IFA Group, North American Production Plant + Expansion

German manufacturer the IFA Group commissioned McMillan Pazdan Smith to design a new 233,300 SF facility to expand their automotive driveshaft operations. Located in Berkley County’s Charleston Trade Center, the facility includes the CV joint production lines and warehouse/distribution functions. Large, open office bays allow production and management teams to collaborate more frequently with easy access to meeting spaces and amenities like a large cafeteria space.

After working out of the Module 1 & 2 facility for three years, IFA was ready to undertake Module 3 of their plan to bring all their manufacturing facilities in the Charleston area under one roof. The existing facility was expanded by an additional 211,300 SF. Simultaneously, the existing 17,000 SF second floor office expansion space is fully upfitted to bring the total amount of office space to 34,000 SF and the total usable building floor area to 461,600 SF. Designed with load-bearing tilt-wall concrete construction to minimize steel cost, the building utilizes knockout panels provided in the previous phases to allow the Module 3 manufacturing expansion to have direct access to the existing warehouse and shipping area. Large open office areas accommodate IFA’s desire to have all their production and management teams under one roof. A large training room and a second, larger cafeteria augments the existing one.