As BBI Logistics continued to grow in overall size and employees, the company knew a new workplace was needed. That’s why the freight brokerage firm, partnered with JLL, came to ms consultants for the design of its new workplace in downtown Columbus, Ohio. 

The 18,000-square-foot space is located at 80 on the Commons, a mixed-use commercial and residential building at Columbus Commons. The space not only provides space for 200 employees, it also boasts panoramic views of the Columbus Commons green space and surrounding skyline. In addition to its growth and new workplace, BBI was recently named one of the Best Places to Work in Central Ohio by Columbus Business First.

ms Project Manager, Kyle Bickle, reflects on the collaboration with a growing client, saying, “It’s a wonderful experience to support BBI’s growth and put the client in a position to continue to grow their business. Brent Bosse and the BBI Logistics staff are a glowing example of taking opportunities by the scruff of the neck, and our design objective for the office environment reflects that same bold, ambitious attitude.”

We asked BBI Logistics’ CEO, Brent Bosse, to shed some light on BBI’s growth and his experience with the workplace redesign project.

BBI has seen tremendous growth since its launch, what has led to this success?

We have been very fortunate in surrounding ourselves around good people with likeminded goals. This includes both employees of BBI and the vendors that we have worked with. “A team working together can always accomplish more than an individual working by themselves.”

You mentioned that the logistics industry benefits from being in the Central Ohio region, tell me more about that.

Columbus is a rapidly growing city. It helps having The Ohio State University, with 45,000+ undergrads, right in our backyard to help recruit young talent. With our centralized location in the U.S., we can reach most of the U.S. population within 1-2 days transit time. This will be extremely beneficial in the future as we grow and move into owning our own assets and warehousing.

Where do you foresee BBI Logistics moving in the future in regards to expansion?

We are focused on becoming a reputable company within Columbus and making it our headquarter location. I fully anticipate we will be maxed out on our current space by mid-2022. We need to start preparing to either buy land and build or take over an existing building for ourselves. We are also opening our first satellite office in June 2021, located in Tampa, Florida.

What made you decide to seek out a new office space?

We needed more space for growth. I wanted to create an environment that would attract talent, induce competition, and allow people to succeed.

Tell me more about the design process. What was it like walking through the process to create a new space?

ms consultants did a great job capturing my vision and making it a reality. It was a learning experience on my end, but the process went as smooth as I could have hoped for.

How has the built environment helped with remote work that has been inevitable in 2020?

Luckily, we moved into a space that had plenty of room for us to grow into. Those who wanted to work in the office were able to spread out and utilize that space accordingly.

How has you new office space accommodating your growth? Help you meet your business goals and objectives?

It has been great. We are “growing with comfort” and we love the challenge of filling up the space as quickly as we can.

A successful workplace combines functions and aesthetics. A great example of this is the detail of the custom perforated Kydex panel ceiling with linear LED lighting in the BBI Logistics new workplace. What’s the big deal? Not only does this feature provide lighting and connectivity between open offices and the conference room, it’s also a nod to BBI’s industry. The lighting design is a condensed version of the Eisenhower Highway System mapping, indicative of BBI Logistic’s success as a freight brokerage firm.

Ready to take the next step with your workplace? Whether it’s a new build, a renovation, an expansion, or integrating wellness, the ms consultants team is here to help. With in-house architecture, engineering, and design services, ms is your one-stop-shop for a refreshed workplace.

Get started on your new workplace today by contacting Kyle Bickle at kbickle@msconsultants.com.