Case study
Buckman Laboratories
International, Inc.
Memphis, Tennessee
Service optimizes existing BAS investment,
allows for technology expansion
Buckman Laboratories International, Inc., is a leading manufacturer of specialty
chemicals. The company’s products and materials are applied in the pulp and paper,
water treatment, leather, coatings and plastics, wood and agriculture industries. At its
corporate headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee, Buckman called on Johnson Controls,
Inc. to maintain its existing building automation system. The service contract will save
Buckman approximately 18 percent in HVAC operations and maintenance costs, protect
existing assets and provide a migration path to newer technologies.
In 1945 Buckman Laboratories started with one product, one 50-gallon process
vessel and four employees in a small house in Memphis. Today, the company is
a global business producing more than 700 different products and employing more than
1,300 people in 90 countries. Buckman now works with industry worldwide to provide
advanced chemical treatment technologies and extensive technical service to resolve a
variety of complex industrial problems. The company’s expertise spans a broad range of
specialty chemicals including microbicides, scale inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors, polymers,
dispersants and defoamers.
Buckman’s corporate headquarters comprises more than 300,000 square feet of
traditional offices along with research and development space, including laboratories. The
building’s mixed environments require efficient and effective operation of HVAC, fire and
security equipment and controls to ensure the comfort and safety of building occupants.
No longer satisfied with the costs associated with maintaining its existing equipment
and controls, Wendell Rose, senior project manager – operations, for Buckman invited
Johnson Controls to submit a proposal for maintenance and repair of these systems.
“We also wanted to upgrade our aging
Honeywell system without spending
a large amount of capital for a new
system,” says Rose. “Johnson Controls
presented a solution that provided
service for the existing system
while allowing us to integrate newer
technologies through an organized plan
of replacement.”
The building’s mixed environments
include office and laboratory space.
“Johnson Controls third-party service
capabilities played out very quickly.
And, their service strategies provided
more than an 18 percent savings
in HVAC operations and preventive
maintenance costs over our
previous provider.”
Wendell Rose
Senior Project Manager –
Operations
Buckman Laboratories
International, Inc.
Service strategies
protect assets
and budget
While Buckman wished to upgrade
the existing controls system, it was
necessary to maintain, support and
repair this system until a planned
replacement could be budgeted. Under
a five-year planned service agreement,
Johnson Controls is responsible for
repair and maintenance of the controls
system, mechanical equipment and fire
alarm and security systems.
“Johnson Controls third-party service
capabilities played out very quickly,
proving we were no longer locked into
a proprietary service situation. And,
their service strategies provided more
than an 18 percent savings in HVAC
operations and preventive maintenance
costs over our previous provider,”
says Rose.
Under the service agreement Johnson
Controls technicians work closely
with Buckman’s maintenance staff
to make sure equipment is operating
efficiently. “Because of the nature of
this international headquarters facility,
equipment or controls downtime can
cause serious problems and setbacks,”
states Rose. “Quick response time in
these situations is critical and Johnson
Controls provides that.”
Together, Buckman and Johnson
Chris Barnoud, vice president,
operations and Wendell Rose, senior
Controls monitor equipment
project manager, Buckman Laboratories. performance to determine whether
replacement should be considered.
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An organized plan of replacement for
older equipment and controls is already
underway. “The plan will allow us to
carry the replacement costs over years
instead of months,” states Rose.
Integrating newer
technologies
To accommodate new equipment and
controls, a Johnson Controls Metasys®
building management system has
been installed in the facility. The system
allows the seamless integration of new
equipment over time while maximizing
the life of existing systems.
The building’s HVAC controls, fire alarm
system and a new Johnson Controls
Cardkey security system have already
been integrated with the Metasys
system. “A chemical release alarm has
also been integrated with the system.
In the event there is a chemical leak
in the processing plant adjacent to the
headquarters building, the system will
shut down the building’s air handlers,”
explains Rose.
The Web-based Metasys system
provides increased monitoring and
control capabilities along with enhanced
data analysis, reporting and trending.
Graphic displays have already been
developed to represent the remaining
Honeywell system. “We are able to
operate both systems from a singleseat platform and remotely as needed.
Greater flexibility and control provide
improved performance, even of thirdparty equipment,” says Rose.
According to Rose, plans are being put
in place for additional upgrades as they
make sense financially and with respect
to the life of equipment. “I am happy
with what we’ve accomplished and
what we are working towards. Working
with Johnson Controls has been a good
experience. We value the relationship
and have found their service staff to be
experts at their jobs,” says Rose.