Case Study: Ciba Specialty Chemicals

Ciba Specialty Chemicals Improves Space Management with FM:Systems

Contact Name: Alan Settzo
Title: Senior Staff Engineer, Engineering and Facility Operations

Background
Ciba Specialty Chemicals North America is part of the worldwide Ciba Specialty Chemicals group, a company with 2000 sales of $4.7 billion, in 120 countries, and 20,000 employees. The U.S. is Ciba's largest single market, accounting for nearly one-third of global company sales. Worldwide headquarters is in Basel, Switzerland.

Ciba Specialty Chemicals North America consists of five business segments - Coating Effects, Home & Personal Care, Plastic Additives, Textile Effects, and Water & Paper Treatment. Based in Tarrytown, NY, the company conducts operations throughout the U.S. and Canada. Ciba Specialty Chemicals has approximately 3,000 employees in the U.S. and Canada.

Facilities and Property Overview
The Tarrytown, NY, site is Ciba Specialty Chemicals' NAFTA regional headquarters. It also houses administrative headquarters, marketing and technical operations for the Coating Effects and Plastic Additives business segments. A state-of-the-art research center provides R&D, new product development, analytical and technical service support for Ciba's light stabilizer, antioxidant, process chemicals, imaging/coating additives, process/lubricant additives, and water/paper treatment businesses.

Ciba's Tarrytown campus comprises two buildings, an office building and the adjoining recently completed lab facility.  The buildings total approximately 300,000 SF, housing 550 employees.

Role of the Department:

The Engineering and Facility Operations Department is responsible for all aspects of operations for this multi-function facility. The group plans and executes capital projects, coordinates and executes all moves in both buildings, oversees the operation and maintenance of the buildings, provides significant planning assistance for the lab facilities, and runs an extensive Preventive Maintenance and Service Request program to keep the campus running smoothing.  Additionally, the department provides management with ongoing facility reporting to provide information for planning and real estate decisions.  Compliance to life safety regulations is also a key responsibility.

Main Goals for CAFM:

On the top of Ciba's list for CAFM was production of accurate space chargebacks.  Chargeback reports are crucial to calculating and distributing Ciba's operating costs. 

Another top goal for CAFM was to precisely measure their facilities using BOMA standards for space definition.  This would provide them with the tools to benchmark their facilities against others in the region, a key management requirement. 

Additional benefits of the CAFM systems will be the consolidation of multiple databases into one central database, the ability to accurately track and associate costs with moves and to improve overall space utilization.

Precedent:

Prior to implementing FM:Space, the department was calculating square footage manually using AutoCAD and reporting on area totals in an Excel spreadsheet. The process was unwieldy and time-consuming and provided only limited management information.

Challenges:

The main challenge faced by Settzo and his team was an extremely fast-track project schedule, dictated by a looming management reporting deadline. The department had exactly two months from initial training on FM:Space to produce an accurate set of space chargeback reports for the entire facility.

This challenge was exacerbated by midcourse changes in reporting methodology.  A management edict for re-distributing costs for service related departments tested the capabilities of FM:Space and of the team. Eighteen different scenarios for space chargebacks were explored, whereby various departments' occupancy charges were re-distributed to corporate common.  The impact of each scenario was presented to management for approval and final reports were produced, all within the two month timeframe!

Ciba has attributed their success facing these challenges to the ease of implementation and flexibility of FM:Space.

Process:

The team's extensive requirements for CAFM quickly led them to choose FM:Space.  The system had to be AutoCAD compatible, meet a long list of comprehensive features required by Ciba, include strong system security features and be priced within their budgetary requirements.  Most importantly, Ciba wanted a tool that would work with and adapt to their internal processes.

The implementation process ran like clockwork.  The team verified all CAD drawings,  polylined and tagged all floor plans and entered all data into FM:Space.  Reports were customized and tested to meet their specific management requirements. The entire implementation was done in-house.

Timeframe:

The full implementation for space chargeback was completed in two months.

Team:

The team currently consists of Settzo and a CAD planner.  The two were responsible for the fast track implementation.  Ciba plans to add several new users to FM:Space, including users form Telecom, IT, Human Resources as well as additional users in Facility Operations. 

Results:

The team's accomplishments since implementing FM:Space:`

• Significantly increased accuracy of space chargebacks
• Produced multiple chargeback scenarios for management with exceptionally quick turnaround time.
• Implemented comprehensive facility information system in-house, on schedule and without incurring costs from outside vendors.
• Incorporated BOMA measurement standards, enabling benchmarking of Ciba's facilities to others in industry and region and assisting management in real estate decisions

Feedback:

Settzo was happy to report that "management said we hit a homerun" with their choice and implementation of FM:Space.  Ciba management is thrilled with the speed and accuracy of the new facility information reporting process.  Just as important, FM:Space users are very pleased with the ease of use and efficiency of their new tools.

Advice:

Having successfully completed the process, Settzo offered the following advice:

• Do not assume that your floor plans are accurate. Leave time in your implementation process for field verification.
• Make sure to elicit buy-in for your CAFM project from other groups such as IT, Telecom and Human Resources. Settzo invited FM:Space in to do an overview presentation of their software solutions for several departments. This created excitement about the project and eased the way for mutual collaboration.

Next Steps:

With the success of the initial implementation, Settzo and his team will now venture into expanding the system to benefit other areas of the organization. The team plans to roll-out FM:Space and FM:Space Move Management to other service groups to streamline their processes as well.  In the future, Ciba will investigate the use of FM:Interact to provide company-wide access to facilities information via their corporate intranet sharing facilities information with all who need it.