The Original Cakerie

The Original Cakerie

Overview

  • When the largest privately owned dessert manufacturer in Canada reached capacity in its Delta, British Columbia plant, it looked east to Ontario, at the heart of the North American market.  

Project Highlights

  • To facilitate the shipping of frozen decorated cakes, this 130,000 SF facility had a Variable Retention Time (VRT) freezer, the largest of its kind at the time, with 1000’ of conveyer in eight different cells at -10˚F.
  • Thanks to close coordination, the project was completed in 11 months from groundbreaking to saleable product, despite a winter with unusually high snow falls.
  • It received a gold rating from the American Institute of Baking (AIB) due to sanitary design practices that exceeded AIB and GMP standards, and production rates were higher than expected immediately upon start-up.

 

 

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.

 

Campbell Soup

CAMPBELL SOUP COMPANY

Overview

  • StockPot, a subsidiary of Campbell Soup Company, produced fresh-refrigerated soups, entrées, sauces, chilies, gravies, and side dishes. All products emphasized freshness and quality, using fresh-cut vegetables, genuine dairy products, fresh herbs and spices, and premium meats and seafood.

Project Highlights

  • Dennis Group provided complete design-build services for StockPot’s new greenfield facility project in Woodinville, WA, but their business had tripled in a short time, so Dennis Group was once again engaged when they required a second new facility on an 18-acre site.
  • The new soup manufacturing facility doubled the size of their production capacity, as well as implemented an expanded state-of-the-art clean-in-place (CIP) system to accommodate the made-to-order soup runs while improving production efficiency of StockPot’s unique cook, chill and packaging systems.

 

 

Kellogg’s

KELLOGG’S

Overview

  • Kellogg’s Ontario facility that produced the Mini-Wheats branded cereal made a $43 MM investment to add a new cereal production line that made use of advanced food manufacturing technologies.

Project Highlights

  • Dennis Group provided complete site, facility, and process design for this expansion project at the Belleville, Ontario, Canada facility. The project included the renovation of approximately 76,000 SF of existing building shell (fit up of slabs, UG plumbing, walls, etc) to facilitate the installation of a new 30MM pound/year DX cereal line.
  • Major accomplishments include going from KAR approval  to saleable product in 11 months, all while working in an existing operating facility.
  • The project also required the removal and replacement of a 5,000 SF section of the existing buildings roof and replacement with a 100psf blast resistant roof to house the new mix room.

 

 

 

Imperial Sugar

IMPERIAL SUGAR

Overview

  • Dennis Group was brought in shortly after a catastrophic series of explosions destroyed much of Imperial Sugar’s refinery & packaging facilities. Following investigations conducted by OSHA and the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB), Dennis Group was released to begin management of site/facility demolition while simultaneously planning for the design-build reconstruction of the site and facilities with “world class” vision.

Project Highlights

  • 11 months following project release and commencement of construction, key operations for Imperial Sugar were back on line.
  • Scope included 185,000 SF of new building construction plus 40,000 SF of damaged facility renovations and new production and packaging equipment.
  • 300 tons/hour of sugar was distributed via dense phase systems (with dilute phase systems for powder & starch conveyance), three large storage silos constructed & fit up, truck and rail load out reconstructed with updated technologies, and eleven high volume packaging lines (granulated, brown and powder) all with the most current NFPA, OSHA and CSB recommendations, guidelines & requirements. Extensive wet and dry dust collection systems were incorporated into the design.
  • Maintaining schedule and cost while incorporating design innovations and working around existing site constraints were major challenges overcome during this fast-track project. Once key elements of production were on line construction of facilities and installation of process equipment were performed without interruption to ongoing operations. This required close coordination with plant personnel, 24 hour per day construction activities and managing over 600 contractors per day during peak installation & commissioning periods.

 

 

Ocean Spray

OCEAN SPRAY

Overview

  • When global demand for Ocean Spray dried cranberries doubled within three years and was projected to double once again, the company made its largest capital investment in a manufacturing facility to date with a 130,000 SF expansion that doubled the plant’s size to 440,000 SF. The plant produces both sweetened dried cranberries and cranberry juice concentrates.

Project Highlights

  • The facility incorporated some of the latest technologies in energy and environmental efficiency, including a wastewater  treatment facility, energy-efficient lighting, and an expansion of a system that converts methane from the Veolia Cranberry Creek Landfill into clean energy to power the plant.
  • A new fully-racked warehouse for both ingredients and finished goods increased storage capacity. The expansion enabled the plant to produce more than 30 million pounds of sweetened dried cranberries per year.
  • Major accomplishments of the project included design and implementation of 5S standards in creating state-of-the-art maintenance shop and quality control lab spaces.

 

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.

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.