A M King shares food plant design expertise at ABC Carolinas Summer Convention

Architect John Koury thrives on complex design challenges, particularly those that involve solving a thorny problem for a food industry client. During the award-winning Daniele Foods’ Rhode Island Salami Facility Expansion project delivered by Carolinas-based A M King, he and his team crafted a number of solutions that he shared for the first time at the 19th annual Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Carolinas Summer Convention in Greenville on Friday, August 9, 2019.

ABC Carolinas, which represents contractors and related firms in South Carolina and North Carolina, is part of the national Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) organization with more than 21,000 members in 69 chapters across the United States. Based on the Merit Shop philosophy, ABC Carolinas helps its members develop people, win work and deliver work safely, ethically, and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which they work.

Koury kicked off the Art of the Craft Series session on Friday morning with a lively presentation entitled, “21st Century Salami Making: Designing the Automated Process.” He discussed how to achieve the guise of simplicity despite the inherent challenges. He drew on creative solutions applied by his team at the Salami Facility Expansion, a recipient of ABC Carolinas’ prestigious 2018 Excellence in Construction Eagle Award and overall Design-Build Award.

“With the trend toward automation, it’s vital to understand the environment facility owners need to operate within,” explains Koury.
Koury specializes in providing architectural services for food processors, but also works on projects in the following markets: cold storage distribution, industrial manufacturing, Class A Office space, healthcare, retail and athletic facilities. In his spare time, he shares his expertise with young people interested in an Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) career; cycles up to 250 miles weekly and raises chickens in his urban Charlotte home.

Koury’s lecture followed two full days of activities at the ABC Carolinas Summer Convention, including an introduction to the Young Professionals Program, and sessions featuring Greenville SC Mayor Knox White and ABC National CEO Michael Bellaman. Off-site activities featured the best of what the region has to offer: BMW Driving Experience; Top Golf; Vino & Van Gogh Painting Class; and Axe Throwing. The convention wrapped up with a chapter-wide Meet the Generals Speed Networking Event, an event in which A M King participated.

A M King is an integrated Design-Build firm based in Charlotte, N.C., with a regional office in Greenville, S.C., that consistently and successfully delivers quality projects throughout the United States. With an experienced team committed to protecting clients’ assets, the firm provides design and engineering, construction, facility maintenance and property consulting in the sectors of food distribution, food processing, industrial manufacturing and commercial properties. A M King’s exemplary track record demonstrates that the company is focused on its mission to be the best in the industry.