the services we offer.