How to retrofit an aging plant

“You want all the unknowns to be known before you go in,” says Schook of Carter & Burgess.

Planning should always start with the process.

“Identify all your needs for that process,” he says. “Raw materials processing, finished product packaging, people flows, trash flows, rework flows, etc. Understand everything in that plant and what it does.”

Analysis should include an exhaustive equipment list and documentation of that equipment and all its utility loads.

“Confirm that information. Cross-check all the equipment to existing utility capabilities and identify the shortfalls,” adds Schook. “Don’t make the mistake of calling a contractor in to start building a project. You have too many loose ends at this stage that can affect the overall design and utility systems and negatively affect your project.”

Design-build projects have flourished during the current fast-track era. But Schook says that he is seeing more design-led solutions these days in which owner and engineering firm help develop the criteria, drawings and construction documents. The owner bids the project based on the design.

“You don’t have so many cost overruns and utility systems that don’t meet needs,” he says. “Projects shouldn’t be rushed. There’s definitely a trend today toward engineered solutions.”

Project planning should consider all areas of potential benefit, even those beyond the needs driving the project. Safety, quality and other upgrades can be made at a fraction of what they might cost later and may even pay for themselves in savings, insurance costs or prevention.

“When you renovate an older facility, you want to put it to a higher standard,” says Sander. “You try to set a level of quality the rest of the plant should be elevated to.”

Don’t slow me down

Perhaps the biggest consideration of a retrofit of an up-and-running processing plant is what impact the project will have on production.

“You plan your downtime,” says our Top 10 company engineer. “You minimize it by scheduling deliveries and disruptive work for the weekends or shifts when the plant isn’t running. Sometimes you have to prebuild inventory to offset for lost production. Again, you plan.”

Contractors and materials suppliers have to be flexible with their deliveries and work hours to accommodate production needs.

“You have to be aware that tracking in equipment and materials, loosening particles and creating dust can contaminate the processing area while you are renovating,” says Bob Hendon, president of the Cincinnati-based design firm Hendon & Redmond.

Simple common-sense principles apply. Temporary walls can separate areas under construction from processing areas. Work is best executed during non-production hours, where possible. Overhead work, such as ceilings, piping and other utility measures, must be done during non-production hours.

Sanitation teams must be informed of the work as well and understand the implications for their function. End-of-week sanitation may have to be replicated on Sunday night or Monday following a weekend of construction.

Plant air flow is critical and must always factor into planning. Dirt and dust can easily migrate from construction to process areas.

“Improper ventilation also can create problems of condensation and refrigeration,” says Hendon. “Sometimes you don’t feel you have sufficient refrigeration capability in the summer when you are actually pulling in and refrigerating hot air. The real problem may be your ventilation.”

Sometimes it’s a question of what affect production people will have on the renovation. “You have to watch out for the plant ops people when you renovate,” Gomolka warns. “They’ll want to take care of 50 years of past sins when they see you renovating. Of course, you want to do all you can for them on-site, but that makes it tough to maintain the project’s focus and the budget.”

Cost and guarantee

Accommodating production schedules can make planning challenging for contractors, equipment suppliers and other project players. It can be particularly difficult with fast-track projects.

Often new orders or changes in the production schedule can close the small windows of time available to construction and materials delivery. Around-the-clock construction may be necessary when opportunity for extended work is limited.

All these considerations can push back project delivery schedules and cause cost overruns. Contracts and expectations may need to be adjusted to the vagaries of a renovation in an active processing environment.

It all comes back to planning and analysis, knowing your operation, peering into whatever crystal ball you have at your disposal, mapping a detailed and comprehensive decision tree to handle whatever arises.