CHICAGO, IL — Skender, a vertically integrated design, construction and manufacturing firm, recently launched production at its advanced manufacturing facility on Chicago’s southwest side. The facility will use Skender’s fully-integrated process that takes modular building projects from concept to technical design to advanced fabrication to onsite completion. The modular building process, completed almost entirely in a climate-controlled environment, increases quality and safety, reduces price, eliminates weather risk and reduces delivery schedule.

“Our production launch is an important milestone in our radical new approach to building,” said Mark Skender, CEO of Skender. “By bringing design, manufacturing and construction under one brand and one integrated team, we can dramatically improve productivity and build more efficiently while increasing the quality of materials and finishes, as well as the energy performance.”

Skender also held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the facility with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot; Mark Skender; Gary Perinar, Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters’ Executive Secretary-Treasurer; and multiple City of Chicago officials.

"The new Skender advanced manufacturing facility is a win-win for Chicago: generating job growth on the Southwest side while advancing a creative solution to address the affordable housing shortage,” Lightfoot said. “We will work with residents, community leaders and developers across the city to ensure every Chicagoan has a safe and affordable place to live. The addition of new modular units will improve access to sustainable housing, prevent homelessness, and ensure that as Chicago grows all of our neighbors can afford to grow too.”

The first modular building project will be an order of 10 affordable-rate, three-flat apartment buildings from Chicago developer Sterling Bay that will help address the city’s critical affordable housing shortage. The steel-frame three-flats will be completed and ready for occupancy in a nine-week production schedule — 80 percent faster than conventional construction methods — and at a 5 percent to 20 percent lower project cost.

“We believe all Chicagoans should have the opportunity to live in well-designed homes that are affordable and enhance the surrounding neighborhood,” said Andy Gloor, CEO of Sterling Bay. “Skender has thoughtfully addressed how to deliver affordable housing in a way that is effective and scalable and can make a real difference across the city of Chicago.”

Other projects in the design stages include modular building for affordable and market-rate multifamily, healthcare and hospitality.

In conjunction with the new factory, Skender has reached a new union agreement with the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters that allows Skender’s manufacturing employees to organize and become bargaining members.

“The Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters was integral in the development of this revolutionary partnership with Skender,” said Executive Secretary-Treasurer Gary Perinar. “This puts the City of Chicago at the forefront of a new, innovative and efficient method of constructing multifamily, healthcare and hospitality projects through modular manufacturing. Our highly trained and skilled carpenters will ensure high-quality products and projects that will improve and enhance communities across the city.”

At full capacity in about 18 months, Skender’s facility will employ 150 people. To help source, train and prepare the workforce for specialized careers in manufacturing, Skender has partnered with Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters, Cara Chicago, Heartland Alliance, Chicago Women in Trades, Central States SER and the Jane Addams Resource Corporation.