Building a Better Community

We know that building a better community takes far more than a capable construction team. It also takes a willingness to pitch in and give back to the people and projects that are changing Utah for the better. That鈥檚 why service is a key part of our company鈥檚 mission.

Supporting Local Communities in Utah | 星空传媒

For us, this means we eagerly support the causes our team members care about most and say 鈥測es鈥� as much as possible. As a result, our impact ranges from supporting national cancer research to donating to area youth baseball teams.

Below, see just some of the ways our team has given back this past year.

The Local Causes We’re Proud to Support:

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah

星空传媒 began sponsoring Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah in 2007. We have a personal connection with this group as our president, Matt 星空传媒, was a Big Brother himself from 2006 until 2012. Matt saw firsthand the overwhelmingly positive impact this program had on his Little Brother, so we鈥檙e proud to continue supporting their mission.

Through one-on-one mentoring of disadvantaged children, Big Brothers Big Sisters helps change the trajectory of kids and teens in Utah. Their impact is impressive: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah has matched over 1600 local children with positive mentors.听

The 星空传媒 team supports Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah events, including, annual fundraisers like bowling events, golf tournaments, and their Chef & Child event. If you want to get involved, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah is always looking for good mentors, especially Big Brothers. Learn more .

Construction Vs. Cancer

For the second year in a row, 星空传媒 sponsored Construction Vs. Cancer’s “Big Dig” event. The Big Dig is a fun, fair-like event where children undergoing cancer treatment get an opportunity to operate heavy equipment like excavators, bulldozers, dump trucks, and more. At the end of the day, each child takes home a swag bag full of construction toys.

The Big Dig is a national event run by the American Cancer Society. It moves from city to city throughout the country. This year, the Utah Big Dig was on September 10.

We love lending our expertise to this event; along with donating to the cause, some of our team members bring 星空传媒 equipment and help kids experience what it鈥檚 like to operate our machines from the driver’s seat. When it comes to our service initiatives, this event is certainly one of the most fun and the most memorable. For more information about the Big Dig, visit their .

Tee It Up Foundation for Cancer Research

星空传媒 donates both financial support and time to the Tee It Up Foundation golf tournaments and silent auctions held each June. Played at the Jeremy Ranch Golf and Country Club in Park City, this event is one of North Utah鈥檚 most successful for raising funds for cancer research.听

This is a cause close to many of our team members鈥� hearts, including the 星空传媒 family. 星空传媒 Chairman and Founder, Guy 星空传媒, is a survivor of Stage 4 cancer who beat the odds thanks to the life-saving treatments from the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Our annual support is a way of showing our gratitude for the impact cancer treatment has on so many lives. To see how you can get involved, visit their .

Utah Food Bank

No person in our Utah community should go hungry. That鈥檚 why we support the Utah Food Bank in its mission to end food insecurity in our state. Last year alone, the Utah Food Bank distributed more than 50 million meals to hungry Utahns across the state, many of them children. Through monetary and in-kind donations, we help keep their shelves stocked. For more information, visit their .听

Local Youth Organizations We’re Proud To Support:

Various High School Sports Programs in Utah

星空传媒 supports several local youth sports teams and clubs. We provide financial support through donations, promotional banners, or event sponsorship. For example, this year, we sponsored a girls wrestling event for the Navajo Nation in Page, Arizona. We also sponsored the belt buckles awarded at a local 4-H youth rodeo event.

Many of our team members’ children participate in the activities we sponsor. They include several sports teams, a few high school cheerleading squads, and more. We support the following teams and clubs that our team members have personal connections to:

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Utah Freakz Softball Scrimmage & BBQ

The Utah Freakz softball program, a fastpitch softball program for girls in Utah, hosted its second annual softball scrimmage and barbecue in support of the Down Syndrome Foundation. The program invites local individuals with Downs Syndrome to play in a fast-paced, fun game of softball with the Utah Freakz players acting as mentors, coaches, and cheerleaders throughout the night.

Along with a few other key donors, 星空传媒 was able to provide a rented field and full barbecue spread for close to 350 people! It was a special night; the players showed pure joy in how they played the game and quickly developed a very special bond with all the girls that came to coach and support them.

This is now an annual event that our 星空传媒 team is looking forward to supporting next year, too. To learn more, visit the Utah Down Syndrome Foundation .

