Thanks to Georgia statewide convenience contract SWC90818, you can shed the red tape of traditional procurement in favor of speed, efficiency and the power of group buying. The Department of Administrative Services has awarded competitively bid contracts to nine contractors all across Georgia and they are ready to perform work today. Every year over $1.5 billion in high quality construction is expedited using our proven time and cost saving job order contracting solutions.

LESCO is a solutions oriented contractor who provides restoration and facility maintenance services to secondary education institutes, commercial management companies and retail service centers throughout Georgia and the southeast. LESCO is ready to help Facilities Managers get their projects up and running quickly using the EZIQC method.

“Georgia agencies have a great opportunity to kick off projects through the use of the EQIQC program and get them completed quickly” states Richie Lancaster, Chief Operating Officer. “We are excited to be a part of this program.” 

LESCO . . .Dedicated People Building Solutions.

To learn more about EZIQC, visit www.eziqc.com. 

“Hot Weather Patching” defines hot weather to include any combination of the following conditions:

• High Ambient Temperature
• High Concrete Temperature
• Low Relative Humidity
• Wind Speed
• Solar Radiation

In addition, the following tips could be used to help in hot weather:

• Chilled water can be used in the product mix.
• If liquid polymer is provided by the manufacturer, it should be placed in an ice chest to cool it down before mixing.
• Wet burlap can be used on the patches to reduce the rate of setting.

Used either in a combination or separately, these methods could be the difference between a patch being temporary or permanent.  All of this depends on selecting the right contractor for the job. For solutions to your concrete repair and restoration challenges…you do not have to wait for cooler weather…Lesco Restorations, Inc. is just a phone call away.

Ken Johnson

Kjohnson@lesco.net

Cell  704-299-3192

A team was assembled that included movers, electricians, and tile cleaners. The cabinets were completely removed in 3 hours and the job was finished the same day. The managers in the store were very happy that we worked so quickly in clearing the area and minimizing interruption. One of the managers at the Belk’s store told us that when they had hired a contractor in the past, they had to constantly “supervise” the work. He said it was great having a vendor-partner that knew what they were doing and just went about the task of getting the work done. Once again, it proves how LESCO’s solution driven culture constantly wins over new customers.

Most companies do not think of a disaster plan until after it strikes and then it is too late.

While no company can make plans to cover all disasters, LESCO has worked with many Fortune 500 companies to develop a plan catered to their individual needs.

• Supplementing your existing staff in times of tragedy
• Developing a maintenance plan to cover costs between disasters
• Outfit your buildings in preparation (i.e. generator switches, outside lock boxes, storm shutters)

When tragedy strikes, you need help immediately, not within days but hours. We stand ready to respond anywhere in the southeastern United States. LESCO has strategically placed recovery warehouses stocked and ready to use in our recovery effort. Crews are placed on alert and can respond in a moment’s notice.

No one can predict when disaster will strike; but careful preparation and planning can be in place. At the end of the day do you have a company that you can rely on, with a proven track record for over 35 years, to respond in case of a disaster?

LESCO is ready to cater a program for you.

Jeff Miro

(864)266-6131                        Jmiro@lesco.net

Read More:  AGC’s First Woman President Faces Up to Tough Economy | ENR: Engineering News Record | McGraw-Hill Construction.

A roof is the same way. Everyday exposure to sun, rain, air conditioning repair people, and other wear and tear slowly ages the roof membrane until the service life ends. Every extra year one can eke out of the roof is that much more money that can be saved for other purposes.

A roof doesn’t need good food or proper exercise. But a roof does need regular check-ups in the form of regular inspections and prompt repairs.

What benefit is there in spending money every year to maintain the roof? Studies have shown that a roof that is not regularly maintained will only last about half of its expected service life.

But, you say, “That’s why I have a warranty.” Don’t assume that a warranty will help. Almost all manufacturers of roofing materials state specifically in their warranty that the warranty is void if the roof is not maintained. If you can’t show that the roof has been maintained, you will not have a case when you try to make a claim on a supposed warranty issue.

