Keen Project Solutions • 515-233-1244 • https://thinkdifferentthinkkeen.com/
As the grain handling business becomes more detailed and sophisticated, the need continues to rise for more precision-technology-designed facilities and equipment. This is one of the key reasons for the rapid growth of Keen Project Solutions. After only six years, it has become one of the Corn Belt’s leaders in providing design, engineering, and construction of agricultural and industrial facilities, such as grain elevators and processing facilities.
Keen was founded in 2014 by Matt Frandsen, Cory Larson, and Dustin Waters, who decided to start their own operation when a construction company they worked for was bought out. “We actually started with a whiteboard and laptops in a farm shop,” says Frandsen, president of the Ankeny, IA-based company. “One vendor laughs about early on when they came to our office the first time, and one of us had to sit on a 5-gallon bucket.”
However, the business grew quickly. The business outgrew two offices in Ames, IA before moving to an expanded Ankeny facility, and is preparing to open another Midwest regional office in the coming year.
Keen has established its name in ag and industrial heavy construction throughout the Midwest. It also has led design, engineering, and construction projects across North America in California, Washington, Texas, Louisiana, and North Carolina, as well as in two Canadian provinces
Its client base has grown to include major grain companies like ADM, Cargill, Bunge, and Louis Dreyfus, along with on-site locations for seed companies such as Becks, Corteva Agriscience, and others. With a team of qualified designers, engineers, millwrights, and other associates, the company has about 100 employees. Those numbers increase to 120 to 130 during peak project design and construction periods.
Keen’s motto, “Think different, think Keen,” exemplifies its dedication to providing clients with expertise needed to help separate them from others. “Safety comes first in everything we do,” says Frandsen. “This can be a dangerous trade, so we protect our people. It also means protecting your seat at the table through training to make sure we better serve customers and earn their future business.”
Keen strives to build better relationships. “There is power in relationships,” he says. “In the grain industry, those interactions with customers are enhanced by our focus on good communication which creates opportunities and solves problems.”
By “focusing on end goals,” he adds. “We make sure we’re clear on the customer’s goals and how we serve that need to obtain those goals. Good listening helps us understand their operation, their market, how they make money, and the types of projects they choose to undertake. By knowing what their concerns and risks might be, we can better understand them. We ensure that their business plan drives our project plan.”
With a sense of drive and innovation, Keen uses a wide range of correspondence to keep customers informed of work progress. It can be as low-tech as different color Post-it notes to identify different crews and work activities, to advanced software to illustrate current design and construction status or envision the finished product.
Keen provides general contracting, construction management, millwright services, and design and engineering for grain handling, processing, and industrial facilities.
Millwright services include machine setting and assembly, precision alignment, rigging, conveyance, custom fabrication, welding, maintenance and troubleshooting, start-up support, and preventive maintenance.
Various forms of fabrication are conducted in-house at Keen’s Ames and Ankeny fabshops. Fabrication segments include structural steel, steel platforms, equipment supports, modular prefab components, dust control and compressed air assemblies, and other areas.
“Kitting services also are provided,” says Frandsen. “Kits are pre-cut pieces that can be placed on a skid and delivered to a project. We can produce a kit for an entire floor of steel and/or steel structure that is ready to arrive at the same time for assembly and construction.”
Among new products and services are 3D scanning and modeling and virtual design. “We’re refining the use of technologies to provide a virtual design experience using 3D scans,” he adds, noting the process helped enhance communication with customers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“After we have been to a facility, scanned it, and developed a new design, we invite customers to view plans using virtual reality (VR) goggles. This helps us walk them through the engineering solution.
“VR and 3D design modeling software enables us to use handheld tablets at the project site,” explains Frandsen. “Customers can view the new design solutions, which are superimposed in their actual environment. These tools and other software allow customers to have line-of-sight to know schedules, budgets, quality and safety control, and to communicate throughout the life of their project.”
Reprinted from Grain Journal July/August 2020 Issue