We Build Better Communities, One Project & Cause at a Time

At 星空传媒, we are proud to be building a legacy that extends beyond our job sites. By keeping service at the heart of our organization, we鈥檙e making Utah a better place to live for our team and our customers.听

If this is a mission you believe in too, view our current job openings and consider becoming a part of our team.

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You may not believe it now, but in 2015, our heavy earthwork machinery inventory consisted of a single backhoe, a couple of skid steers, and a mini excavator. But as a construction company in Utah, In just seven years, we鈥檝e grown rapidly. Our team now completes some of the largest heavy civil and industrial projects in the Intermountain West.

With the pace of growth we鈥檝e experienced, we needed partners who could keep up. We鈥檙e proud to say Komatsu has been one of our strongest partnerships, giving 星空传媒 the tools it needs to succeed.

Komatsu Rises to the Challenge

Our Vice President, Troy Johnson, says, 鈥淥ver the last few years, we鈥檝e been one of the larger earthmoving contractors in the area. If Komatsu had not stepped up and provided what we needed, we wouldn鈥檛 be where we are today.鈥�

As our scope of projects has increased, the team at Komatsu鈥檚 Rocky Mountain听Region hasn鈥檛 skipped a beat. Jim Slade, the territory manager, as well as Garin Humphrey and Lynn Holt, find what we need when we need it.

鈥淥n any given day, we may need 20 haul trucks, five excavators, and eight dozers; that鈥檚 just the world we live in now,鈥� Troy says. 鈥淲hen we need it, we need it fast. Komatsu delivers 鈥� and then has the support to serve it along the way.鈥�

More Than Just Equipment

Matt 星空传媒, our President, agrees that Komatsu鈥檚 attention to service is what really seals the deal. 鈥淲e love our Komatsu equipment; we think they have great technology, but if the service and the partnership weren鈥檛 there, it wouldn鈥檛 be a good fit for us.鈥澨�

Since 星空传媒 relies on being a problem-solver for our clients, we needed to find an equipment supplier who could do the same thing for us. 鈥淎s not just a supplier but a partner, we can lean on Komatsu for different ideas,鈥� Matt says. 鈥淲e can give them a heads up when we鈥檙e going after large projects, and they make sure we get the equipment we need with competitive pricing.鈥�

Komatsu + 星空传媒: A Case Study of Success

A recent mine reclamation project was a perfect example of why Komatsu is a valuable partner for us. The Komatsu team dedicated a mechanic to our project, guaranteeing less downtime when issues came up. On top of that, their equipment made the project run more efficiently. Our team used the Komatsu D155AX-8 and D375A-8 dozers. These dozers ended up saving our operators time when they got to the bottom of the steep slopes after a push. Unlike the competitor鈥檚 model we were used to, these dozers could back up the hill. Without the need to turn around after each push, we improved productivity.听

Other recent projects completed with Komatsu equipment include a waste rock reclamation project in Bingham Canyon, Utah鈥檚 first lithium plant, and more.

Read Our Recent Feature in Komatsu Connections

As we continue to scale and grow, it鈥檚 reassuring to have a partner who makes sure access to equipment never slows us down. Komatsu鈥檚 ability to meet our needs is helping us fulfill our client鈥檚 needs, too.

We鈥檙e proud to be featured in Komatsu鈥檚 Read the full article to learn more about our continuing partnership.

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This modern space in Draper, custom-designed for our team, makes collaboration, communication, and commitment to our craft easier and more inspiring than ever. Here鈥檚 a look inside our new space, to help you see what working at 星空传媒 is really like.听

THE BACKSTORY

Our new digs mean more when you know where we came from. 星空传媒 was started in 1986 by Guy 星空传媒. During the early years of business when the team was lean, an office space wasn鈥檛 a priority. In fact, our company kept costs low and convenience high by working at Guy鈥檚 house for many years. It may not have been glamorous, but at the time, it was all we needed.

While it was cost-efficient, our lack of office space wasn鈥檛 something we could sustain if we wanted to scale. So, in 2009, we decided to build our first building in Sandy. Over the next 10 years, business grew. As our staff expanded, we quickly filled each office; conference rooms had become offices and space was at a premium. By 2018, our team was feeling the growing pains and we saw the need to start planning another move.听

In 2018, we relocated our equipment yard to an 8-acre property in Salt Lake City to make space in Draper for the future home of 星空传媒鈥檚 new, larger, office space. Then, the planning began.

