Leewens Corporation of Kirkland, Washington, provides expert flooring, tank, and structural reinforcement services to the regional aerospace and defense industries.
By Jennifer Ferrero
The aerospace manufacturing environment focuses on developing components for commercial and defense aerospace. However, there are many essential facets of a manufacturing facility that are necessary, but often unseen. The flooring, tank liners, parking structures, and physical facility repairs are some of those items — vital, but not always considered.
Leewens Corporation of Kirkland, Washington, is a 50-year-old company that expertly considers these factors. When an electrostatic dissipative (ESD) floor is needed, Leewens is often the contractor called. They have expertise in coatings and the ability to provide high-quality floor coating services — often laboring during evenings or weekends, when businesses are closed. How does one get started with a business like coating and protective surface installation in an industry focused on producing aircraft parts?
Leewens was started 50 years ago by the father of Patrick Leewens, who sold coatings and linings, and then started installing them. Patrick joined the family business at age 15; his mother worked with the company until age 92 and is still an owner. Now, Jensen Leewens, Patrick’s son, is advancing into company leadership as well. Patrick’s daughter, Renée, has also worked in the office. As a true family-owned and operated business, they are bonded by history and by their service to customers. The company logo features a lion, a nod to Patrick’s mother’s maiden name, Lyons, and Patrick shared that Leewens means “lions” in Dutch.
Like any good business with longevity, the company has evolved and diversified over the years. They provide installation services for a variety of industries, including aerospace, space, and defense manufacturing; data centers; clean rooms; food processing facilities; printed circuit board manufacturers; stadiums; parks; garages; and hospitals. Patrick said about 30% of their business is aerospace and defense-related.
He said, “We keep their floors in good shape. The aerospace industry uses chemicals and air bearings; to do this type of work, a smooth, level floor is needed. Even with brand-new concrete, it must be more level, smoother, and more durable.” He explained that aerospace manufacturing facilities using autoclaves and special tanks, plus steel wheels on the floor, must have floors that both fight static and the ability to support steel wheels and meet clean room requirements.
The materials they use come from different manufacturers. One in particular is manufactured by Protective Industrial Polymers. Patrick (Pat) Scudder, president, has worked with Leewens Corporation for close to two decades. “We manufacture the materials to control static,” he said. PIP offers consultative services, including planning and design; when projects are a good fit, Leewens Corporation is called in on the project. “Leewens is a major player,” he added. Both companies have served as contractors with Boeing for many years.
Scudder said any business that relies on static control, such as aerospace, military, nuclear, explosives, and munitions, needs specialty flooring to prevent component damage. “We have a proprietary version of this static control coating. We are the only ones as accredited auditors in manufacturing.”
He added, “You have to be a top-tier contractor; (Leewens) is in the top echelon of our contractors. We have hundreds of installers and Leewens is really excellent. There are (only) a handful of contractors that are as good as Leewens (nationally).” He explained that the accounts are complex, and when faced with the details of mixing and applying the coatings in a manufacturing environment, Leewens offers the professional service needed.
So what does it take to be the best at a craft that serves the regional manufacturing industry? According to Patrick Leewens, there are eight employees in the office and 62 in the field. Many of their employees have been with them for 20-30 years, providing stability to the customer base. Additionally, he explained that specific equipment is needed to do this work, and that their company handles jobs ranging from the smallest to the largest, depending on customer requests.
Flooring:
The Department of Defense (DoD) mandates that no bare concrete flooring be used in manufacturing facilities and flooring requires regular maintenance. Leewens has contracted with Boeing to ensure compliance with federal regulations.
Tanks:
For a variety of tanks in the manufacturing plant, such as anodizing tanks, the liquid materials must be safely contained. Also, the area around the tanks must be impervious to any spills. When liquids or materials become waste products, they must be placed in another lined tank for storage until they can be disposed of safely. Leewens provides the appropriate tank lining services. This may include polystyrene (a synthetic polymer) plastic liners, which protect tanks and concrete structures from chemical attack; wastewater containment in plastic-lined lagoons can serve as primary and secondary containment.
Structures/Facility Repairs:
Leewens contracts to address issues for employee parking garages and structures, as well as facility repairs. From cracks in concrete to reinforcing structural columns with carbon fiber wraps to protect against earthquakes, Leewens is brought in to provide services that will last for decades. They can also help strengthen concrete structures, such as bridges. Patrick said that while carbon fiber is used in the manufacture of aerospace components in a highly controlled indoor environment, the real challenge is in using the material for outdoor structures. They coat bridges, highways, roads, parking garages, and office buildings where heavy equipment resides. Patrick noted that while there are waterproof products, the company also needs to consider factors such as bridging cracks under chemical exposure (such as nitric and sulfuric acid, etc.) and utilizing specialty coatings for metal processing in aerospace and defense. He said, “Aerospace uses chemical milling (etching the weight of seals on aircraft) and anodizing (making metals corrosion-resistant).” These things affect how they prepare surfaces for the production of parts.
Roof Coatings:
Roof and driveway coatings are another specific, highly-skilled area where Leewens provides support. They can add urethane injections to stop leaks and epoxy injections into concrete. While most of their work is commercial and industrial, they occasionally take on larger homes/mansions for select clientele, including airplane hangars for corporate aircraft. Patrick said he enjoyed a conversation with a hangar inspector who said the flooring was the nicest she’s ever seen.
ESD:
Electrostatic Dissipative (ESD) flooring is necessary because people generate static electricity that can harm components. Patrick said, “If something is conductive, it can be destructive to electronics — (our flooring) doesn’t allow static electricity to be generated, so as not to cause a nuisance or safety issues.”
Future Plans:
The company is looking to the future with many new techniques to enhance the customer experience. Jensen has implemented a software tool called PlanSwift for estimating, making it easier to quickly provide accurate estimates to customers. Patrick is researching carbon nanotube technology, which he said could be added to coatings or plastic films. These are used to heat the coatings up to 700 degrees. They are controllable and are currently being used in car seats, battery boxes, and drone batteries. He is also curious about using them on flight control surfaces for de-icing and at ski areas. There is also another highly chemically-resistant product that can bridge cracks in concrete, using the elongation of the coating materials. They have a decade of experience with this product.
One challenge that Patrick noted is that maintaining a steady workflow for employees can be difficult. They routinely have jobs that last from two weeks to six months, but the workload and backlog fluctuate. They are working to level out the work for their employees.
In summary:
Leewens Corporation developed a niche, mission-critical business 50 years ago. By growing steadily and delivering high-quality products and services, they’ve outlasted competitors and have become a key player in the aerospace and defense industries of the Northwest, maintaining the flooring, tanks, and structures where aerospace parts are produced.
