a Message
Fluid Handling Systems' new headquarters signals to the auto industry that they're in high gear.
The ancient Chinese art of feng shui didn't dictate the arrangement of rooms or placement of furniture in Fluid Handling Systems' new headquarters. But the place is brimming with so much positive energy (chi) and interpersonal harmony, it's as if the architect got a feng shui master to approve the blueprints.
"The layout facilitates our attempt to tear down the boundaries between functions so we can work together more effectively as a team," says FHS president Stormy Hicks.
Several factors prompted the automotive supplier's January move to the two-story, 75,000-sq.-ft. pre-existing, but not previously occupied, building in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Maintenance problems at the prior location and a good deal on the lease for the new facility were two reasons.
Another impetus was symbolic. FHS wanted to send a message.
"It's not a luxurious building, but the clean lines and functional look gives the impression of a smoothly run organization," says Hicks.
That message is important in view of FHS's drive to reinvent itself into a leaner, more nimble organization. "Moving into a modern new facility tells customers we're serious about the automotive business. The building is symbolic of our rebirth as a dynamic force in the industry."
FHS headquarters is visited often by purchasing agents interested in the manufacturer's plastic and steel tubing, injection-molded components and quick connectors, primarily for the automotive industry. (Auburn Hills is a suburb of Detroit.)
Though only a couple of miles from the old headquarters, the current one is light years more conducive to creating the tight-knit, team-based company envisioned. The old building scattered employees in pockets, interspersed with other tenants. Now they're grouped together for cross-functional interaction.
Example: while the lab was cut off in a back corner of the old site, today both the lab and R&D group are closely integrated with other departments for greater efficiency and communication.
Updated office technology also enhances communication while saving money. State-of-the-art videoconferencing enables headquarters to stay in touch with far-flung FHS operations in Canada, Mexico, Germany and France plus four U.S. states.
The new digs reinforce a long-time FHS trait - the collegial, even familial, feeling among employees. Says Hicks, "Removing the bureaucratic walls enables people to cooperate more and communicate better so we can respond faster."
(Top): Functional design of its new headquarters reflects FHS' transformation into a leaner, nimbler organization.
(Bottom): Gathered around the new "java station" are (l. to r.) Denise Humphrey, Chuck Powers, Barb Steele, Stormy Hicks and Jan Fogg.