A large General Contractor that had made a name for themselves in the building industry was invited to perform a turnkey proposal for a major nutrient and food additive company. The general contractor needed to supplement their expertise in construction with process and automation engineering expertise. After reaching out to their numerous clients for references on a solid engineering and automation provider they invited Technical Associates to partner with them on this and several future endeavors to provide clients with a turnkey engineered process solution in new construction.
Our first venture was this new processing facility and expanded office space to triple an existing site’s capability. Technical Associates specified and solicited bids on all equipment and technologies and then designed and integrated the equipment into a flexible process that exceeded the client’s requirements while finding ways to save the client money in equipment, installation and operating costs. Technical Associates was the focal point (overall program manager) for the GC’s sub-contractors, the equipment vendors and the client. After achieving the start-up on-time and reaching designed rates well sooner than the client expected, Technical Associates solidified its position with this design, build firm and the client.
Technologies specified, designed and integrated included, pneumatic conveying, odor treatment, hydraulic power systems, oil heating systems and jacketed equipment, compressed air, cooling towers, dust control, explosion suppression and containment systems, static control and grounding, potable, process and fire water systems, housekeeping vacuum systems, electrical distribution, power and control systems and instrumentation. TA proved its design capabilities and is now involved in the second such facility with others planned in the near future.
TA’s Mission
Develop an evolving bench top concept into a manufacturing facility to meet a global product launch scheduled in the same calendar year. Work with the development group to identify all of the possible process solutions for each of 4 products to be simultaneously produced and designed flexibility into and out of the “heart” of the process area to achieve the project’s initial goals while allowing for the seamless integration of the project’s future goals.
