As Commonwealth continues to integrate prefabrication (prefab) into its operations across the company, our prefab teams have been making strides to ensure efficiency for everyone involved. From hosting trainings to rolling out new processes, each location is focused on making improvements each and every day.

The prefab shop in Lincoln, NE, recently opened its doors to host evening classes for first-year electricians, as the local Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) hall has been closed for construction. Senior Service Manager Doug Amen worked with the IBEW Local 265 Renew Committee—a group comprised of union members under the age of 35—to organize these bi-weekly labs, as well as a one-off weekend event earlier this year. In addition to the space, Commonwealth also provided volunteers to oversee the labs and materials that were used.

On top of hosting these classes, the Lincoln team has also taken on opportunities to build control panels for local projects at its UL 508A–listed panel shop. One such opportunity was a project for Nutrien Ag Solutions, the retail business of Nutrien, the world’s largest provider of crop inputs and services. The team fabricated three Remote I/O (RIO) control panels to fit the client’s specifications, with support from our in-house engineers when drawing adjustments were needed. Upon completing similar panels for Nutrien facilities in Fairbury, NE, this work led to additional opportunities at their Osceola, AR, location.

Commonwealth’s team in Greater Nebraska has similarly been keeping very busy. To help ease its workload, the team has begun implementing new AECInspire software during project takeoff to automate assembly counts. To make this new software more manageable for all involved, Project Manager Riley Fischer, General Foreman Jeff Trotta, Prefabrication Manager Dan Harlow, and Preconstruction Services Coordinator Sarah DeWispelare met to put together a gameplan to roll out the assemblies in phases.

Both Commonwealth’s Omaha, NE, and Des Moines, IA, locations have recently been focused on building carts to make the transportation of materials more efficient. In Omaha, the prefab team has been building elevator carts for some of its projects with taller buildings. These carts allow pipes to be safely transported through elevators by angling them during transport. The Des Moines team has been building strut rack carts and lighting backbone carts, which are designed to transport prefabricated items safely and in an organized manner. In addition, the team is using panel cover carts to store electrical equipment covers when they are removed, helping keep them clean and organized while work is performed on electrical equipment.

Commonwealth’s Tucson, AZ, prefab team has recently moved into a new shop and welcomed a new manager. Prefabrication Manager Renee Vallejo joined the team in March, bringing 30 years of experience as an electrician, including 15 years as a foreman with Commonwealth Electric Company of the Midwest. In her new role, Renee is applying her years of experience to the prefabrication process to help jobsites run more efficiently.

Our prefab teams in Phoenix, AZ, and Salt Lake City, UT, have also recently moved locations, so they have both been busy getting settled in—all while still making orders for the field!

Through teaching the next generation of electricians, improving processes, building customized solutions, and expanding into new spaces, our prefab teams remain committed to making a positive impact across our company. As prefabrication continues to grow, we look forward to ongoing innovation.