Sturgeon Bay, Wis., is the home to Palmer Johnson’s shipyard and paint facility. A manufacturer of luxury, high-performance yachts, Palmer Johnson has a strong reputation for quality and detail.
Started in 1918 by building and repairing fishing boats, the company now builds high-style motor yachts ranging in size from 90 feet (27 m) to the 150-foot (46-m), three-deck M/Y Hokulani, with models more than 300 feet (91 m) in development.
To guarantee visual quality, Palmer Johnson recently built a fully dedicated paint facility, measuring 220 feet (67 m) long, 58 feet
(170 m) wide and 45 feet (14 m) high metal building from Nucor Building Systems, Waterloo, Ind. To provide the access and seal that are important to the building’s mission, the company closed off the opening with Elkhorn, Wis.-based Wilson Doors Premier aluminum bi-folding door. Heyrman Construction Co. Inc., Green Bay, Wis., was the general contractor.
The building accommodates sophisticated systems for sand blasting, painting and drying, along with state-of-the-art ventilation and lighting. It must withstand constant exposure to high-pressure washing and tightly sealed to maintain the exacting quality of the workmanship. Erected on a plot of land with a very tight footprint and challenging geographic location, a vertical bi-folding door was the only solution for the building.
To provide maximum clearance and allow the crew to move in and out freely, the building was designed so that most of the east wall is the massive Premier door, which is attached to a height just 4 feet (1 m) below the roof. To match the rest of the building, the door is clad in ribbed steel panels. Designed with an aircraft grade 6061-T6 aluminum frame, the door can withstand high winds, open without buckling and put minimal strain on the building’s structural components. The Wilson Ascent AC-Drive is engineered for a smooth, smart start and stop, minimizing wear on the motor and its components.
To meet regulations, the building environment must be completely explosion proof since dust and chemicals are handled inside. The HVAC equipment is completely outside the building, while all lighting and controls within the building are explosion proof, including the motor and controls for the door. To completely seal the entrance, the door has a natural-rubber top seal combined with neoprene side seals and a natural-rubber bottom loop seal, which prevents the escape of energy, painting materials to the outside and drafts blowing into the building.