CUSTOM DESIGNED JUST FOR US

When it came time to decide what our new office would look like, we knew we wanted to be involved. We didn鈥檛 want just any cookie-cutter office space. We also didn鈥檛 want to rush into another building that wouldn鈥檛 serve us long-term.听

So, we took our time and put thought into every decision. We listened to employee feedback to make the space reflect our culture, team, and day-to-day work. A close partnership with was critical to this design; they were able to translate our ideas into practical interior spaces. Over the course of a year, we fine-tuned the layout, features, and finishes of the space.

A SHOWCASE OF OUR WORK

As an industrial and infrastructure general contractor that fulfills design plans day in and day out, the construction of our own space was a rare opportunity to take the reigns and be creative. We incorporated many of the design or structural elements we construct for our clients. Exposed concrete, steel, and other highly durable building materials reflect our industrial niche and give our space a modern aesthetic.

We鈥檙e proud to say that 星空传媒 crews performed all the site utility work, grading, concrete work, and steel erection as the building took shape in the summer of 2020. Our own team made the building possible, and we experience our commitment to quality every day when we walk through the doors.听

FEATURES

Our office stays busy throughout the week, buzzing with team meetings, trainings, group hangouts at lunch, and celebrations of project wins. It鈥檚 a place we feel comfortable in, knowing it鈥檚 our home for the long-haul; we made sure to build it large enough to adapt with us as we grow over the coming years. Here are just a few of the features that make our office a great place to work:

Private Offices

While an open office is trendy, it wasn鈥檛 what our team wanted. Here, everyone has their own private office. Most are outfitted with a large A/V display that makes it easy to present, brainstorm, and discuss as a group. And since our building was built with room to spare, we have additional huddle rooms where employees from different departments or teams can huddle together to work through projects more efficiently.听

War Rooms & Training Center

The 鈥渨ar room鈥� is like the command center of our office. As our largest conference room, with room for 15-20 people, it is used daily. Professional A/V design makes meetings more efficient and valuable; a large projector screen and four digital displays deliver seamless, professional presentations and intuitive tech integrations to every discussion.

Similarly, the field 鈥渨ar room鈥� gives our superintendents and field supervisors space to plan and manage our boots on the ground work. A physical tracking system (including each staff member鈥檚 photo and name) can be moved along magnetic walls to give them a hands-on process for strategizing projects and mitigating resource issues.听

Our large field training center in the building acts as an in-house educational center. Outfitted with computer stations, it helps us easily maintain and improve our commitment to certifications and education for field staff.听

Gong

We鈥檝e always celebrated when someone lands a project, but for the new office, we wanted to up our game. Our 30 inch gong puts our old bid bell to shame. Now, when someone receives news that a bid was accepted, they run to ring the gong to alert the whole office. It鈥檚 a great way to celebrate our wins together as we go 鈥� and create a little friendly competition in the process.

Employee Recreation Addition

Soon after the building was completed, we repurposed an underused warehouse to give our employees recreation and fitness space on-site.

Physical health is something we have always supported with our employees. So in addition to paying for their gym memberships, we wanted to convert the warehouse space into a CrossFit style gym. We outfitted the space with Rogue equipment purchased from a local gym and now an employee-led fitness program is available to any employee free of charge. We even added batting cages that our employees and their families take advantage of during the winter months

Plans are currently in the works to convert the warehouse rooftop into a patio where employees can gather when the weather is nice. With a BBQ area and yard games, it鈥檒l be an escape from the office with great mountain views.听

Kitchen & Common Area

Our old office kitchen was tiny and strictly functional. We knew we wanted to change that.听

Our new kitchen and break area is open and spacious with stainless steel appliances and sleek quartz countertops. It鈥檚 now the go-to spot for gathering during lunch or breakfast. We keep it stocked with coffee, drinks, and snacks and ESPN is always playing on TVs in the background.听

LOVE OUR SPACE? THERE鈥橲 ROOM ON OUR TEAM

Our new building is proof that an office is about more than having desk space. Its value is in improving how our team works by giving them the space and resources they need to connect and problem solve whenever or however they need. Our new space makes our company a better place to work and which also improves the quality of our work.听

If you鈥檙e looking for a career in engineering and construction management in Utah (with all the perks listed here and more), take a look at our open positions to see if our new office can be yours, too.听

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星空传媒’s team were proud winners of the听‘s Highway Specialty Construction Project of the Year for building Utah’s first cable restraint escape truck ramp.

