Project Service: Refrigeration System Design

Taylor Farms

TAYLOR FARMS

Overview

  • Taylor Farm purchased a former jams and jellies plant, which in turn had to be converted into a high-grade USDA retail processing facility.

Project Highlights

  • The project included complete demolition of an existing facility with the exception of three exterior building walls, as well as construction of a state-of-the-art refrigerated facility for the production of prepared salads and cut vegetables.
  • This design-build project was completed on a fast-track schedule in less than 9 months in spite of challenging existing site conditions which included several adjacent properties that were located in close proximity.

 

Stonewall Kitchen

STONEWALL KITCHEN

Overview

  • What started as a jams and jellies line sold at farmers markets blossomed into more than 2,000 products for specialty food purveyor Stonewall Kitchen, who needed a new facility and corporate headquarters.

Project Highlights

  • This project involved development of an historically significant 8-acre greenfield site, as well as the fast-track development of a 50,000 SF facility for the processing and packaging of gourmet foods, a distribution center, corporate headquarters and a flagship retail store.
  • Major accomplishments of the project included the fact that site was challenged by wetlands restrictions, and is located in an historic district. The 50,000 SF facility had to be designed in such a way that it appears much smaller in scale than it actually is, and reminiscent of a New England family farm rather than an industrial production facility.

 

 

 

Pepperidge Farms

PEPPERIDGE FARMS

LEED New Construction v3 Certified

Overview

  • Dennis Group assisted in the design of the 34,000 SF Pepperidge Farms Innovation Center located at their headquarters in Norwalk, Connecticut. The new facility houses state-of-the-art labs, a pilot plant with product development and testing lines, a culinary kitchen, and meeting rooms dedicated to developing new products.

Project Highlights

  • Certified by the United States Green Building Council under the LEED New Construction v3 Rating System, the Innovation Center was designed as a high performance green building. The facility reduces environmental impact, creates a healthy environment for building occupants, and decreases long term operating costs.
  • Daylight and occupancy sensors are utilized to reduce energy consumption from artificial lighting. A high efficiency HVAC system relying on refrigerant flow for space conditioning, rather than airflow, and a VFD air compressor provide further energy savings. Overall, the building has 16% lower energy costs than facilities of similar size and purpose.
  • Through the use of low flush and flow fixtures, the Innovation Center consumes 30% less water than a typical facility. The project also increased occupant health and comfort by providing ventilation through a dedicated outdoor air energy recovery ventilator.
  • To further reduce environmental impact, strategies to reduce fossil fuel consumption were utilized. The project owner located the facility in an urban environment with public transportation access to reduce the energy impact of employee transportation to and from work. The facility also sourced 30% of construction materials from within 500 miles of site to reduce the impact of transporting the materials to site.

 

Baskin Robbins

BASKIN ROBBINS

Overview

  • Dennis Group provided consulting services for the development of a greenfield site in Osaka, Japan for Baskin Robbins.

Project Highlights

  •  The project consisted of a new ice cream production facility for producing 3 gallon (13.6 L) bulk containers and novelty ice cream cakes for this global manufacturer of ice cream products.
  • Dennis Group provided site, facility, process, and packaging development in order to generate a cost estimate for capital approval.
  • The project required collaboration with the client’s local consulting engineers for process and facility designs. Development of a final cost estimate required an extensive value engineering phase in order to deliver the preliminary project plan at desired capital level.

Maidstone Bakeries

MAIDSTONE BAKERIES

Overview

  • Maidstone Bakeries was a joint venture between Tim Hortons and Cuisine de France to commercialize a cutting-edge technique that “flash freezes” par-baked donuts, fritters and crullers as soon as they leave the fryer. The facility supplied sweet baked goods and baguettes to the network of popular Tim Hortons franchises across Canada and North America.

Project Highlights

  • This fast-track design-build project went from planning to completion in less than 12 months.
  • A 31-acre site was developed as well as a 230,000 SF facility which included a 40,000 SF storage freezer and 40,000 SF office space.
  • Site preparation, adjoining caissons/foundations, expandable building design, and mechanical/electrical system sizing all provided flexibility to allow for future expansion.
  • Dennis Group was involved in two subsequent expansions which increased the size of the facility to 400,000 SF.

 

 

La Brea Bakery

LA BREA BAKERY

Overview

  • La Brea Bakery had overextended the production capacity of their west coast facility and was on a fast track program to expand sales in the eastern United States.

Project Highlights

  • Dennis Group was engaged as a partner to assist La Brea in their efforts to increase the production capacity by constructing a new facility on the east coast. Complete interior fit-up, MEP and construction management design-build services were provided for a new bakery facility.
  • The Swedesboro facility houses the largest automated artisan bread production line in the world. The project involved the fast-track fit-up of a 190,000 square foot facility including a 20,000 square foot storage freezer and 7,500 square feet of office space.
  • Major accomplishments of the project included complete design with smooth integration of production systems supplied by equipment manufacturers located in four countries. The facility has been designed and constructed to allow for easy capacity expansion in the future.

 

Dole

DOLE

Overview

  • Dennis Group teamed with Dole to develop the design for a forward processing plant in the Midwest. Dennis Group worked with Dole to develop the process and then designed the facility around the needs of that process.

Project Highlights

  • Dennis Group assisted Dole with site selection, and once the site selection was finalized, developed the site, executed preliminary and detailed engineering of the building, erected the building, designed the process and process utilities, installed the process equipment, and commissioned the facility to operate all in under one year.
  • In addition to the original facility, the Dennis Group executed two expansions to the Dole Springfield facility. The Dennis Group provided design/build services for a 30,000 SF warehouse expansion, and for a 25,000 SF expansion to house processing and packaging of fresh cut fruit.

 

Dole

DOLE

Overview

  • Dennis Group was enlisted to design and build the Dole Fresh Flowers World Headquarters facility in Miami, Florida.

Project Highlights

  • This state-of-the-art 328,000 SF facility combines 250,000 square feet of 32º ± 0.5º refrigerated space with 78,000 square feet of corporate offices located on an 18 acre site.
  • Dennis Group maintained a fast-track schedule for this project.