10 Questions for Bill Zahner

by Paul Deffenbaugh | October 3, 2022 12:00 am

Metal Architecture: A lot has changed in the 125-year history of A. Zahner. What are the biggest design trends you have seen during your career in building enclosures related to metal building components?

Bill Zahner: Perhaps the greatest trend I have experienced is a return to customization of surfaces in metal. This has fostered improvements in manufacturing equipment, manufacturing processes and skill levels in the workforce. When I began my career, some 45 years ago, the rollformed metal siding panel and metal roofing with high-performance paints were the design material of choice. They still are in use, but they are now more of a commodity. Customization of shaped surfaces and custom textures and finishes are incorporated into designs. In a way, this is like going back 125 years to the custom metal cornice and storefronts that my great grandfather worked on.

MA: With the increasing sophistication of design, how do you meet the demand for improved building performance, especially in sustainability requirements?

Zahner: We incorporate prototype and testing in nearly all our work. Prototypes give the client an understanding of what they will be getting for the effort, but it also gives my people an opportunity to examine the performance and improve on it. For us, we want the metal to do the work of removing moisture and withstand the rigors of the environment. We do not want to depend on seals and membranes, but design the metal to remove the energy and shed the water. We still use the seals and membranes but as secondary or tertiary systems. A well-constructed metal surface will stand the test of time and last centuries.

MA: What characteristic of metal building components make them especially effective in modern building design and construction?

Zahner: Metal surfaces are lightweight, will outlast most other building materials and, in the end of life of the building, are fully recycled. There is no other building material that can be used again and again, regain its mechanical behavior and be reused like new centuries from now. A copper roof, aluminum wall or stainlesssteel skin will never end up in a dump site. Every ounce of the metal on a building will be recovered and reused. There are no other materials that can achieve this.

MA: In the construction industry, attracting and retaining qualified craftspeople is one of the major obstacles. What do you do to overcome this hurdle?

Zahner: We treat our people with respect and dignity. When we go to an area to perform a project, our reputation proceeds us. We are a union employer, and we have a good relationship with the International Sheet Metal Union, SMART. They help us find qualified workers regardless of where we work. Our plants in Kansas City, Mo., and Grand Prairie, Texas, we have a long history. Coupled with the challenging work we perform, will attract good people.

We incorporate automation in areas of our work, but this actually increases the need for more people. Automation improves our abilities and speed of delivery. It does raise the bar for skills required, but there is a need for the human touch to add the art—the special character to the work— that no machine can duplicate.

I have had one business manager for the local union say that we ruin the worker by turning them into an artist. I took that as a compliment. Our workforce and our work are our best recruiters.

MA: Many fabricators would like to have complete control of the construction and installation of the building enclosure, but often that’s not possible. What are the key lessons you’ve learned about working with the other trades?

Zahner: We have incorporated technology such as SurveyLink and digital definition into our processes. By doing this, we have made the trades we interface with better. We will save them money and give the client the most accurate surface possible. In the past, it was an iterative process. We followed and had to accept what was done before us. This approach slows everything down and often leads to mediocrity as indicated by large caulk joints, gaps and flashing covers.

When we did the Google Headquarters, we worked alongside the glazing contractor, and together we were able to interface with the curved steel to achieve a very accurate layout, one that was predictable and shown on the computer model we both added to and used. All the panels were made in advance of the steel going up. When you witness the designers 200 feet up on the building photographing our work and showing it to their office because the joints and seams are tight and in line, you have succeeded. When you do the work right, you are predicting, not adapting.

MA: A. Zahner works on a lot of high-profile projects. Is there a type of project that your team just loves to sink its teeth into?

Zahner: Projects where we have an engaged client. We want the challenge, but more so we want a client that is involved with the design development process and pushes us to achieve something special. At the same time, our people will uncover the nuances that make the project special and timeless. We want to do projects that spark the interest 20 years from now as much as they do today.

MA: If you had to communicate one message to architects, what would it be?

Zahner: Let’s create something special that has never been done before.

MA: We’ve already talked about design trends, but what do you see are the major drivers for the future of fabrication?

Zahner: Automation without a doubt. It will be woven into every aspect of design, fabrication and, eventually, installation. Automation is intertwined with accurate computer modeling and the manufacturing process. The future is going to be fun. Wish I was starting out again.

MA: Let’s talk technology. Aside from BIM and CAAD, what are the technologies that are driving the industry in terms of complexity and efficiency? What role do machinery and software integration play into these issues?

Zahner: Coding and automation are drivers of the manufacturing today. Everything is digital model based. Coding allows this to translate to the plant floor and soon to the project site. We use very little paper these days. Computers are on the plant floor everywhere. Communication is accurate and fast. We still have legacy thoughts and processes that require drawings to be printed and stamped but the computer model is the key. It is the universal language for those of us that make.

MA: Building enclosure fabrication and installation require regular and specific communication as well as leadership. How have you structured your company to meet the varied communications demands between your team and the rest of the project participants?

Zahner: We have a term we call Zahner Assist. Back in the ‘90s, when working with Frank Gehry, we coined the term that is used so often today, “Design Assist.” Our insurer at the time said we could not do design work, so I said we don’t, we design assist. The term has stuck and is pervasive in the industry. It replaced the old term, value engineering, but, unfortunately, not the dumbing down effort, so many use in the old value engineering.

We go deeper when we work with a designer. We want to be their research and development arm. We want to be a partner with them in creating an environment where design in metal is exceptional. We want to create an environment where the designer’s client feels we have exceeded his expectations. This involves communication on a high level. It also involves trust.

Our Zahner Assist team incorporates expertise from engineering, shop floor, field installation, procurement and even artistry. We work to refine the designer’s model to incorporate all edges and interfaces. We look for redundancy and seek to remove it. We create prototypes that help verify what the model is showing in full scale, in full sunlight and artificial light. We learn.

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