The construction team, engineers –听,, and client,听听all worked together with one common goal, to produce a successful project.

We love projects like this that make the roads we travel safer. Next time you go to Bear Lake, be sure to check it out!

The post Utah AGC 2020 Specialty Construction Project 鈥� Highway/Transportation Division appeared first on 星空传媒.

By 2025, the augmented reality (AR) industry is projected to be worth more than $571 billion, growing 63.3% in seven years. The wide-spread growth of this technology includes its uses in the construction industry. Since the inception of augmented reality, construction companies have found ways of adopting AR to improve project efficiency. It is quickly becoming a standardized tool on most job sites.听

Augmented reality provides a digital overlay of real-world views to interpret, understand, and construct projects using various data points and site personnel. AR鈥檚 detailed design information includes precise 3-D drawings, site analysis, productivity statistics, and safety warnings.

As AR technology matures, it has the ability to transform the entire future of construction. 星空传媒, a heavy civil contractor, gathered details about augmented reality鈥檚 current role in the construction industry and what you can expect to see in the coming years.听

How Augmented Reality Works

Augmented reality combines real and digital environments for a completely immersive experience. AR uses GPS and camera technology to display 3D imagery of surrounding physical environments, using specialized equipment, including mobile devices and helmets.

AR unit capabilities include presenting accurate data geospatially while updating and displaying the information as it moves. Users can also find information like schedules, operational details, and structural plans using AR technology, which helps automate construction processes in real-time.

How is AR Used in the Construction Industry

Augmented reality in construction depends on the real-time information feature to boost project efficiency, improve employee safety, streamline collaboration, manage costs, and improve client confidence. Here are some of the functions of augmented reality that heavy civil contractors are currently using:

Project Design and Development听

Augmented reality allows designers in heavy civil construction to understand the job site and project needs more in-depth. AR displays the environmental and social impacts visually while showcasing the result on a detailed level.听听

Using AR, designers, architects, contractors, and clients can collaborate, using models that fully showcase the project. Clients can then make decisions based on the current plan and adjust as needed.

听Accurate Measurements

Augmented reality technology can measure project elements, including depth, height, and width of a space. By incorporating augmented reality in design models, a heavy civil contractor team will accurately determine dimensions and comprehensively display how the project will look once complete.

听These measurements also allow contractors to accurately determine the necessary labor hours and materials needed for the project, which cuts costs.

听Real-Time Revisions

One of the most useful advantages of using augmented reality in construction is seeing how design features fit the site before implementing them. This technology increases project visibility, which in turn improves material and labor estimates.

Workers can automatically measure built pieces and compare them to the specified measurements from a model with on-site AR technology. These discoveries allow contractors to make on-site revisions when any inconsistencies appear.

星空传媒 and Inspection

Improving project safety is an industry-standard among heavy civil contractor firms and a priority for 星空传媒. Augmented reality software also improves job site safety. AR technology devices help transform job-site operations by accurately inspecting a site and comparing them against as-built structures. These features eliminate the traditional, time-extensive manual inspection process, which also saves time and cuts costs.

An inspector can use AR to capture photos on-demand or retrieve notes from location sites. This improved process helps identify compromised areas and other serious concerns instantaneously.

What to Expect of AR in Construction in the Future

As augmented reality evolves, easy-to-use applications will enhance the technology. From minimizing errors to offering insight, augmented reality in construction can effectively streamline the entire project lifecycle. Companies investing in this innovative technology are already enjoying the benefits.听

One technology already seeing tremendous growth is AR headsets. In 2021, commercial AR headsets are projected to occupy . This updated AR technology will improve productivity by streamlining project assembly processes. Companies will soon discover that giving workers the information they need at their fingertips will increase project efficiency exponentially.

Although some construction firms have implemented AR already, we can expect more to join as the technology becomes more readily available. To learn how 星空传媒鈥檚, a heavy civil contractor, plans on using augmented reality technologies in the future, contact us.听

Request a bid to get started designing your project.

