Marketing lore is replete with brand names that were so popular they became generic terms. Brands like Kleenex (facial tissue), Coke (soft drinks), Frigidaire (refrigerators) all benefited from this brand recognition in the marketplace. Interestingly, this process also works in reverse, where a generic term can become a popular brand. Want an example?
In the construction industry, completing a building project ahead of schedule while lowering overall costs will give a construction company an advantage over its competitors. One strategy used to achieve this competitive edge is called “fast tracking.” When a project is fast-tracked, different portions of the project are done simultaneously at different stages of completion.
One famous example of fast-track construction is the Empire State Building, an iconic structure in New York City. Amazingly, the entire building was completed in just thirteen months. When it was erected in 1931, it was the tallest building in the world, a title it held until 1970, when the North Tower of the World Trade Center was completed. Fast-track construction strategies that were used to build this building included pre-fabrication, parallel work, resource management, and effective communication.
It is no coincidence that this generic construction term has become a very well-known brand in this industry.
What This Means to You - A combination of lower labor costs, material savings, and faster installation can deliver a competitive edge to your building project. The Fast Track System ™ from Acme Brick has become the “go to” strategy for commercial construction because it is much more cost-effective than traditional masonry.
The Fast Track System: Simply Ingenious
For more than 130 years, Acme Brick has been committed to designing innovative building products. One such product is appropriately named the “Fast Track System.” It can be easily designed into new projects using conventional construction techniques or attached to existing structures. The Fast Track System reduces the time and labor required with traditional masonry installations, while offering increased flexibility and versatility.
Here’s how:
- Aluminum Channels: Aluminum channels attach to a building structure and provide a sturdy framework for masonry panels, without the need for concrete footers to support the weight of the masonry.
- Clips and Fasteners: The masonry panels are fitted to the aluminum channels and are held securely in place with special clips and fasteners.
- Panels: Panels can be constructed from brick, stone, concrete or terracotta,
- Installation: The system can be mounted on precast concrete, concrete masonry units (CMU), wood stud walls, or metal stud walls.
- Alignment and Spacing: The Fast Track System includes built-in spacers to ensure consistent alignment and spacing between panels for a finished, professional look.
- Finishing Touches: Once panels are in place, any necessary finishing touches – like trimming and sealing – are applied to complete the installation.
- Technical Support: Acme Brick provides job-specific technical assistance and detailed drawings to assist clients with easy installation.
- Curved Elements: The Fast Track System uses aluminum support channels and flexible centering cushions that make it possible to conform to curved surfaces.
Footer Free Exterior
The Fast Track System is designed to hold the weight of the facade without additional support, making it an attractive option for construction professionals. Material costs are reduced by eliminating concrete footers, which add a significant expense for concrete, rebar, and other associated materials.
In addition, Fast Track can help builders achieve LEED objectives. Here’s how. Aluminum channels and clips have at least 25% post-consumer recycled content, and the entire system can be dismantled and re-purposed as a building’s uses change.
Time is money. Reducing labor costs and materials such as concrete translate to real savings when calculating a bottom line.
Fast Track = Versatility
The versatility of Fast Track makes it an excellent choice for a wide variety of applications, including:
- New Construction and Retrofits: Suitable for a wide range of building types, the Fast Track system can be integrated into new construction or retrofit an existing structure, making it new again.
- Exterior and Interior Walls: Fast Track adds just the right touch! Whether for elegant exterior walls or an interior accent wall that brings sophistication to a lobby or waiting room, this innovative system can showcase the design.
- High-End Residential Entries: The selection and versatility of the available products and finishes makes it possible to create just the right look without the need for heavy masonry.
- Horizontal Applications: Fast Track adds an eye-catching architectural element when used in horizontal applications like soffits.
- Commercial Buildings: Fast Track has been used to create aesthetically pleasing, durable, and sustainable facades at the Kirkland Cancer Center, in Jackon, Tennessee, and Tractor Supply company headquarters, in Brentwood, Tennessee and more.
- Customizable Sizes and Colors: Panels come in standard sizes, and custom sizes are also available. Sealants come in a variety of colors to match different design palettes.
Get the Fast Track
With innovative products like the Acme Fast Track System, you can give your construction company a competitive edge. You’re not constructing the Empire State Building, but using the Fast Track system combines aesthetic beauty, innovation, versatility, and cost effectiveness, putting your project on the fast track to success!
Acme Brick provides several valuable resources to help you better use this exemplary system – from planning tools to digital consultation all the way to on-site collaboration. Click here to get in touch with an expert on Acme’s Fast Track System.