KBZK

Posted: Jan 20, 2010 1:09 PM
Updated: Jan 21, 2010 5:01 PM

While many businesses are struggling to stay open, one local manufacturer of pet products is expanding after fetching more customers with their eco-friendly toys.

West Paw Design, a Bozeman-based manufacturer of eco-friendly pet products, is re-using more than 175 tons of concrete as the company undergoes a $1.8 million expansion at its East Frontage Road office and manufacturing facility.

"When we designed the building in 2000 we worked to incorporate as many environmentally sound practices as possible. Part of that was ensuring future expansion could be accomplished with minimal environmental impact," said West Paw Design President and
Owner Spencer Williams. "It is fulfilling to see those plans come to life and to know that we're able to re-use such a significant amount of material."              

Instead of using traditional building techniques, West Paw Design constructed its exterior walls from 10-foot wide concrete panels which made it possible to relocate and reuse the 140-foot southern wall rather than demolishing it during the expansion.

Fourteen panels, each weighing 24,000 pounds,were recently crane-lifted and relocated 98 feet to the south where the new southern exterior wall now stands.

Materials from a temporary wall replacing the 14 relocated concrete panels will be used in a second phase of expansion to create additional office space.

The company is also using metals studs made from 85 percent recycled material.

The expansion will more than double the total facility size, resulting in a total square footage of 30,855, and is expected to be completed in May.

According to an economic impact analysis completed by the Prospera Business Network, the expansion project is supporting 29 local jobs and will generate over $2.5 million in total economic benefit.

Construction photos by Derik Olsen.