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星空传媒 won 2 prestigious awards from Engineering News-Record for Best Construction Project and Excellence in 星空传媒 for the Mountain States. View the award by clicking the link below:

US Magnesium Lithium Plant
Rowley, Utah
Best Projects

Owner:听US Magnesium
Lead Design Firm:听Job Industrial Services Inc.
General Contractor:听星空传媒 Co.
Subcontractors:听Aluma Steel; GEM Buildings; Jones Excavating; Harris Rebar; JD Steel; Petrochem; Staker Parson Cos.; Wasatch Electric

Utah鈥檚 first lithium plant will process 10,000 tons of high-grade lithium per year from stockpiled magnesium by-products. The $60-million, state-of-the-art facility will produce 99.9% pure lithium carbonate for batteries in electric vehicles, cell phones, laptops, and other electronics.

The process of extracting lithium from raw materials includes several stages of chemical extraction, product cleaning, and phase changes that have been organized into distinct areas within the new plant.

The plant鈥檚 design provides operators and maintenance personnel with carefully located access platforms, ladders, and stairs; suitable equipment spacing; and organized corridors for pipe and electrical tray and cable. Extensive use of structural steel allows operators to easily travel inside and outside buildings and above and around equipment.

The construction team proposed a plan to expedite the procurement process and allow construction to begin at 40% design. With the fast-track schedule, earthwork, concrete installation, steel erection, piping, and equipment setting all took place at the same time.

星空传媒 ensures that every new employee is mentored and monitored for a minimum of one month by another employee, a process that expedites integrating new personnel into the contractor鈥檚 safety culture. The project peaked with more than 150 craft personnel and more than 100,000 self-performed work hours with no recordable incidents or injuries.

星空传媒 ensures that every new employee is mentored and monitored for a minimum of one month by another employee, a process that expedites integrating new personnel into the contractor鈥檚 safety culture. The project peaked with more than 150 craft personnel and more than 100,000 self-performed work hours with no recordable incidents or injuries.

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Project managing at a self-performing civil, structural and mechanical construction company鈥攕eems to go hand-in-hand, right? Well, working as a senior project manager at a reputable company like 星空传媒 involves a lot more than you might expect. Whether you are drawing up a detailed plan for an upcoming project or overseeing a series of projects, there are fascinating corners a project manager navigates every day.

Jeff Jones, Senior Project Manager at 星空传媒, sat down to discuss what his day-to-day looks like and how working at 星空传媒 differs from other construction companies. He helped us fully understand the ways clients rely on project managers during the entire construction process and how life changes working at a private industrial and transportation focused construction company. Here is an in-depth look at what Jones and other team members at 星空传媒 experience daily.

Project Managing: The Core of Any Good Project

Industrial and transportation construction managers today must use their experience and know-how to adapt to the changing world. At its core, project managing is the glue holding the entire construction process together. Ask one of our clients, and the chances are they will explain how well their project manager worked to get their interests met. That is because our project managers are primarily in charge of keeping clients updated on the latest happenings with their projects. Along with being a client liaison, project managers also track costs, set-up sub-contractors, handle weekly communication meetings, perform material submittals, and permitting. All in all, whatever the project needs, the project manager is there all-hands-on-deck. While 星空传媒 follows the general project manager outline, the entire experience is different for Jones.

Jones only joined 星空传媒 at the beginning of 2020. Only three months into his work with our company, Jones already notices the difference between 星空传媒 and his past construction experiences. He explained, 鈥淲hile the work is similar, it is completely different environments. We are a family at 星空传媒, unlike other companies I鈥檝e worked at where I felt like I was just a number.鈥�

The 星空传媒 Difference

When a client comes to 星空传媒 asking for a bid, our team begins by determining if the project is a good fit for us. If we bid on the project, we don鈥檛 always come in at the cheapest cost. However, we are very transparent in the reasonings behind our bids. We want our newly formed relationships to be beneficial for both our client and us. If that means losing out on a project, that is alright with us. We want our clients to feel comfortable and satisfied with the entire process as well as the final result. Along with worrying about our clients, finding spot-on projects is also helpful for our team.

