Walking into Peckham Industries’ new Old Town manufacturing facility is like walking into the lobby of a trendy hotel, sans bar and bellhop. The furniture is stylish, the lobby is open and full of natural light that pours in through the large windows chasing the vaulted ceilings. It gives no indication of a manufacturing facility. It isn’t noisy, it isn’t dirty and it isn’t bleak.
Peckham is different from other area manufacturers in its mission statement and its commitment to maintaining a green, employee-friendly atmosphere.
Peckham is a nonprofit community rehabilitation organization that offers educational resources and jobs to many of the area’s physically challenged and refugee population.
Peckham’s President, Mitchell Tomlinson, is a far cry from the stereotypical manufacturing CEO. He dresses more like a college professor than the head of a non-profit that provided nearly $30 million in wages for those involved in Peckham’s job training programs during 2007, and who manages multiple contracts, including the Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard and Polartec.
Peckham is an example of what manufacturing could be—an effective atmosphere conducive to positive employee morale and innovative thinking.
The Green Light
Earlier this year, Peckham moved from its dreary, 1950s-era cinder block headquarters into a 191,000 square foot LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) silver-certified facility in Old Town.
Low-flow water fixture systems save more than 600,000 gallons of water per year; more than 30 percent of the building was constructed with recycled materials; and 90 percent of construction waste was diverted from landfills.
Tomlinson gets particularly jazzed about the copious amounts of natural light in the building.
“Ninety eight percent of the work space, including the factory, has natural light,” Tomlinson says. “We call it the 'Little Green House.' We named it that because we put a lot of effort into making it feel natural and green.”
A large, interior "light well" helps open up the space. The building also has a more than 6,300 square foot green roof, which helps reduce stormwater runoff and mitigates the urban heat island effect. With transparent office panels and open workspaces, it’s difficult to find a dark corner in the entire facility.
“We wanted to create cool spaces that would foster creative thought,” Tomlinson says.
These spaces include a table with toys, which Tomlinson swears have generated some great ideas. They also include wide open meeting areas that, when necessary, can be made private by sliding curtains, as well as a “water cooler area” that sits in the middle of the main thoroughfare.
“There are a lot of spaces where employees can gather and meet. It creates spontaneous interaction,” he says.
Employees as People
First and foremost, Peckham is devoted to its employees, which Peckham refers to as “clients.” Tomlinson seems to know every one of them by name.
“What really makes the Peckham building unique is that we spent a lot of time listening to the clients we serve and what they were looking for in terms of design,” Tomlinson said.
Peckham has unusually wide hallways to accommodate wheelchairs. Learning centers host English classes to help Peckham's clients, who speak more than 30 different languages, learn English. There's also a workout facility, a clothing pantry, a corner store, heated sidewalks to improve safety and a waiting room complete with Wii gaming technology for the 40 percent of employees who take the bus to work.
Peckham even designs its manufacturing shifts around the bus schedule, doing its part to reduce employee transportation issues.
The warehouse has a walking track and outside, a garden for employees who want to grow their own produce. The warehouse also has bright yellow stairwells and elevators and purple bathrooms to act as a road map for those with visual disabilities and language barriers.
“You can go through an airport that’s non-English speaking and find your way around; we wanted to make it that easy here,” Tomlinson says.
Equipped with multiple microwaves, cubby holes, booths and an open-access Internet area, the cafeteria feels more like a café. Employees also have an outdoor eating area and access to reduced or free lunch.
A “peace space” gives religious employees a peaceful area to connect spiritually. Nearby, “feet washing stations” allow Muslims to wash their feet before prayer.
“We’re kind of just creating a respectful environment for people instead of being religiously intolerant,” he says.
Innovation Station
The new Peckham headquarters also includes an impressive amount of technology.
During conferences or training sessions, sound looping brings the speaker’s voice directly through hearing aids. The conference center also has headphones for employees who do not speak English. Five languages can be translated at one time.
Workstations are retrofitted to accommodate varying disabilities. For example, Peckham has head sticks in the computer labs so those who do not have the use of a limb can use the computer.
“This goes along with the whole idea of creating a respectful place for people with disabilities,” Tomlinson says. “It’s important for them to come into a place that helps them jump those hurdles.”
To combat privacy issues that go along with open workspaces, Peckham has white noise speakers that help mute nearby conversations.
“Sometimes, I have to ask someone if they’re talking to me because I can hear their voice, but don’t know what they’re saying unless they're right near me,” says Peckham Public Relations Administrator Bonnie Zimmerman.
Peckham also has automated conference scheduling, and warehouse technology that automatically inventories products and alerts employees when inventory is getting low.
“We just think there’s a lot [that] people with disabilities can gain from using technology,” Tomlinson says. “‘This really says that folks with disabilities can be competent, capable workers.”
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Ivy Hughes is the managing editor of Capital Gains and can be reached
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Dave Trumpie is the managing photographer for Capital Gains. He is a freelance photographer and owner of Trumpie Photography.
Photos:
A mannequin dressed in some if Peckham's products
The spacious lobby
Bright sitting areas
Open well lit workspace
Exercise room
A “peace space” gives religious employees a peaceful area to connect spiritually
Work stations open with large windows
All Photographs © Dave Trumpie