A New Mexico laboratory gets a new home featuring an open-concept floorplan and an industrial feel thanks to 12-ft ceilings and exposed ductwork.
In Molina/Watson Dental Technologies' first facility, there was no such thing as privacy. The seven-person staff worked in a cramped, windowless, 1,200-sq-ft building and co-owners Fred Watson, CDT, and Richard Molina, CDT, didn't even have space for offices. "When we wanted to have a private meeting, we had to go outside," recalls Watson with a chuckle.
When the Albuquerque-based laboratory decided to move into a larger facility, the staff members were unanimous in their vision: more elbow room. "We were all on the same page," says Watson. "We wanted room to move, not to feel cramped at our workbenches, and an atmosphere that made it easy to see everyone and discuss cases."
The laboratory bought an existing 3,000-sq-ft office/warehouse and Watson spent six months turning the warehouse portion into a laboratory. The new design resolves the lab's previous problem of an inefficient workflow. For instance, in the old lab, work moved back and forth across the laboratory multiple times; Watson designed this laboratory so cases progress in a logical, streamlined flow that maximizes productivity. In fact, since moving into the new building in April, production has increased about 6%.
