The Aegis Companies and Pompeian: A case study in effective construction management
Facility owners and operators face unique challenges at the outset of any construction project. Overseeing the design process, coordinating between contractors, and ensuring project requirements are met while staying within budget are daunting tasks for any owner or construction professional. When the client has little to no experience with capital projects or lacks the internal resources to oversee a new project, these issues can delay a project before it begins.
As the nation’s largest project controls company, The Aegis Companies have managed those elements for two decades on projects of all types and sizes. Our combination of world-class project controls and experienced construction professionals creates better, more predictable outcomes at every delivery phase.
Pompeian: Aegis’ timely engagement
Pompeian – based in Baltimore since 1906 – is America’s largest national brand of olive oil, best-selling vinegars, and a variety of cooking sprays. During a recent expansion to their headquarters, they experienced a series of construction challenges that threatened to unravel months of effort. At the suggestion of a trusted partner, Pompeian reached out to Aegis for assistance managing the remaining construction of their critical infrastructure. Aegis assumed the role of construction manager, navigating the development through the remaining schedule and ensuring both owner and project interests were protected.
“Aegis’ integration into our project mid-construction and their ability to stabilize the team was very helpful,” said Vice President of Operations Salim Benjelloun. “Their leadership was instrumental in the orderly completion of the office expansion.”
Aegis’ unique combination of experienced construction professionals and industry-leading approach to project-controls-driven construction management was crucial to achieving successful outcomes. In one example, our project lead coordinated and sharpened the contract language with various contractors, generating a document that directed collaboration, implemented key deliverables, and increased transparency for all parties involved in construction.
“Integrating into an ongoing project required a deep understanding of Pompeian’s goals and original vision,” said Senior Vice President of Planning and Scheduling Wayne Manning. “We had to adapt quickly to the environment while bringing our own expertise to the table.”
Boosted by the Aegis team’s blend of data-driven precision and construction experience, work is nearly complete on the expansion of Pompeian’s office space and Olive Oil Visitors Center, renovating its lunch and locker rooms and adding modern features with additional windows to allow more natural light throughout the facility.
Partnering with Pompeian for future success
Impressed with Aegis’ capabilities, Pompeian brought us on board to oversee construction management from the outset of its new facility on Pulaski Highway—adding 1.2 million gallons of storage and expanding production capacity. In an early example of Aegis’ impact, our team facilitated selecting a balanced “design-assist” approach to construction that gives the owner maximum flexibility within their schedule and budget parameters.
As construction managers, our role on this project is to orchestrate the design and construction teams, ensuring transparency, accurate information sharing, and progress updates throughout delivery. Customers like Pompeian benefit from our specialty in fast-paced, complex project delivery, and our construction management team members have extensive knowledge built on our company-wide experience of building, refining, and improving thousands of projects.
“Aegis differs from other construction management firms by employing some the most experienced project managers in the country,” said Senior Vice President of Construction Management Mike Carey. “You cannot substitute for field-level experience, and when you combine that knowledge with our project controls expertise, you see improvements in project execution.”
When owners face the unfamiliar world of delivering large capital projects critical to their company’s financial success, Aegis is there to shield them from project delays, cost overruns, and unnecessary risk exposure. Our approach is straightforward and impactful: when clients like Pompeian lack sufficient in-house resources, we step in as an extension of their team dedicated to meeting their needs for effective project management and oversight. Email newopps@consultaegis.com today to learn how our services can be a force multiplier for project owners and operators everywhere.