Kalamazoo, Mich. – It is a one-of-a-kind facility in North America, dedicated to developing new paper and learning for students.
Western Michigan University’s Paper Pilot Plant was unveiled on Tuesday, April 17 to the public. Attendees from the university and Kalamazoo-area saw the new location for the plant. Dr. Edward Montgomery, WMU’s ninth president, joined the team for the festivities, which included a ribbon cutting and showcase of some of the plant’s uses.
The Paper Pilot Plant equipment was cleaned and updated while being transferred from WMU’s McCracken Hall to its College of Engineering and Applied Science. The wholly unique project required disassembly, relocation and reassembly, while combining two paper machines to form a double fourdrinier.
The design-build team of Walbridge, Pro Services, Inc., APEC and TowerPinkster worked hand-in-hand with WMU to transfer, install and upgrade the complex project.
“This is one of the most interesting projects we are doing in West Michigan,” Walbridge West Michigan General Manager Kirk Frownfelter said. “It had a chemistry you want to repeat and the team’s diligence paid off in this incredible project.”
An experienced design-build team coupled with the excellent skilled trades in the West Michigan area helped provide the project on time to WMU, Frownfelter said.
“Working as a team, we were able to provide excellent enhancements together,” Frownfelter said, adding that the team identified several areas of savings to WMU during the design-build process.
Completion of the Paper Pilot Plant continues Walbridge’s relationship with WMU, which includes the construction of its Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine.