We’ve worked with Marriott International since 2005, and reached out to Jennifer Abuzeid, Senior Director, Global Design Strategies, to learn more about why the brand leading hospitality company has been such a proponent of pre-fab over the years. Read on for how modular solutions beautifully adhere to Marriott’s aesthetic, while saving time, ensuring simplicity, addressing labor constraints and more.
SurePods: What problems does SurePods help solve for Marriott International?
Abuzeid: Overall, we’re looking to solve three main challenges, which are speed to build, quality and competitive pricing. Finding any opportunity for our hotels to open quicker, while saving our owners time and money is ultimately our goal, and one of the ways we do this is by working with modular manufacturers like SurePods.
On average, we’ve experienced approximately a 3 month time savings by using modular bathroom pods. Having the pods built in an offsite factory, following lean manufacturing methods and using highly qualified labor, ensures a quality bathroom is delivered to our hotels. Installation is fairly simple, sort of similar to installing a dishwasher – place each module appropriately, then hook it up to water and power sources. Transportation is also greatly simplified as the pods can be shipped on standard box trucks or trailers, making them fairly easy to get in and out of construction sites.
SurePods: How does a typical construction cycle compare with past construction cycles? How has SurePods helped here?
Abuzeid: Over the past ten years, our construction cycle timeline has increased from 12 months to now 21 months, on average, to complete a typical 100-120 room hotel for any of our select brands. We attribute this to an overall labor shortage coupled with increased demand for all project types across the country, which has led to quality control issues, as well.
SurePods has provided many benefits to hotel projects through their use of a controlled manufacturing environment and quality assurance process. The top benefit is the fact that we receive a consistent product. SurePods has removed a lot of the labor, quality and risk issues from the equation for our owners.
SurePods: How do the bathroom pods help achieve the signature Marriott quality?
Abuzeid: SurePods has worked with Marriott directly over the years to develop specific modular bathroom prototypes for many of our brands. SurePods has focused on continuous improvement in both the manufacturing process and the materials they use to deliver a high quality product for our guests to enjoy.
SurePods: Anything else you’d like to add?
Abuzeid: SurePods works directly with our owners and their architects to ensure everything works together within the overall room design.
SurePods has been a great partner to us over the years, with many different types of projects from low-rise to high-rise across the country. We definitely want to keep doing more with them.
Thinking of your next project? Engage with us, by emailing us at: [email protected], and see how the SurePods advantage can transform the way you build.