CHICAGO - National contracting leader James McHugh Construction Co. has formed a new division, McHugh Training & Simulation (McHugh T&S), which specializes in the design and construction of high-tech training and simulation facilities.
"In the training and simulation industry, owners have been forced to choose between creativity and efficiency. With our services and turnkey approach, that tough choice is no longer necessary," said Bruce Lake, president of McHugh. "We are the only training and simulation firm to provide a balanced construction management and training design approach to ensure solid cost, schedule and safety controls." Chicago-based McHugh is forming the division in partnership with Salt Lake City-based GlobalSim, Inc, which manufactures training simulators for the military, shipping and construction industries. McHugh T&S will manage and execute the complex, diverse array of industries and services that make up a high-level immersion training experience. Its services include design-build services, general contracting, and construction and project management, along with integration and supervision of training, special effects and media, interior design, control and measurement programs, and systems management.
McHugh served as design-build team leader for the U.S. Navy's path-breaking Battle Stations 21 project, which was recently completed and is currently in testing. The $82.5 million facility is part of the Navy's Recruit Training Command at Naval Station Great Lakes, Ill., 30 miles north of Chicago. It has received international attention for its intensive use of immersion simulation technology. Battle Stations 21 is the culmination of all training received at the Navy's only boot camp, a grueling 12-hour test of a recruit's skills that marks the final rite of passage into the world's greatest Navy. GlobalSim was an integral part of the Battle Stations 21 design team. "Battle Stations 21 is unprecedented in its size, scope and array of both effects and training systems," said Sheila Sheridan, McHugh senior project manager who led the Battle Stations 21 team. "We can bring that same level of expertise and efficiency to trainers in a variety of industries."
Among the innovations that McHugh's team built into Battle Stations 21 are the use of handheld PDA computers that enable facilitators to not only track and score recruits' progress but also control the simulation according to recruits' actions; a detailed human management system that allows the Navy to move up to 352 recruits through the facility at once; and highly durable, easy maintenance construction and finishes that can handle 24-hour-a-day operations. More details on Battle Stations 21 are available at www.nstc.navy.mil/battle_stations_21_New.htm. For new clients, McHugh T&S will provide similar performance measures to be integrated into training management systems, so data can be collected and synthesized into program curricula to continually enhance the training programs, notes Clyde M. Stauffer IV, vice president of new business for GlobalSim. "We emphasize objective-based training, so we can work with designers and experts within our clients' fields to distill training objectives into specific performance measures within the simulations." McHugh T&S is based in Chicago but serves an international client base. Additional information is available at www.McHughTS.com.
James McHugh Construction Co. (www.mchughconstruction.com), consistently named as one of the top general contracting firms in the country by publications such as Engineering News-Record, is one of Chicago's oldest and largest construction firms. Founded in 1897, McHugh has long held a reputation as an innovator, from its pioneering use of fiberglass forms to create the landmark corncobs of Marina City to the world-class Arlington Park racetrack, completed in a record 21 months. More recently, its commitment to creative solutions shows in the striking G Concourse renovations at O'Hare International Airport, which McHugh completed nine months early. In addition to Battle Stations 21, its current projects include all concrete construction for Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago; renovations to the Chicago Transit Authority's Red and Brown lines; and four high-rise condominium structures in the Chicago's new Lakeshore East area, including the acclaimed Aqua tower. GlobalSim (www.globalsim.com) provides simulation-based training products and services with immersive environments to a wide variety of military and commercial customers. GlobalSim (formerly a division of Jason Associates Corporation) was founded in 2003. Its first programs focused on providing advanced military training systems for the aviation community. The company has expanded its expertise and now provides training simulators and simulator upgrades for the military aviation, surface, and ground communities. In addition, GlobalSim has developed a large product line of advanced training simulators for heavy lift cranes and material handling equipment. Over 90 different MasterLift? training systems have been installed worldwide.
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