Clayco, Inc.

CLARITY MATRIX LCD VIDEO WALL IS ESSENTIAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGEMENT TOOL

Clayco, Inc. is recognized as a pioneer in commercial design and construction. The nearly 30 year-old company – with active or completed projects in 43 states and three countries – has earned its industry-leading reputation as a result of its unique service model. Clayco is one of a very few companies of its type to provide customers with fully integrated real estate, architecture, design, engineering, financing and logistics capabilities. This model results in the highest-quality solutions, delivered on time, on budget and beyond customers' expectations.

Clayco sees technology as a key enabler to its success and has put visualization and project management technology – including Planar's Clarity™ Matrix LCD Video Wall System - to work in the nerve center of its office in the historic Jewelry Building on Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago. Here, using Clarity Matrix, Clayco is able to visualize every one of its projects, engage in collaborative project management with all involved parties in real time and make decisions necessary to address customers' interests and requirements, solve problems and take any actions to keep projects moving forward to every constituent's satisfaction.

"Our goal is to ensure that a customer's vision is understood by all, at every step of the process, and Planar's Clarity Matrix Video Wall is the communications tool that makes that possible; it is an essential tool in our business," says Kevin McKenna, Senior Vice President and Partner, Clayco, Inc.

Quality, aesthetics and design were key to decision for Clarity Matrix

Clayco turned to Barrett's Technology Solutions, Inc. for comprehensive technology implementation in the new Jewelry Building space, and specifically, to source and install the video wall in the nerve center, which Clayco calls its Think Tank. Barrett selected Clarity Matrix LX46 model, installing nine of them in a 3 x 3 configuration on a wall of the approximately 2,000 square foot room.

"The decision for Clarity Matrix was based on quality and aesthetics of the solution," says John Wettlauffer, System Designer for Barrett's Technology Solutions, which has been providing system design and installation services to commercial and residential clients since 1966. "Clarity Matrix is the only video wall we would use on a project such as this. Features such as an ultra-slim profile, 450-nit brightness and 4500:1 contrast ratio, make it second to none in the video wall market, Wettlauffer adds."

Clarity Matrix is a total, out-of-the-box solution

Wettlauffer and his technicians installed the Clarity Matrix video wall at Clayco in late 2012, taking full advantage of a Planar distinction: the availability of Clarity Matrix as a complete package. "What we received on a single pallet was literally everything needed to get this video wall installed and operational. As a result, the installation took about half the time other systems require," he says.

Clarity Matrix installs on Planar's EasyAxis™ Mounting System, a solution that allows for a total mounting depth of less than four inches, makes precise panel-to-panel alignment quick and simple, and creates a finished video wall with a tiled bezel width of just 6.7 mm. EasyAxis also facilitates the remote installation of power supplies, controller and other components. "This is a great design because it keeps , heat-generating components that could shorten panel life away from the Clarity Matrix display," Wettlauffer says. Further, the off-board electronics design speeds and simplifies service. "If we need to replace a power supply, for example, it's much easier to do it in the remote rack room than on the wall – even though we can get easy access to any display without having to shut the entire video wall down. It's a big time and money saver for us and for Clayco."

Visualization keeps all project personnel on same page

In operation, Clayco's Think Tank wall is an ideal project management tool. Clarity Matrix supports video conferencing and simultaneously accommodates feeds from jobsite cameras, the company's computer-based project database, cable TV and more.

"We can conference in everyone involved on a project, pull up a jobsite webcam feed and display the scope of work, project drawings and other data. This allows us to make design changes or address issues in real time—it's clear and bright visualization that keeps everyone on the same page, speeds decision-making and keeps jobs on track," says Clayco's McKenna.