Project
Automated Pepperoni Operation
Our team performed engineering services for a 50,000-square-foot expansion of an existing case-ready pepperoni production facility. In addition to the expansion, project components included removal, relocation and installation of new and existing equipment in areas for grinding, blending, stuffing, slicing and packaging.
Our work included general process mechanical arrangements, mechanical and piping drawings, motor control center one-lines, and panelboard schedules. This project increased pepperoni production by 35% to 79 million pounds annually.
The design team, in conjunction with the owner’s project team, executed a carefully designed expansion that caused minimal disruption to existing operations. The ideal layout was determined based on laser scans, reducing the project schedule by hundreds of hours. The approach to this project emphasized technology while leading plant owners through the complex process of expanding production. The project schedule was driven by the architectural addition, as well as equipment deliveries and plant production schedules.
Client
Confidential
Location
United States
Services
Industrial, Manufacturing & Optimization
Industry
Process Areas & Equipment Additions
Raw material cooler and final blender
Final grinder
2 stuffers
3 fermentation ovens
6 dry rooms
Work-in-progress (WHIP) cooler
Finished product cooler
Freezer
Shipping dock
Wastewater Treatment System Upgrade
During the project, it became clear that the demand on the wastewater treatment processes for both new and existing equipment would increase significantly. Our team’s decades of experience designing wastewater systems allowed us to address the challenge with new equipment and process efficiencies.
Food processing equipment interacts with meats, grains, sugars, fats and oils, and it must be regularly cleaned. Wastewater is generated in this process and requires biological and physical chemical treatment. It was imperative that this process be properly designed and managed to avoid permit violations that could negatively impact production.
The system upgrades consisted of a new rotary drum screen, new equalization tank, equalization tank aeration/mixing system and equalization tank pH adjustment system. The upgrades enabled the wastewater treatment system to accommodate the increased flow caused due to the expansion. The upgrades resulted in a more efficient treatment process and will provide additional future capacity.