Helping Sherwin-Williams create a safer research environment in Brecksville, Ohio

Sherwin-Williams’ new Global Research and Development Facility in Brecksville, Ohio represents a major investment in innovation, collaboration and employee safety. The new R&D Center was created to bring chemists, engineers, technicians and support teams together in a state-of-the-art hub for product development, coatings research, color technology and process engineering.

The facility spans 257,000 sq. ft. across nine buildings and 22 floors as part of a $380+ million integrated project. For a facility of this scale, source capture ventilation was an essential part of the laboratory design. Sherwin-Williams needed a localized extraction solution that would help protect researchers’ breathing zones while supporting efficient, ergonomic work at the bench.

The challenge

In a modern research environment, employees often work close to the source of fumes, vapors and airborne contaminants. Sherwin-Williams required a flexible extraction system that could be positioned directly where work takes place, helping to create a cleaner and safer workplace without limiting movement or disrupting daily laboratory routines.

The solution

To meet these needs, the facility was equipped with:

• 532 custom Movex MiniTEX 4” telescopic laboratory arms
• 37 Movex ME EX 100 4” articulating laboratory arms
• 22 Movex PR white 6” wall-mounted extraction arms

Movex worked closely with Spencer-Virnoche, the company contracted by Sherwin-Williams to manage the laboratory equipment for the project. Spencer-Virnoche specializes in laboratory furniture, fixtures and custom laboratory solutions, bringing consulting, engineering and project estimating experience to facilities where standard laboratory equipment may not fully meet the requirements. Their role helped ensure that the extraction solution could be integrated with the laboratory benches, fixtures and workflow throughout the new facility.

A key part of the project was developing custom-made extraction arms for the facility. The Movex MiniTEX arms were adapted to meet the requirements of this large-scale research environment. By tailoring the arms to the layout of the benches and the daily workflow of Sherwin-Williams’ research teams, Movex was able to provide a solution that supported both safety and efficiency throughout the facility.

 

 

The MiniTEX is a telescopic local extractor designed for laboratories that require a compact arm with very low pressure drop. Ceiling-mounted over the work benches, the arms provided localized source capture directly where the researchers needed it.

The Movex ME EX arms added flexible articulation for laboratory workstations where extraction in EX-classified environments was required. ME EX is designed for extracting airborne contaminants in potentially explosive environments, such as laboratories, chemical and petrochemical industries, gas distribution and paint handling.

For additional coverage, Movex PR white 6” wall-mounted arms were installed where a larger extraction arm was needed. The PR is a flexible extraction arm designed to remove airborne contaminants from the work environment and can be adapted to a wide range of applications. Its white design also worked perfectly in the laboratory environment, blending naturally with the clean, modern interior of the new research facility.

“This was a really exciting project to be part of. Working with a facility of this size meant finding a solution that could support a large number of workstations while still giving researchers the flexibility and protection they need every day. It was rewarding to help deliver a system that fits both the scale of the building and the safety goals of Sherwin-Williams.” Says Kevin Stearns, Sales Representative, Movex Inc.

The result

The installed source capture system allows Sherwin-Williams research scientists to work safely, ergonomically and efficiently at their benches. By placing extraction directly at the source, the system helps remove contaminants before they spread into the surrounding workspace.

With more than 590 Movex extraction arms installed throughout the facility, Sherwin-Williams achieved its goal: protecting the breathing zone of employees while supporting a cleaner, safer and more productive research environment.

Video from RG Construction Services