Relocation and expansion of racking plan to maximize raw material storage
Freezer modification involved altering flow and reallocating packaging and shipping space, allowing room for future expansion
100,000
sf building
8
packaging lines
3
HEPA filtered refrigerated air handlers
Food Raw Material Receiving and Storage
The Amherst facility assembles fresh and frozen sandwiches, burritos, and wraps for wholesale and retail sale. In 2019, Tyson needed help renovating this facility while maintaining operations. Tyson came to Food Plant Engineering asking for help with plans to add eight new packaging lines, reallocate dry ingredients space for conversion to an ingredient unboxing room, increase the size of the gowning room, relocate the trash dock, relocate vacuum pumps for the packaging lines, and modify a finished goods freezer to increase ingredient storage. The engineering staff at Tyson developed the initial concepts for this expansion but needed assistance in working out details and implementing plans.
To prepare for renovation, Tyson needed immediate assistance in evaluating storage options for packaging materials and dry ingredients. Food Plant Engineering worked with Tyson to develop a racking plan that would maximize floor space for ingredient tempering while still having enough racked pallet spaces for corrugate and labels. Once the space was cleared, the unboxing and gowning rooms were constructed. During this process, temporary walls were utilized to uphold food safety standards in the production spaces. Short shutdowns were planned to install the production and packaging lines and relocate supporting production equipment.
Packaging, Cold Storage, and Shipping
As a result of the increased production, part of the freezer was modified to accommodate more ingredient storage. This modification involved altering the pallet racking and constructing a wall to separate ingredients from finished goods. This change in material flow also required a change in the location of the trash dock. When evaluating the plan for the trash dock relocation, it was important to ensure corrugate waste would not pass through an area with exposed product. In addition, the exterior space for the dock needs to be in a location where the waste-hauling trucks can access the trash dock without interfering with the semi-truck traffic at the shipping docks. Food Plant Engineering devised a plan that both optimizes placement of the trash dock without interfering with shipping traffic and allows for plans for a future freezer and dock addition.
