CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR PROJECT TEAMS FOR THE JC FORD EXPANSION!
The EIC awards program is the industry’s leading competition that recognizes both general and specialty contractors for innovative and high-quality merit shop construction projects throughout Middle and East Tennessee.
The EIC award honors all construction team members, including the contractor, owner, architect and engineer. Submitted projects are judged by a panel on complexity, attractiveness, unique challenges overcome, completion time, workmanship, innovation, safety and cost.
Founded in 1944, JC Ford is a leading manufacturer in high-speed corn tortilla production equipment with production ranging from 1,000 to 8,000 dozen per hour. They also manufacture tortilla chip production lines, ranging from 250 pounds per hour to a completely automated 4,000 pounds per hour system. The company works with clients offering customized options for layout, design, equipment, product development and service to fit each client’s needs while maximizing resources and product quality. JC Ford supplies machines to General Mills, Frito-Lay and Tyson foods and draws a revenue of more than $50 million.
This project is a great West Coast to Mid-South business relocation story. Our team renovated and completed additions on two existing facilities in Columbia, TN to fit JC Ford’s manufacturing needs. JC Ford is a family-owned company based in Orange County, California, and after searching for a second location for ten years, Tennessee became their first choice because the state is at the center of their business. The majority of jobs created by this move will be available to Maury County residents and surrounding communities.
Our team broke ground on JC Ford’s expansion in 2021, starting with a 32,500 square foot addition to an existing facility that was originally constructed in 2003. This first facility serves as their manufacturing space where all parts for tortilla machines are constructed and assembled. There is an interior drive-in truck dock with a 7.5-ton bridge crane for unloading trucks.
Simultaneously, we constructed a 24,120 square foot addition to another existing warehouse that was originally constructed in 2007. This new space is for utilized for testing and research, where JC Ford tests new processes, equipment, and materials before implementing them into the production line. There is an interior drive through truck area where a 20-ton bridge crane is installed for unloading trucks. Both of these facilities feature Butler Manufacturing pre-engineered metal building systems with tilt-up concrete wall panels.
Finally, we began the construction of the new 12,800 square foot, 2-story corporate headquarters that is connected to the warehouse. The state-of-the-art headquarters office has a reception area, a 2-story grand foyer, offices, conference rooms, open office space, and a training and break room.
Our in-house teams completed design, concrete work and erection of the pre-engineered structures.