FMC Corporation is a chemical manufacturing company serving global agricultural, industrial, and consumer markets with products to maintain healthy crops. The company originated in 1883 with the invention of a piston pump for insecticides. Today it offers innovative solutions, applications, and quality products through various subsidiaries, including FMC BioPolymenr, FMC Alkali Chemicals, FMC Active Oxidants, and FMC Floret.

Watchdog was engaged to provide project management services for the new 280,000 square-foot corporate headquarters in the 47-story FMC Tower in Philadelphia. The firm owns the naming rights of the building since it is the anchor tenant using floors 17-26. The Watchdog team came onboard at the conception of the build-out and oversaw the interior construction of the FMC space while the core and shell of the high-rise building were in progress. The team coordinated the relocation of more than 600 FMC employees and decommissioned the previous office in phases during the build-out of the new location.

With budget constraints in mind, Watchdog provided cost models for each floor based on current material and labor prices. The team met daily with the main FMC contact to address project issues and present custom budget and schedule reports for FMC’s executive committee members. 

The team developed the schedule in close coordination with the landlord as well as the core and shell contractor. When the building’s exterior skin and roof were delayed, Watchdog revised the activity sequence to phase delivery of the completed floors. During the first phase, the majority of the staff moved in once the lower levels were finished. The second phase included completing the upper floors and moving in the remaining staff. The final phase was the completion of Floor 26 and the relocation of the FMC executives.

Watchdog supported FMC’s internal change management process by meeting with a team of approximately 20 employees, each representing their internal department. During design, this team influenced the project scope based on the end user’s needs. The new headquarters layout consisted of open workspace configurations, which varied from the previous arrangement of private offices. The team spearheaded a tour of furniture showrooms in Chicago, so the FMC team could experience several furniture options. The design team used a mock-up of the workstations to gather feedback about the environment and functionality. Watchdog met with this team monthly during construction to report status and answer questions.