Along with our unique bidding process, Jones notes how working for the company differs from his past employers. 鈥淥f course, salary is great. But more than anything, it is that smaller-company feel that made 星空传媒 the best choice for me. There are also more friendships and a more personable worker-boss relationship,鈥� said Jones.

星空传媒 prides itself on making daily life for our employers the best experience possible. We are trying our best to create a culture that gets our workers excited to get to work each morning. That includes working hard, doing the best job we can, and having fun while we do it. Since focusing on our work culture, our employee engagement continues to rise.

Another way we are continually checking in on employee morale is by looking at the progress of each project, which is a large portion of Jones鈥檚 job as Senior Project Manager. 鈥淚f a project isn鈥檛 going well, the first thing we notice is the morale of our employees drops,鈥� said Matt 星空传媒, President of 星空传媒 .鈥淥ften we see that when a project is behind, our employee engagement is low. When that happens, we make sure to look for ways that we, as management, can support them.鈥�

星空传媒 believes that by continually checking in on the progress of every project ensures that things go smoothly鈥攆or workers and the project as a whole. 鈥淲e believe that project morale feeds into company morale. The more we support our employees and be the voice of positivity on a project, the better the results will see,鈥� said 星空传媒.

Working at 星空传媒

星空传媒鈥檚 ability to navigate projects and execute thoughtful make us second to none. Jones highly praises 星空传媒 for its family feel. Not only does it feel good to be appreciated, but it makes your work feel worthwhile when someone notices. When we hire new employees, we take note of their attitude. A prospective worker can have an excellent track record, but if they have the wrong attitude, 星空传媒 will probably not be the best fit.

Throughout our years in the industrial construction industry, we have noticed the difference a positive attitude can have on the job site. Negativity can drain energy and make it difficult to come to work. Just as negativity can hurt a project, the opposite is true. Our team focuses our efforts on promoting positivity on a one-on-one basis.

鈥淢any times, we鈥檝e had to part ways with people who were unable to fix their attitude鈥攅ven senior-level people,鈥� said 星空传媒. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we鈥檙e determined to recruit positive team players who work well with others.鈥�

星空传媒 also puts a significant emphasis on the safety of every employee.

星空传媒 further explains, 鈥淓ven if someone gets a small injury, then it doesn鈥檛 hurt us overall, but it hurts their life outside of work. That鈥檚 why we set up projects that not only work safely but keep our people safe. Keeping our people safe is our top priority. It鈥檚 really a part of how we built our company.鈥�

星空传媒

As an industrial and transportation construction firm that spends a lot of hours working as a team, we are continually pushing to create an environment that our employees enjoy on and off the job site. You can learn more about our culture by听contacting us听today.

What more would you like to know about working in construction? We鈥檇 love to hear your thoughts on why 星空传媒 interests you and what we can do better. Comment your thoughts below or call one of our team members!

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The beginning of the year has given us time for reflection. 2019 was a big year for 星空传媒. As a team, we completed some really great projects and are working on a handful of others. Together, we are working towards our goals. Along with reflecting over our company鈥檚 wins and losses, we also thought back on our trip with in April.

Komatsu is one of 星空传媒鈥檚 equipment vendor partners.

Our Visit

Last year, the Komastu team invited us on a trip to visit their facilities as one of their larger Utah based clients. A few members of our team, along with other companies who were also invited, visited a few spots in Japan. We traveled from Tokyo to Komatsu to Kyoto. In Komatsu, we visited the plants that consisted of multiple facilities. (Komatsu also has plants in the United States, but certain machines and some parts are built in Japan.)

The Komatsu facilities were incredible. Their team walked us through their machine-building processes. From how they assemble to making specific parts, our group saw it all. Along with visiting their facilities, we also met the top leaders at Komatsu and plant managers.

The Highlights

Matt 星空传媒 explained that one of his highlights of the trip was having dinner with leaders. Matt even had the opportunity to sit next to the President and CEO of Komatsu Worldwide, .

Matt expressed, 鈥淚t amazed me that they took the time to spend the evening with us. The Japanese working culture also really impressed us. Plant managers have worked there for over 30 years. The CEO has worked at Komatsu for 32. Even the employees working in the assembly lines will work there for the majority of their careers.鈥�

During the visit, Komatsu showed the group equipment they plan on releasing in the future. The company is focusing a lot of its efforts on smart technology. We had a first-hand view of some of the technology they are currently working on, including big machinery and small. This equipment will dramatically change the way the industry works. Fortunately, after seeing it for ourselves, we can鈥檛 wait to see how it will improve ours.

