Smucker Company Office Building
Smucker Company was outgrowing its leased Office space and needed to expand their Office and Warehouse space. They purchased an existing building in Leola that had most recently been used as a cabinet shop. The vision for the renovations of the building was to create adequate space for the Office Staff of Smucker Company to function more efficiently as the company continued to grow. In the middle of working with the architect to design the renovations for the building, Smucker Company purchased SpaceCon, a Wall and Ceiling Contractor doing business in DE and MD. This purchased impacted the design and use of the renovations that were being planned to the Corporate headquarters in Leola. Smucker Company leadership and the architect were able to make adjustments to the design in a timely manner so that construction could be completed by June of 2019. Smucker Company’s lease expired at the end of June, so the renovations for the new Corporate headquarters had to be ready for move in by that time.
- Client: Smucker Company Office Building
- Location: Smoketown, PA
- Project Type: Office
During the design of the building, it was the goal to incorporate drywall and acoustical materials that Smucker Company installs on other projects as a wall and ceiling contractor. The architect wanted to create an office space that also could be used as a showplace for Smucker Company’s capabilities. There were drywall features built into the lobby design that highlight the use of rounded soffits, rounded walls, reveal beads and sight lines to create a very attractive entrance to the office space. There are ceiling areas in the conference rooms and meeting rooms that highlight the use of Armstrong ceiling specialty products. The end result of these design features and products has created a “wow” factor and certainly showcases the quality craftsmanship and products that Smucker Company can bring to the construction industry.
In the lobby, metal studs, drywall and reveal beads were used to create a dramatic entrance to the Office area. There is also a very impressive display area that was created out of rounded drywall walls and glass shelves. This lobby area is used to display many eagles that have been won by Smucker Company over the years at the ABC Awards of Excellence contests. The rounded ceiling soffits were created using metal studs, drywall and reveal beads and were installed so that the acoustics in the lobby are amplified by the rounded design of the ceiling soffits.
Smucker Company’s design team collaborated with Armstrong Ceilings and created three areas in the Office space where Armstrong Ceilings were installed that were completely new to the marketplace. Armstrong’s innovation team designed and supplied the “felt blades” that were installed in the ceiling area for the Office workspace area and the Coffee area. These felt blades are different shapes and are installed vertically to create an open “wave” design. Lighting hidden above the vertical felt blades accentuates the look of the “wave” design.
Armstrong’s innovation team also designed and supplied the Design Flex wood ceiling for the Conference Room. In this Conference Room, the Design Flex ceiling is installed as a floating cloud with lighting above the cloud that washes onto the drywall ceiling above the cloud. Armstrong has used Smucker Company’s use of the “felt blades” and the wood Design Flex products in their advertising and promotional material. It was fun and exciting to be a part of that entire innovation and design process for Armstrong.
In the Lounge area, which also serves as a casual meeting space, metal studs and drywall were used to create a barrel ceiling with a light cove. The barrel ceiling was then finished with a texture and faux paint. As the light from the light cove washes onto the barrel ceiling, it creates a very warm hue to the Lounge and creates an atmosphere for creating thinking and processing of new ideas. The Lounge is also used as a “getaway” for the Office staff of they need a break from their office and want to “hang out” to refresh their minds.
There is another, smaller Conference Room that also features an Armstrong specialty ceiling. Smucker Company had some extra material from a project for a beaded wood ceiling. The wood ceiling has small linear beads in a 6” piece of wood that gives the appearance of many small, intricate pieces of wood. This wood ceiling is surrounded by drywall soffits and a 6” open gap between the drywall soffit and the wood ceiling, which gives the appearance of a floating cloud ceiling area.
The Meeting Room and the Club Room also feature an innovative Armstrong Ceiling product. Once again, Smucker Company had extra material from a project for the Armstrong “Capz” ceiling system. The system attaches the Optima ceiling panel onto the hidden grid system using an exposed “cap” that gets screwed onto a threaded bolt. The ceiling system allows for flexibility in the design because each Optima panel can be different sizes and they are installed independently (using the “caps”) of the other Optima panels. Smucker Company used these products to create a ceiling design that looks like lots of floating ceiling clouds arranged in a linear pattern. The end result is a very attractive, unusual ceiling that creates a feature area in these otherwise very basic looking large meeting rooms.
Smucker Company is very happy with the end result and has created an Office area that truly showcases some of the innovative products that are available in the marketplace. It was truly a pleasure to work with the architect and Armstrong to create a unique and creative Office space that our staff is enjoying very much. The craftmanship on display throughout the Office area is also a great showplace for the quality work that Smucker Company can offer to its customers.