As a key player in the Great Lakes shipping industry, FBS needed to build a high-capacity machine shop on its 60-acre campus to streamline repairs and outfitting of commercial vessels.
Constructed in under 10 months, including in winter conditions, this new facility features over 17,000 square feet of workspace and is equipped with 30-ton and 5-ton overhead bridge cranes. In addition to the expansive production floor, the building includes private offices, a locker room, restroom facilities, a lunchroom, and a tool crib, ensuring a fully functional and comfortable workspace for FBS personnel.
The project's challenges extended beyond the building's requirement for servicing and repairing large marine parts. With meticulous planning and execution, A.C.E. Building Service and FBS successfully navigated each obstacle with precision:
Tight Site Constraints: The selected location for the building was within feet of an existing large gantry crane rail system and required a setback variance from the City of Sturgeon Bay.
Site Grading & Floodplain Considerations: The site required a relatively flat grade to accommodate FBS material transporters and yard cranes safely. To achieve this, the building’s floor elevation was set just above the floodplain, requiring excavation into the site’s slope and the integration of retaining walls on three sides of the building.
Durable, Heavy-Duty Flooring: Given the demanding nature of shipbuilding operations, the building required a floor designed for extreme durability. The 12” thick reinforced concrete floor includes a portion with embedded steel beams (grillage) flush with the slab surface, allowing tradesmen to temporarily tack-weld pieces during repairs and creating flexible and stable work configurations for an array of different parts.
Blending functionality with shipyard aesthetics, the exterior of the machine shop was designed to complement existing structures on the FBS campus. The building is clad in concealed fastener insulated metal panels (IMP) with paint accents and faux downspout details that compliment other shipyard facilities.
Through strategic planning, precision engineering, and expert execution, A.C.E. Building Service delivered a high-performance facility that enhances Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding’s capabilities and long-term operational efficiency.
"A.C.E. Building Service always kept us informed and was very fair when unexpected issues came up. Their guidance through the unknowns was also very helpful and their high-quality work and excellent service gave us the results we expected.” — Troy Walter, Facilities Manager, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding.