Experienced facility managers know that a roof should be inspected at least twice a year to keep the roof alive as long as possible and to maintain the warranty. But many don’t know what to look for, so they either hire someone else to do it or it just doesn’t get done. Depending on the depth and complexity of the inspection, the inspector can be the building staff, an architect or engineer who specializes in roof consulting, or a competent roofing contractor. The inspection can entail anything from looking at the roof while walking to repair an A/C unit all the way to a formal inspection with a moisture survey.

When to Inspect the Roof?

You want to have the inspections done once before the season with the most severe weather and once after. In the northern climes, the severe weather is winter where the cold, storms and precipitation contributes more to the demise of the roof. However, where hot weather rules, summer is the severe season. The solar UV radiation is higher, and the roof is subjected to high heat and to thermal shock due to sudden cooling during summer rains. So you want to check the roof before the severe season to prepare the roof for its ordeal to come and once after it has weathered the season to repair any problems that happened during.

To keep your roof in top shape, call us today to have your roof setup on an evaluation schedule.

Roofing Maintenance. From the August 2010 issue of Building Operating Management magazine. The facililities management resource.

via Regular Roofing Maintenance: When to Inspect the Roof.

The General Services Administration (GSA) offers products, services, and facilities that the Federal agencies require. Businesses registered with the GSA have the opportunity to sell billions of dollars worth of products and services to the Federal Government, because they are the centralized component for the Federal Government’s procurement. LESCO Restorations is currently in the process of registering for GSA’s “Facilities Maintenance and Management” schedule. $66 billion of procurement is managed by GSA annually. Where there is an opportunity, LESCO will not stop from any obstacles to pursue that opportunity. Working with GSA to gain long-term contracts will be an essential part of our Government Services Division.

http://www.bnet.com/blog/government/slowing-down-government-contracting/2300?tag=mantle_skin;content

Source: USGBC

We are supporting the efforts of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) on a brief survey to identify and understand your green building education needs. Your knowledge and expertise with green building offers you expanded job opportunities and professional growth. High-quality green building training is crucial for building professionals at every stage of their careers – from those just learning about green building to long-time experts looking for new ways to master their practice. By participating in this survey, you will help shape both the content and format of tomorrow’s green building education offered not only by USGBC, but by the green building education marketplace at large. Share your voice to ensure that your training needs are met!

Please click on the link below to access the survey. You may also copy the below link into your web browser.
http://www.eduventures.vovici.com/se.ashx?s=53CDA9F51387D97B
We thank you again for your thoughtful responses; the survey should take no more than 10 to 15 minutes of your time.

Pride: Thinking you have nothing left to learn about your assets

Pride as a deadly sin refers to a narcissistic pattern of behavior from asset maintenance executives that are unable to acknowledge a need for Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) improvement. Pride can be as small as ignoring maintenance team suggestions for work order improvements or tunnel vision that is developed by overdeveloped egos that are blind to the need for change and use better, more efficient tools such as an EAM system. Recognizable by increasing labor costs, employee turnover, greater capital repairs and a Can’t Do Attitude.

Greed: Poor asset maintenance to save money

The easiest of the seven deadly sins of asset management to identify. Just look at the headlines behind many of the tragedies of major disasters. The Gulf Oil spill comes to mind as a perfect example of how safety, preventive maintenance, and common sense were swept aside to save millions of dollars in operational costs. Greed can also be identified as a short-term mindset. For example, a facility under cash flow pressure decides it is easier and faster to slash headcount for quick relief versus addressing the operational inefficiencies. Recognizable by red hands and unemployment lines.

