BAC Members Build the Future of US Automaking - How BAC Local 2 Michigan is helping an iconic automaker prepare for the future

At first glance, the groundbreaking development of a world-class research and engineering center for Ford Motor Company almost seems surreal. However, the future of American auto manufacturing is very real — and it’s being built outside of Dearborn, MI with brick, block, and the sweat and ingenuity of BAC members.

The first thing that hit John Alastra, BAC Local 2 Michigan member and General Foreman for Leidel & Hart, was the schedule. The campus project — or Hub, as it is more commonly referred to — is part of a master plan that includes a walkable campus of interconnected buildings, expected to house 20,000-plus employees. The project’s flexible, high-tech environment will be the centerpiece of the automaker’s innovative mobility solutions — with campus transportation including electric bikes, scooters and shuttles. The comprehensive project, projected to run through 2026 with a second phase beginning in 2025, is part of an equally impressive restoration of a nearby train station and popular, growing neighborhood.

“The schedule was very aggressive,” Alastra says. “Every successful project needs good people, and on this project, nearly everyone involved stepped up to be a leader of the team or part of it. When everyone understands the processes and trusts one another to support each other, there is no limit to what we can achieve.”

Members of BAC Local 2 Michigan, employed by Leidal & Hart Mason Contractors Inc. and Dixon Inc., were at the center of this teamwork approach. When Alastra and his fellow foremen reflect on the effort to hit the deadlines, even they stand in awe of the work achieved. To date, more than 300,000 concrete masonry units have been installed, most of which are 12-inch CMU and 250,000 16-inch long roman brick, resting in one of the most unique building facades the area has seen in quite some time.

USING NEW TECHNOLOGY TO GET THE JOB DONE

To help the BAC team overcome some of the logistical and schedule challenges, Leidal & Hart/Dixon deployed several pieces of technology to aid in the construction of the building. The BAC team received hands-on training using the MULE lift assist technology prior to arriving on site. This allowed easier installation of 32-inch long, 12-inch CMUs. Masons were able to avoid back and shoulder injuries — helping boost productivity and morale of the workers.

“Thanks to MULEs and grout pumps, our teams were able to keep the pace of production even when working overtime,” Alastra says. “Preparation is key to creating a workflow that allows the teams to move from location to location. Part of the preparation we did was to inform the teams of the design criteria, and ensure that each time they went to a new wall, it was set up and ready to go. Efficiency lends to a safer and more productive job.”

Joe Plummer, a Local 2 Michigan member and sub-foreman on the project, says his approach to the job on day one was to apply himself to any task he was given, and to not leave loose ends to fix later. One of those tasks — fittingly, for work on an Innovation Center — was learning how to incorporate new tools. “An everyday challenge for me was to keep ahead on layout. That mostly involved working and learning the new Trimble Total Station layout machine and how to read prints on a digital format. The time constraints that I feel we dealt with the most were syncing up to the other trades and having to change our direction in the job to keep moving in a productive manner.”

As with any BAC-related project, all challenges come down to having the right leadership in place. Plummer says that this particular job proved why BAC has the manpower and leadership needed to handle anything. “Whatever bump, hiccup or confusion we had during the project, there was always the correct guidance and information in place to turn things around. Even if it was just a matter of a worker not having enough experience for a certain part, there was someone who had the experience and was willing to teach.”

In addition to the masonry units used, over 1,200 cubic yards of grout was batched on-site. The grout was laid utilizing up-hill grout pumps for most of the delivery. The layout crews had the added benefit of utilizing additional technology to cut down on the amount of time spent laying out walls, and completely eliminate the possibility for costly layout mistakes.

The technology, coupled with 3D modeling of the entire scope of work by CADBlox, created an environment where leadership on the project could be more focused on the safe construction of the walls while still meeting a very aggressive schedule.

“The sheer size of the project is just impressive,” said foreman Rick Murphy, a Local 2 Michigan member. “At the time we started, it was the largest site in Michigan, and the third largest in the country. I’ve gained a lot of experience from working on tasks outside of my comfort zone, especially with new technologies.”

Along with working on projects like the Hub that help make a difference to the communities and industries they serve, Murphy credits BAC with the opportunities it affords him and his colleagues. “I’ve been fortunate to have steady employment through Leidal & Hart and Dixon,” he said. “My previous [non-union] job did not offer benefits. It was a much smaller wage. The biggest benefit to being a member of our union is in the wages and benefits that we receive for ourselves and our family.”

Plummer says that as a legacy BAC member, his work on the Hub will be part of a story he can pass down the line. “The BAC is a big part of my family. I come from a family of union masons, and the importance of the union has always been a conversation in my household. It’s important to me to be a union mason, just like my dad and his dad before him.”

“The Ford Innovation Hub project shows what happens when good and innovative union companies, Leidal & Hart Mason Contractors Inc. and Dixon Inc., team up with the best hands in the business,” said Local 2 Michigan President Paul Dunford. “This project was built with the perfect blend of future tech and thoroughly trained, skilled masons’ hands. We look forward to continuing our partnership as we build the future.”

When he reflects on his time on the Hub, Plummer’s takeaways are something every BAC member can attest to with every job. “I had the opportunity to learn from great mentors. And I was able to work in an environment where everyone really enjoyed the job.”