Case Study: Solventum Brookings

PPD Painting — Project Case Study

SolventumBrookings

Delivering a Large-Scale Healthcare Rebrand in an Active Industrial Facility

LocationBrookings, SD

PartnerAI Signcrafters

CompletedMarch 2026

Hard DeadlineMayor's Site Visit 4/2/26

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$200^K+

Total Contract Value incl. AWOs

Work Areas — Interior & Exterior

Weeks On Site — Winter Conditions

100^%

Client Satisfaction at Walkthrough

The Project

A Complex Exterior Transformation as Part of a Major Corporate Rebrand

PPD Painting partnered with AI Signcrafters to execute a full-campus painting scope for Solventum — formerly 3M's health care division — as part of their global brand transition. The project required precision, coordination, and zero disruption to active manufacturing operations.

This wasn't simply painting walls. Every surface was part of a deliberate brand statement: Solventum's new identity translated into paint colors, stripe systems, and architectural accents across six buildings and an exterior elevation — all executed on a hard deadline tied to a mayoral site visit on April 2, 2026.

From first call to final punch list, the project ran five weeks — in a South Dakota winter, inside an operational life sciences facility, with a client team coordinating from across the country. PPD mobilized quickly, communicated daily, and delivered every area on schedule.

What Made This Challenging

Active industrial and healthcare environment. Strict timelines tied to brand rollout. Exterior work during unpredictable early-season conditions in South Dakota. Multiple stakeholders, evolving project demands, and scope additions mid-execution — all while keeping operations running and surfaces consistently on-brand.

Project Details

ClientSolventum / AI Signcrafters

Location601 22nd Ave S.
Brookings, SD 57006

Base Contract$192,526

Additional Work Orders$8,268+

MobilizedFebruary 13, 2026

Interior CompletionMarch 16, 2026

Client WalkthroughMarch 24 — Strongly Positive

BuildingsBldg 19, 20, 23 + Exterior CL-2

EquipmentAerial Lifts — Daily Certified Crew

PPD Field LeadLuis Hidalgo

The Challenge

High-Stakes Execution — Nothing Was Straightforward

Every element of this project carried real-world constraints that don't appear on a scope document. Weather, access, sequencing, and active operations all had to be managed simultaneously.

🌡️

Weather & Coating Performance

Exterior work in February and March in South Dakota means temperature swings, wind exposure on large vertical surfaces, and tight windows for proper coating cure. PPD used low-temperature coating systems rated to 35°F and tracked conditions daily — scheduling exterior work around viable weather windows while keeping interior progress running in parallel.

🏭

Active Facility — Zero Disruption

Solventum was fully operational throughout the project. Two priority interior areas had to be sequenced and completed first so walls could off-gas before Solventum's equipment and signage installation teams could begin. Daily safety orientations, lift certifications per crew member, and check-in/check-out protocols with on-site safety officer Mike Davis were maintained every single day.

📐

Precision at Scale

Hundreds of linear feet of 6-inch stripe work across CMU block walls, steel columns, and exterior façade — all to exact brand dimensions. Laser layouts were attempted indoors but abandoned when high ambient light made them unworkable. The team adapted on-site, switching to chalk-line method with professional masking tape to maintain razor precision across every corridor and elevation.

The Approach

Field-Driven. Disciplined. Adaptive.

PPD deployed a strategy built around the realities on the ground — not the ideal conditions on paper.

Advanced Surface Preparation

Every surface was properly prepared before coating — the foundation for long-term adhesion in an environment where performance matters. Prep work wasn't a checkbox; it was the difference between a coating that lasts and one that fails.

Phased Execution

Work was sequenced to keep Solventum's operations running throughout. Priority areas were identified, completed, and handed back first. Each phase was planned to minimize overlap with active operational zones and signage installation schedules.

Adaptive Weather Scheduling

Rather than waiting on weather or using workarounds, PPD used coatings rated for low-temperature application (down to 35°F) and tracked forecasts to schedule exterior work on viable days — balancing interior and exterior progress to maintain overall project momentum regardless of conditions.

Daily Communication & Transparency

The client team coordinated from across the country. PPD maintained rigorous daily reporting through JobTread — written daily logs, photo documentation, and tagged updates — so S. Brooks and the AI Signcrafters team always knew exactly where the project stood, what was next, and what decisions were needed.

