Page 18 - Graypvine August 2021
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PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
Patience, and a Happy
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Customer, Lead to MKDA
Buddhist monks attended the MKDA groundbreaking to bless the site in Griffin, Georgia.
Patience often pays off. When Gray first heard help achieve sustainable development to improve
about a project for Mitsui Kinzoku Die-Casting environmental quality. The MDKA plant will be
Technology America (MKDA), the electric vehicle approximately 63,000 s.f. and includes a first and
parts manufacturer was already in discussion with second floor. The building features high-end finishes
other contractors. Gray team members decided and a design-build wastewater treatment facility.
to give up on the opportunity, but then MKDA’s Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was
engineering company and representative, MESCO, a challenge for MESCO’s Japanese supervisors
decided they weren’t quite happy with potential to obtain visas. As a result, MESCO was initially
contractors. As it turns out, the company was not able to send anyone to the site, and all
interested in building in the same industrial park communication, including weekly meetings, were
as Gray customer Otsuka Chemical America. through web calls. The time difference meant
A satisfied repeat customer, Otsuka made the these calls took place in the evening here in the
introduction between Gray and MKDA, and Gray U.S. Thankfully, MESCO team members were
was ultimately selected. This is a great example granted their visas, and arrived in the U.S. at the
of how a happy customer can be our best end of March 2021. The team was able to hold
marketing tool. a groundbreaking event in November 2020, and
Headquartered in Yamanashi, Japan, the MKDA Buddhist monks came to bless the project site.
project is being built at The Lakes at Green Valley Led by Project Manager Luka Oliphant, Gray’s
located in Griffin, Georgia — Georgia’s first and MKDA team is hard at work every day to overcome
only eco-industrial park. An eco-industrial park is the distance and language barriers. Other key team
made up of companies who cooperate with each members include John Hall, JR Latour, Michael
other and with the local community in an attempt to Taylor, Jose Cantu, Presley Rutherford, Richard
reduce waste and pollution, share resources, and Edwins, Shig Masuko and Yukie Cooper.
