Project case study
Using strategic supply chain expertise to realign project budgets
When the Living Learning Center at Simmons University began trending significantly over budget during preconstruction, the $316 million project was at risk of not moving forward. By engaging Skanska’s Strategic Supply Chain (SSC) group, our team identified targeted solutions that reduced costs and allowed the project to proceed as planned.
Approximately one year into preconstruction on the 400,000 square‑foot Living Learning Center at Simmons University, escalating costs put the project’s future in jeopardy. Recognizing the need for a strategic reset, our team turned to Skanska’s Strategic Supply Chain (SSC) group for help getting the project back on track.
Leveraging deep market knowledge and established relationships with national manufacturers—including Armstrong Ceilings, Johnson Controls and Siemens—the SSC group evaluated alternative products and systems that could reduce material costs, labor requirements or both, without compromising performance or quality.
Through this focused effort, the team identified more than $2 million in cost‑saving and labor‑reducing product substitutions. Ultimately, $2.65 million in value engineering recommendations were accepted, helping to bring the project back into alignment with budget expectations and enabling Simmons University to move forward as planned.
By activating supply chain expertise at a critical moment, our team helped restore confidence and momentum—demonstrating how strategic manufacturer partnerships and market insight can play a pivotal role in keeping complex projects on track.
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