Exterior Work — CL-2 Priority 1

Executing Brand-Accurate Exterior Striping in Winter

The CL-2 exterior bumpout was the highest-priority scope item — and the most weather-dependent. PPD used low-temperature-rated coatings and monitored forecasts daily to identify workable windows, scheduling exterior sessions around conditions while keeping interior work advancing on other days.

The exterior stripe was a single dark green band — precise, clean, and brand-accurate. Dimensions were confirmed directly with AI Signcrafters before application. Hundreds of linear feet were measured, taped, and masked. Mock-up photos were submitted and approved by the client before full-scale work began.

Flashing was painted green on the front face and both sides of the bumpout. The exterior work also produced the project's only post-completion issue — paint peeling on a single bumpout section where prep was insufficient. PPD responded immediately, scheduling a remediation visit within days to strip and correctly address the surface before demobilization was final.

Interior Corridor Stripe Spec — I-10 & I-06

Dark GreenPrimary field above stripe
Continues to 11.25' height mark

Medium Teal6" accent stripe

Clear Zone40" from grade to bottom of teal

Applied across both mirrored corridor walls · Per AI Signcrafters spec · Feb 20, 2026

Scope of Work

Seven Work Areas. One Consistent Standard.

Interior and exterior — each area carried its own structural conditions, surface types, and precision requirements. All delivered to the same brand specification.

Exterior — CL-2 Bumpout

Low-temp coatings. Weather-window scheduling. Single dark green stripe band to exact brand specification. Flashing green on front and both sides. Hundreds of feet measured, taped, and masked. Mock-up approved before full application.

Building 23 — I-10 Corridor

Block walls, I-beams, X-supports, and 13 steel columns north side via aerial lifts — multi-coat dark green. 6" teal stripe: chalk-line layout across full corridor length, both mirrored walls.

Building 20 — I-06 Corridor

All four walls dark green via 18" roller/brush from lifts. 14 drywall columns — three coats each. 6" teal stripe north, east, and west walls. Completed first for off-gassing prior to equipment installation.

Building 20 — Gowning Room

Priority 2 — completed early for off-gassing sequence. Partition walls dark green, rolled in a controlled environment adjacent to clean-room operations. Handed back before rest of interior proceeded.

Building 19 — I-01, I-03 & I-04

I-01: 11 steel columns dark green + 6" teal stripe — three coats, aerial lifts. I-03: single teal column. I-04: doors, window frames, and accents in Pre-Cat Semi dark green on all high-contact metal surfaces.

Conference Room, Lobby & Cabinets

Marshmallow and dark accent walls — three coats on feature walls. Two cabinet interiors dark green. Banner brackets arrived wrong color; field-painted teal to match I-beams. Lobby finishes completed in final push.

Photo Documentation

Before, During & After

From bare unpainted steel and grey walls on arrival, to completed green corridors, columns, and exterior striping — documented daily throughout the project.

Before

During

After

Bare walls before work began

Active lift work on steel columns

Column painting in progress

I-06 interior corridor complete

Exterior — dark green stripe applied

Exterior stripe — aerial view

Exterior west face complete

Exterior — final stripe detail

Project Timeline

How It Unfolded

Feb

5–6

Scope Award & Immediate Mobilization

S. Brooks sent scope on Feb 5. Hard deadline noted immediately: mayor visiting April 2. Aaron: "We need to move pretty quickly if we're going to pull this off on your timeline." S. Brooks pre-authorized Luis to mobilize before scope was fully finalized — a trust-based decision that let PPD get on site without delay.

Feb

Mobilization, Safety Orientation & Lift Certification

Crew on site. Safety training with Mike Davis. Jesus Cruz and Jose Vera lift-certified. Daily lift inspection sheets, morning check-in and end-of-day check-out protocols established. Strict no-photography policy followed. Equipment staged per safety plan.

Feb

17–20

Color Confirmation, Sheen Selection & Stripe Spec

Active back-and-forth on paint specs — dark green satin for walls, Pre-Cat Semi for metal, teal vs. medium teal resolved for interior corridors. Exterior stripe confirmed as single dark green band to brand spec. Interior corridor dimensions confirmed: 40" clear zone / 6" teal / dark green at 11.25' for I-10 and I-06. Mock-up photos submitted before exterior application began. Wall alignment strategy for mirrored corridor stripes confirmed with client.

