A lunch and learn is like an adult field trip. I visited Low Country Case & Millwork with coworkers from CEMS and I was truly amazed. Before entering the building we were greeted by an alligator sunbathing by the pond which I thought was the warmest welcome. LCCM recently moved into a brand new 52,000 square foot facility. In this facility, the manufacturing space is divided into four separate divisions; cabinetry, millwork, finishing, and a climate controlled shipping department. This space is basically a huge woodshop. Much like the one on Clemson’s campus and at the CDC, LCCM uses the CNC machine, and Computer Aided Design.
Paul, the plant manager, gave us a tour of the office and the manufacturing area. Something I found interesting and neat was that outside each person’s office there was a “My Workplace Style Guide” posted so everyone knew how to best work with that person.
Paul also gave us a tour of the manufacturing area which was intriguing. Every person had their own workspace designed much like a studio. He talked a lot about the systems running through the space in order to keep the air clean and free from a ton of sawdust. We were able to see every piece of the cabinetry process while we walked through. The CNC and laminate machines were my favorite.
One thing that I liked most about this building was the paint room. If you’ve never been in a paint room the vent system is very important because it keeps you from breathing in all the fumes. That room was specially designed to keep fresh air in while being in an enclosed space.
I absolutely loved getting the opportunity to tour the LCCM facility. It was a good learning experience especially since I am in the CommunityBUILD program. The workers there are a family and from speaking with them, you know they will give their best work for your project. We ended the tour with a look into the shipping department and I was given a gift. Some may see it as a piece of wood but Robert, the Founder/President, told me that “if anyone were to appreciate that, it’d be an architect.”
