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Clark Pacific NorCal plant achieves International Accreditation Service fabricator inspection accreditation

NorCal's glass fiber reinforced concrete detail/hand-honing space within the indoor production line. Photo credit: Clark Pacific

Over the last 50 years, the family-owned Clark Pacific company has earned a reputation as a top manufacturer of building products for commercial, residential and industrial markets up and down the West Coast. The company maintains its status with an intense focus on quality people, products and processes at all of its facilities. Continuous improvements are integral to the company's ideology. With that in mind, Quality Control Manager David Sieferman at the company's Woodland (NorCal) plant in Northern California sought to further demonstrate his plant's excellence through accreditation.

Assistant Manager of Quality Control Jeremy M. Morris at the Clark Pacific NorCal Plant explained, "The Clark Pacific Irwindale plant earned IAS accreditation (FA-183) a while ago and, in talking with our counterparts there, I heard about the many benefits that they've realized from the recognition. In particular, their IAS accreditation has made meeting the California Building Code fabricator approval requirements almost effortless. We decided to follow suit."

The Next Level
Clark Pacific's NorCal plant opened in 2008 and sits on the 120-acre historic Spreckels Sugar Plant outside of the city of Woodland. The site also hosts Clark Metal Works, a miscellaneous metal fabrication company. The NorCal plant's 50 full-time engineers and more than 250 production and quality personnel produce concrete from two batch plants (one structural and one architectural) and receive cement shipments by train car via a private rail track installed on-site.

All of Clark Pacific's plants have maintained a long and successful reputation in the California market in large part because of the attention to quality and safety. "The continually improving procedures and standards that we've established over the years have enabled us to develop a very robust quality system," Morris said. "We believe that IAS accreditation will enable us to take our quality processes to the next level."

Specifically, Morris sought International Accreditation Service (IAS) Accreditation Criteria for Fabricator Inspection Programs for Reinforced and Precast/Prestressed Concrete (AC157) accreditation program, which is based on the International Building Code Chapter 17 requirements for fabricators of structural steel, reinforced and precast/prestressed concrete, wood wall panels, and metal building systems published by the International Code Council.

The Clark Pacific NorCal Plant began the AC157 accreditation process in late 2016.

"The accreditation process really challenges a candidate to review existing standards and processes in extensive detail. This accreditation holds us to a higher standard so we must demonstrate top-notch traceability, documentation and credentials. It's also a great opportunity to read between the lines and really perfect our quality system."

The Higher Standard
In advance of on-site assessment by IAS, Morris and his team submitted their comprehensive quality procedural manual, which outlines a basis for inspection control of workmanship. The team documented key quality control procedures as outlined in the applicable IAS accreditation criteria, and provided a basis for internal quality control and inspection of workmanship at the Northern California fabrication plant. Then, IAS and representatives of an IAS-accredited inspection agency assessed the quality procedural manual and a fabricator's operations against industry best practices, identified deficiencies and offered suggestions for improvement.

"The accreditation process really challenges a candidate to review existing standards and processes in extensive detail," Morris said. "Essentially, we had to demonstrate that we're doing what we say we're doing. This accreditation holds us to a higher standard so we must demonstrate top-notch traceability, documentation and credentials. It's also a great opportunity to read between the lines and really perfect our quality system. We're homogenizing our processes and approach to quality across the entire plant."

Once review of the Clark Pacific NorCal plant's quality control procedures, documentation and staff competency documentation was completed, IAS staff members and representatives of an IAS-accredited inspection agency conducted an initial on-site inspection.

"The on-site assessment was valuable as well," Morris recalled. "Our assessor was knowledgeable and insightful, often asking difficult or challenging questions. I really appreciated that because it forced us to look at ourselves from a new perspective."

International Accreditation Service Assessor Walter Mershon noted that he was particularly impressed with the NorCal team's use of BIM 360 as a database to store non-conformances and track issues. The glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) department has laminated charts with a written description outlining each step in the process under colored photographs. The level of inspection put into production in the GFRC department, associated with the requirements of a specific customer, is an example of the dedication from management to perform to such a high level of quality.

Further, Mershon noted the use of automated systems to accurately monitor and disperse the correct quantities of mixtures for each batch within the mixers, electronic internal wire temperature probes in the panels to track the temperature during initial set, and properly braced panels stored in the yard prior to shipment. These items all demonstrate the plant's focus on the quality and safety of their products.

In terms of personnel certifications, the IAS accreditation requires that a member of the quality team hold an American Concrete Institute (ACI) Concrete Laboratory Testing Technician Level II certification. The IAS accreditation process also provides verification that the in-house inspection programs of fabricators (steel, concrete, wood) are in compliance with International Building Code Section 1704.2.2. As well, IAS provides continuous oversight with quarterly, unannounced on-site inspections.

Clark Pacific's NorCal plant earned IAS accreditation (FA-483) in May 2017.

International Accreditation Service Senior Manager of FA-MB-MBA Programs Sandi McCracken added, "AC157 addresses quality management system elements such as personnel requirements, product traceability, process control, and various administrative and technical requirements that are essential for code officials to deem IAS-accredited entities as approved fabricators. Clark Pacific is to be commended for participating in this program that establishes high standards for the precast/pre-stressed concrete industry."

Fast-Tracked
Officials at the NorCal plant believe that one of the greatest benefits of IAS AC157 accreditation will be the ease of bidding and building department approvals. In the past, the project teams had to apply for fabricator approval with the local building department of jurisdictions where projects are proposed or in work.

"We'd provide our quality system documentation and credentials to the city building official once we won a bid on a contract," Morris explained. "It can be a time-consuming process (often requiring 50-60 pages per facility) because every jurisdiction is different. With AC157, we don't have to go through the building department approval process in those jurisdictions that accept IAS accreditation. It's easier on the building department, saves the owner/contractor time and money, and gives us a leg up when bidding for jobs. We're already seeing value. Our fabricator approval submittals are considerably simplified."

Bid efficiency is just one reason that Morris is encouraging other Clark Pacific plants to pursue accreditation. "Accreditation has raised the bar within our plant," Morris concluded. "It's one more step in ensuring that quality is bred into our employees and built into our products."

Notable Projects: The Apple Park
Clark Pacific is an integral member of the construction team for the new Apple II Campus, a 176-acre, 2.8-million-square-foot campus in Cupertino, Calif. The company began working on design in 2012 and began production in 2013.

"The campus has been a very challenging and exciting milestone project for us," said Morris. "It's a testament to what great minds can accomplish when they come together, delivering impressive vision and communication. The building is beautiful and, as we come down off of the high from working on the project, we're refocusing on what we do best — delivering new and innovative pre-fabricated building solutions."

"Accreditation through IAS helps our company maintain the focus on quality and code adherence that is necessary to acquire projects like Apple Park," said Morris.