Lexington, KY - When you think of the U.S. Army ordering things for its base in Ft. Knox, you might first think of tanks, machine guns and bullets. But just as an army marches on its stomach, the Army's human resources department operates on its office furniture systems. And the Army has just ordered a massive amount of office furniture.
Systems Design, Inc., a furniture dealer headquartered in Lexington with a store in Louisville, has won two contracts worth about $12 million to provide and install furniture in the new Human Resources Center of Excellence at Ft. Knox. The site consists of seven buildings that will provide Army HR functions for this part of the country after the Army realigned and re-appropriated its HR Command from bases in Virginia, Missouri and Indiana.
"It's terrific. We've had to pinch ourselves, because it is such a great project," said Mike Nantz, co-owner, along with his wife, Elaine, of Systems Design. The company started the installation process February 1 and will take three to four months to complete it.
"It consists of installing 4,500 Knoll brand work stations, which are modular units with panels surrounding individuals," explained Nantz.
The job also includes furnishing about 300 private offices at the complex, as well as setting up 300 conference tables with chairs.
"This will be the largest single order for the Knoll brand. They're among the top three or four furniture manufacturers of panel systems in the country. It's about a billion-dollar company in yearly sales, and this project represents the largest single contract they've had in the last few years," Nantz said.
Systems Design is part of a mammoth civilian/military project at Ft. Knox. The new Human Resource Center of Excellence will provide support to soldiers, families, civilians and retirees. Because of the realignment and consolidation, nearly 4,300 civilian and contractor employees will either be transferred to or be hired to work at the center's 104-acre site. The surrounding area's population is expected to grow, having an economic impact in the tens of millions of dollars, according to the Army. The center is scheduled to open in June.
The Nantzes started Systems Design in Lexington in 1983.
"My background is in interior design, and Mike's is in sales, and we put the two together and it fit," said Elaine Nantz. As the business grew, the couple opened an office in Louisville. Elaine Nantz manages the Lexington office while Mike Nantz shuttles back and forth between the two stores.
Systems Design offers a variety of services, including design and technical services like measuring and determining a customer's exact space needs. The company handles sales, service and installation of all interior systems, with the team having completed manufacturer installation training. On large projects where continual reconfiguration of office systems is anticipated, the customer can store their extra office furniture in the Systems Design warehouse. Then, when the time is right and using computer-aided design, Systems Design can help the customer reconfigure their space as demand dictates.
Systems Design has been working on this project for about three years with Kevin Adams, director of sales and operations in Louisville, handling much of the ground work or "pre-work." The company also worked with the Army Corps of Engineers on the project. The complex preparations included furniture layout using computer-aided drafting to visualize the work stations so that it all made sense and achieved what Army HR leaders required.
"We even helped pick colors that would be timeless and that they would enjoy seeing for a long time, including coordinating furniture colors with their carpet selections," said Mike Nantz.
Systems Design isn't just selling the Army the office systems and letting another company do the installation; it's in the thick of it all.
"We're the Knoll dealer in the Lexington and Louisville markets, and so it is our responsibility to install all of the furniture," Mike Nantz emphasized. The company has 18 employees, and the installation crew will stay especially busy. Will Systems Design need extra help?
"Definitely," said Elaine Nantz. "We are hiring installation crews to help our main crew out. Primarily, we are looking for help from this area and also in Louisville. The crews will be traveling to Ft. Knox daily."
At a time when many furniture and office supply companies are struggling, this new Army contract appears to be quite a coup for Systems Design. "We have won other contracts at Ft. Knox, but they were much smaller," said Mike Nantz. "I think it will open doors for us for other opportunities there, if we perform and do the job we are supposed to do. So we're excited about that."
Elaine Nantz agreed. "We're thoroughly excited and look forward to the opportunity," she said. "We're definitely appreciative. It's been a struggle and we've lost a few contracts before this one came about, so I guess it was our turn."