Turning 95 Facilities Into a Data-Driven Capital Strategy
Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) experienced significant growth through acquisition and expansion, creating a nationwide facility portfolio with varying asset conditions and capital needs. In 2018, Technical Assurance began a comprehensive assessment program across 95 sites to establish consistent condition data and help PCA prioritize repair and replacement investments across the portfolio.
The program encompassed approximately 18 million square feet of roofing, 5.4 million square feet of exterior walls, and 13.7 million square feet of pavement. Technical Assurance completed the national assessment effort within seven months, creating a portfolio-wide baseline for evaluating exterior building systems.
Establishing Consistent Asset Data Across a National Portfolio
Technical Assurance collected current asset conditions along with historical system information, documented deficiencies, leak history, as-built information, and other relevant facility data. Information was incorporated into ON-PNT® to establish a consistent condition baseline across PCA’s geographically dispersed portfolio.
Condition Index (CI), Remaining Service Life (RSL), and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) were calculated at the facility and portfolio levels. This provided PCA with objective information to prioritize repair and replacement requirements over one-, three-, five-, and 10-year planning horizons.
Identifying Immediate Risks and Long-Term Capital Priorities
The assessment identified several roof replacements requiring immediate attention as well as structural wall conditions presenting potential life-safety risks. Technical Assurance developed corrective action plans to address these critical conditions while helping PCA reduce the potential for future failures and hazardous conditions.
Site-specific and portfolio-level reporting also supported broader business decisions. For leased facilities, PCA was able to use the assessment findings during ongoing negotiations with building owners, extending the value of the asset data beyond facility maintenance and capital planning.