Sloth: Slow to adopt technology for asset management

Sloth can be best be described as a resistance to change. Many facility and plant operations have performed asset maintenance functions the same way for decades. When this occurs new ideas such as integrating technology that can automate manual maintenance processes go largely ignored. It also means that swift adjustments to remain competitive cannot be implemented without resistance. Sloth is one of the main reasons organizations must bring in turnaround specialists. Recognizable by the slogans We have always done it this way and If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

Envy: Failing to improve maintenance management

Envy is the most difficult asset management sins to identify, yet it can be a complete show stopper. Envy leads maintenance managers and staff on a path to make the boss happy but not necessarily make good decisions for the useful lifecycle of an asset. The result is asset neglect, unplanned work orders
and major capital replacements. Eventually it all backfires when an asset fails unexpectedly causing substantial downtime and major capital dollars to fix. Recognizable by brown noses and no established preventive maintenance program.

Lust: Neglecting maintenance to obtain new assets

Lust is when management spends more time pursuing new assets instead of taking care of the ones you have. New toys always look shiny and fun but are often not needed when current assets are properly maintained with an EAM system. Extreme lust is allowing assets to fail in order to get a new replacement. Lust often surfaces after trade shows and product demonstrations. Recognizable by too many maintenance magazines on the table and excessive downtime.

Gluttony: Terrible asset energy efficiency

Poorly maintained equipment becomes a glutton for more energy to function as the asset must worker harder to achieve the desired operating levels. The increase in energy use can normally be avoided through proper asset maintenance. When assets become energy hogs two things will happen. First, utility costs will go up which is important when energy costs account for 30-50 percent of operating expenses, Secondly, assets will fail sooner due to the extra stress in achieving operating targets. Gluttony increases operating expenses and shortens the useful lifecycle of assets. Recognizable by high energy costs.

Wrath: Bad asset capital budgets

Wrath can be defined as what will happen when shareholders and owners realize you are not effectively managing the lifecycle of assets. Clues to owners that something is amiss include unbudgeted capital expenditures, unplanned downtime, an inability to identify where your assets are, what their condition is or their asset maintenance history. The worst sign of all is when the shareholders have to explain a tragedy that has occurred due to a lack of asset management or neglect (example: BP and Gulf Oil spill).

Bonus Sin: Apathy When good asset management isn’t on your radar

Apathy is when you know how to make your maintenance operations better but simply do not care enough to do something about it.

Enterprise Asset Management Can Help

No one person or organization is perfect and there are countless barriers to great asset management. The good news is there is help. An Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) system is a software solution that can manage the complete work order lifecycle as well as provide the tools for long term capital budget planning. A properly implemented EAM solution can help automate time consuming work order lifecycle processes freeing up valuable time for preventive maintenance and inspections.

More importantly, an EAM system creates a databank of asset information that allows management to track an assets complete history from purchase to retirement. Included in the asset database are a total history of work orders, work requests, who did the work, what the results were, condition of assets, location and everything else needed to make intelligent operating decisions. EAM eliminates the excuses for not taking care of assets. Better asset management and maintenance will mitigate the seven deadly sins.

For a free consultation, please call us contact us at Solutions@lesco.net or call 1-866-947-5044.

Source:    http://blog.mintek.com/Enterprise_Asset_Management/bid/47132/seven-Deadly-Sins-of-Asset-Management/

Your business is growing and perhaps you now have assets spread over multiple locations. You know that you need to do something, but you are not quite sure what to do. Your belief is that you are too small for a full Computer Maintenance Management Software (CMMS).

There is a solution. Systems come in all shapes and sizes. Your company size has become less of an issue compared with the question of how to stay competitive in the marketplace and still enable management to perform the duties that the core competencies require.

Do you…

• Have facilities that need constant repairs?
  
• Have multiple locations?
  
• Have trouble finding your latest invoices?
  
• Have a warranty item that needs repair?
  
• Track what you spend on repairs?
  
• Have a “sticky notes” work order system?
  
• Spend more on reactive maintenance than planned projects?
  
• Know of an issue that could result in a lawsuit?
  
• Know how to evaluate your current facilities?
  
• Wish to do the job you were hired to do and leave the facility maintenance management to someone else?
  

If you answered yes, it may be time you consider outsourcing your company’s maintenance program while maintaining control over cost and reducing your risk.

Contact LESCO to discuss your options today!