Feb

24–28

Building 23 I-10 & Conference Room

Aerial lift work on 13 steel columns north side — 2 coats. Block walls multi-coat. Conference room two-color feature walls — 3 coats on accent wall. Two cabinet interiors completed. Seven vertical beam supports painted. AWO #9 approved ($550) for cabinet scope addition.

Mar

3–7

Building 20 I-06 — Full Completion

All four walls dark green via lifts. 14 drywall columns — three coats across three days. Laser layout abandoned (high ambient light) — chalk line with precision tape used across hundreds of feet of stripe work. Mirrored wall alignment confirmed before application. Bldg 20 I-06 declared 100% complete March 7. Client issued AWO #21 ($7,718) same day for additional lobby and finishing scope.

Mar

9–14

Building 19 — I-01, I-03 & I-04

I-01: 11 steel columns dark green + teal stripe, three coats, lift work. I-03 single teal column. I-04: doors, frames, and window accents in Pre-Cat Semi. Gowning room partition walls completed. March 14: second crew brought in for conference room, lobby, and full punch list push.

Mar

All Six Interior Areas — 100% Complete

Final logs confirmed: Bldg 19 I-01, I-03, I-04 · Bldg 20 Gowning Room and I-06 · Bldg 23 I-10 — all 100% complete. Final photo documentation submitted across all areas.

Mar

Client Walkthrough — Overwhelmingly Positive

S. Brooks conducted final walkthrough with Solventum. Client expressed genuine enthusiasm. Five minor exterior punch items noted and immediately addressed. S. Brooks sent a personal commendation to the full PPD team the same afternoon.

"The client is truly thrilled with the results so far and has expressed how impressed they are with the quality of work, professionalism, and cohesion demonstrated by this team. Despite the many curveballs along the way, your collaboration, flexibility, and commitment to excellence have not gone unnoticed. I genuinely couldn't have asked for a better team to partner with on this project — mean that."

S. Brooks Senior Project Manager, AI Signcrafters · March 24, 2026

The Result

Delivered Under Real-World Constraints

✅

Seamless Brand Transition

No operational disruption. Solventum's facility ran continuously throughout the project, with phased handbacks keeping equipment and signage installation on track behind the painting crew.

🛡️

High-Performance Coating System

Surface preparation and coating selection were matched to each substrate and environment — satin on walls, Pre-Cat Semi on metal. Built to withstand an active industrial setting for the long term.

🎯

Consistent, Professional Finish

Uniform brand colors, precise stripe work, and clean transitions across seven distinct work areas — interior and exterior — all meeting Solventum's brand specification without exception.

Why This Project Stands Out

PPD Performs When It Has To

This project demonstrates PPD's ability to deliver in environments where timing matters, conditions aren't ideal, and execution has to be right the first time.

Timing Matters

A hard political deadline. A brand rollout with downstream dependencies. A client coordinating nationally. PPD mobilized fast, communicated daily, and delivered every area on schedule — with no surprises.

Conditions Aren't Ideal

South Dakota in February isn't painting weather. PPD engineered around it — low-temp coating systems, daily weather tracking, adaptive scheduling — and never let weather become an excuse for delay.

Execution Has to Be Right

A healthcare rebrand is a brand statement. The stripe has to be straight. The color has to match. The finish has to hold. PPD brought the precision, the field judgment, and the accountability to get it right — every time.

Brand Color Specification

The Solventum Paint System

Every surface matched to Solventum's brand palette. Sheen and product selection were matched to substrate — coordinated directly with AI Signcrafters and confirmed by the client throughout the project.

Dark Green · Satin

Walls, Columns & Exterior

Medium Teal · Pre-Cat Semi

6" Stripes & Steel Columns

Marshmallow · Satin

Conference Room Feature Wall

Pre-Cat Semi on all steel columns, doors, frames, and high-contact metal surfaces for long-term durability in an active industrial environment.

About The Author

Aaron Moore

Aaron Moore is at the forefront of PPD Painting, bringing a fresh perspective and a commitment to excellence in the painting industry. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for transforming spaces, Aaron has led PPD Painting to become a trusted name in commercial and residential painting services. His approach is centered around quality, customer satisfaction, and the use of environmentally friendly paints and processes. PPD Painting is committed to not just meeting, but exceeding client expectations, offering guidance on color selection, maintenance, and the latest trends in paint technology and application.

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