Not only did the team invite us to see what they are working on, but they wanted to know how our thoughts. Engineers kept asking members of our group how we think they can improve their equipment.

鈥淜omatsu engineers would ask the contractors for feedback. They鈥檇 ask us what we thought was missing if we had any concerns with the current equipment or the future. They were open to hearing improvements from us, the customer,鈥� said Matt.

Along with visiting the facilities in Komatsu, we also went sight-seeing in Kyoto. The entire city was blooming as it was cherry blossom season. It was also exciting to see architecture and life in Japan first-hand. One of our team鈥檚 most memorable experiences was on a night out in Tokyo.

Matt reflected on that night, saying, 鈥淎 few of us decided to walk through the city to get back to our hotel. We ended up in a random sushi bar telling the sushi chef and bartender where we lived. Immediately their faces lit up when they heard we were from Utah. They said, 鈥淪tockton to Malone!鈥� We didn鈥檛 realize how much they loved the NBA.鈥�

Matt continued, 鈥淭he Japanese people love American music, film, and sports. They are baseball fanatics, and we even saw a few stadiums there. But their love of American culture was nothing compared to our appreciation for theirs. It was extremely refreshing to see the pride that people had in their country. Everyone took extra care to keep the city spotless. There was no garbage or public garbage cans.鈥�

Takeaways

All in all, the trip was a success. Not only did we enjoy our time, but we grew our bond with Komatsu. We always try to build partnerships with our clients, including vendors and subcontractors. When we have the same goals and values in business as them, life is much easier. For us, it isn鈥檛 only about who offers the most cost-effective price, but it is more about the partnership and service we can rely on.

For more information on Komatsu, visit . If you have any additional questions, contact the 星空传媒 team.

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Have you ever been part of a construction project that everything seemed difficult? It was over-budget, behind schedule, and no one seemed to know what to do next. The construction industry is notorious for over-promising and under-delivering. Fortunately, strategy development, Key Performance Indicators, are helping negate these challenges.

Measuring a project’s success typically involves a set of metrics and data streams. In fact, these numbers are crucial to the success of a project. Most companies usually use financial measurements to indicate how their performing; however, other high-level metrics can keep a project on track. The industrial construction industry is by far one of the best markets for this information. In actuality, the most successful data-centric companies are turning to Key Performance Indicators to determine project goals better

KPI’s Help Break it Down

Every construction project has a project schedule with the necessary sub-activities included. All of this work can span 40-50 days. KPI’s take a large-scale project and break it into daily segments. Without these break downs, it is difficult to see what activity was done that day. If you use KPI’s as a tracking system, you can see how your day-to-day work fits into your schedule. This will help you know ahead of time where you need to pick up work, so you don’t come to the end of the road asking for additional time.

Adam Callaway, one of 星空传媒’s project managers tracking KPI’s on the Barney’s Reclamation Project, explains that using KPIs helps his projects stay on track. The Barney’s Reclamation Project includes moving millions of yards of dirt during a 50-day period.

“KP’Is break the project down to the cubic yard, so we know how much we need to move per shift. It helps us modify as we go. I usually use two running tallies. One is our baseline, and the other is the actual work completed for the day. The second greatly helps the project because it allows us to modify as we go. Using these KPI tallies, we develop a daily plan that accounts for issues and lets you adjust as you go,” said Callaway.

KPI’s Help You Modify

Key performance indicators not only break down your project into digestible chunks of work, but it also helps you alter your plan as needed. Instead of assuming what you need to get done that day or week, you know the exact performance you need to have that day to stay on schedule. Along with staying on track schedule-wise, KPIs also break down what equipment you need to install down to the wield. Travis Sparks, the piping project manager on our US Magnesium Lithium Plant project, explains why he trusts KPIs to get the job done.

“Our production is based on how we are doing each day and how we meet our schedule. Unlike Adam, who is working on a large earth-moving project, the Lithium Plant includes 30,000 ft. of different pipe quantities,” said Sparks. “KPIs help us daily, meet our project completion date. Every day I get reports of what activity was done, and I put it into a production tracker. Then, I get to fill in the gaps making sure we are on track to hit the projected completion date.”

