AMERICAN PACKAGING

​MDB partnered with American Packaging Corp. on a series of projects over the last twenty-five years, providing integrated design-build services that supported the company’s growth, operations, and evolving facility needs. Because our team worked on multiple projects throughout the building over many years, we developed a deep understanding of the property, its operational demands, and the unique challenges of working within an active manufacturing environment.

One of the most significant projects was driven by the installation of a new custom 300-foot flexographic printing and laminating machine. American Packaging needed to expand and reconfigure its Rochester facility to accommodate the equipment on a highly constrained urban site. MDB designed and constructed a 15,000-square-foot L-shaped addition that wrapped the corner of the building, along with a 40,000-square-foot renovation to the existing facility.

That project involved a number of complex challenges. An existing structural steel line inside the building had to be temporarily shored, removed, and replaced to create new column spacing that could support the footprint of the machine. More than 1,000 feet of existing utility poles and overhead power lines were relocated underground within the city street so the addition could be built to the property line. The project also required extremely tight tolerances in the foundations and concrete floor slab to support the precision of the equipment, including railroad tracks embedded in the floor system for moving portions of the machinery into position. A pit and basement access area beneath the equipment also had to meet hazardous occupancy requirements due to confined space conditions and the chemicals used in the printing process.

In addition to the manufacturing expansion, MDB completed major site and exterior improvements, including a full façade upgrade, a new two-story entrance tower and atrium, relocation of the building’s shipping and receiving docks, and the conversion of an adjacent parcel into employee parking. That work required demolition of existing buildings and stormwater improvements. The project was completed ahead of schedule, allowing equipment installation to begin immediately upon arrival.

Over the years, MDB also completed a wide range of smaller but highly specialized interior renovation projects throughout the facility. These included an addition for an ink blending room designed as a hazardous occupancy space, with concrete containment areas, below-floor spill alarms, and explosion-relief wall and roof panels. MDB also renovated the main corporate entrance to create a secure lobby, waiting area, conference room, kitchenette, and board room. Because the client placed a high priority on the appearance and function of the board room, 3D renderings were developed in advance so the design could be fully visualized, down to the custom conference table, before construction began. This work was completed while maintaining active use of the main entrance and corridor for employees and visitors.

Other projects included the redesign of the IT department’s space, a full gut renovation and rebuild of the R&D lab, and a variety of office reconfigurations and finish upgrades.

By supporting American Packaging across multiple departments and project types over a span of years, MDB was able to deliver more than individual renovations or additions. Our long-term familiarity with the facility allowed us to design and build with a clear understanding of the building’s intricacies, helping the client solve immediate challenges while planning for future growth.