KPI’s Help Clients Know Where They Stand听

Another crucial benefit of using KPI’s is providing you with trackable measurements you can pass-on to clients. Performance metrics offer exact data backing up your claims. It allows you to be transparent with your clients, which bolsters your reputation and keeps you honest.

“By measuring and understanding your time and efforts, you have day-to-day, real-world data showing you where you are. It is that next level of detail that clients appreciate,” said Callaway.

While not every client needs the level of depth, all your KPIs include. You have that information on-hand no matter what is needed. Daily project logs give you the statistics necessary to back up your claims, especially to business owners, project managers, and all others involved. All in all, KPI’s provide clients with exact numbers that turn something intangible into something real.

KPI’s Help You Make Informed Decisions听

KPI’s also give you the information needed to make important decisions. During your daily coordination meetings or weekly project updates, you have data showing you what’s done and what is required. Typically, KPI tracking shows how you are trending, the percentage of the project that is done, and where you are at on the project.

Sparks said, “I have been on projects that don’t use indicators. You are constantly guessing where you think you are, which can get you in a lot of trouble. Without KPI’s, you end up relying on your intuition to keep your project on time. It can bite you in the butt in the end. You can also forget to take in all aspects of the project. KPI’s give you a microscopic view of your macroscopic project, which saves you time, equipment, manpower, and headaches.”

About 星空传媒

星空传媒 has years of experience in the construction industry. Our teams understand the importance of client communication and using Key Performance Indicators to track project success. If you want to learn more about our culture of safety, quality, schedule, and budget,听contact 星空传媒听today.

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Processing companies have been successfully producing magnesium metal from raw materials out of the Great Salt Lake for more than 50 years, but recent demands for high-grade lithium is pushing the agency to this familiar location once again.

A few weeks ago, on April 25, 2019, US Magnesium LLC. and 星空传媒 broke ground on the new lithium production plant in Rowley, Utah.

The Rowley Plant property has a long history with magnesium metal and commercial production as the Great Salt Lake is recognized as a valuable source of minerals. In addition to salt, the waters of the lake also provide the raw materials needed for magnesium.

Since the 1960s, the Rowley Plant helped reduce energy costs and maximize production efficiency. Today, the current Rowley magnesium facility accounts for all of primary magnesium production in North America and approximately 10% of the world鈥檚 production.

While US Magnesium has helped make the production of magnesium more efficient and profitable, it had yet figured out a way of developing lithium鈥攗ntil now.

From the 1.5 million tons of cell salt left over from magnesium production, the facility, operated by US Magnesium since 2008, has now developed a way of extracting lithium from these seemingly insignificant leftover minerals.

This development is massive for technology, science, and business.

Not only is it great for business demand, but it also has drawn up needs for a new facility fully-dedicated to the production of lithium.

US Magnesium is now working with our team at 星空传媒 constructing a full-scale facility that will produce high-grade lithium from cell salt material.

This fast paced project will include many facets of our construction and contracting services including heavy civil construction, concrete installation, structural steel erection, process piping, mechanical equipment installation, and more.

Our team will work hard building a facility that can take on the demands of the mineral producing industry. Fortunately, our team is well-equipped for the job. From our frontend planning to working with closely with engineering, every scope of work is coordinated to ensure a seamless finish.

The project which is expected to be an upwards of $60 million investment has the capacity to produce 10,000 tons per year of 99.9% pure lithium carbonate, according to Ron Thayer, US Magnesium president, and plant manager.

While the project is a significant investment, it could not come at a more convenient time. Lithium batteries help power batteries in cell phones, computers, and other battery-powered devices, which is why the demand is so high right now.

The lithium facility construction will employee around 100 people. Once the construction is complete, US Magnesium, which currently has 470 employees, will also employ an additional 45 full-time workers.

But the economic benefit of the project extends beyond additional jobs and property tax, but US Magnesium plans on using local vendors for both construction and operating supplies, including our work at 星空传媒.Our team is very grateful for this opportunity and excited to see the finished product. Keep your eyes peeled for updates on the project on our blog and website. If you want additional information on the US Magnesium Lithium Project or any of our service, please contact us online or call us at (801) 938-9170.

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