Food processing plants transform raw ingredients into consumable food products. Ideally, food processing is a streamlined process that meets both quality standards and quantity goals. Achieving these efficiency metrics starts with optimized food processing plant construction and design.
What is Required in a Food Processing Plant?
Each food-producing company will have unique requirements for their particular product; however, several overlapping needs often exist. The design and construction of food processing plants should take into consideration refrigeration, process equipment, packaging, and shipping requirements.
Refrigeration Capabilities
Food processing plant refrigeration requirements depend on the product type, with shelf-stable final products needing less refrigeration than frozen or chilled final products. In most cases, a facility needs refrigeration for both raw goods and finished products ready for shipment.
Climate Control and HVAC
As raw materials move throughout the production line and become finished products, they must remain temperature-controlled. Therefore, effective climate control and HVAC systems in a food processing plant are critical.
Processing Equipment
Food processing construction and design are centered around the essential processing equipment. Product distribution and handling equipment should be strategically set between the preparation, heat processing, and preservation equipment. Carefully consider the dimensions, clearance requirements, and ancillary devices needed for each unique piece of equipment.
Packaging and Shipping
Once finished goods are off the production floor, packaging and shipping can commence. Often conveyance equipment distributes products to this final stage. Ensure that your design includes enough space for these operations, including storage of packaging and shipping materials.
Selecting the Right Site
There are several key factors to consider when choosing the right site for your food processing facility, including the physical size and location, local laws, and access to utilities.
Site Selection
Evaluating a potential site’s physical size and geographical location is just the start. You will also need to think about how the site will be accessed, where parking will be located, and how the site will accommodate future expansion. Research the locality and determine how zoning laws, permit requirements, and environmental impacts will affect your company’s strategy.
Considering more than one project site is generally a good idea initially. Create a scorecard that ranks your company’s top needs for an evaluation criteria. Once you have narrowed-in on two or three sites, conduct a feasibility study and produce conceptual design drawings before ultimately selecting your site.
Considerations for Utilities
Food processing plants require more utilities than your average factory, including process water, process steam, electrical power, fuel sources, and more. In addition, food processing plants produce effluent that must be discharged. Evaluate the utility access at potential plant sites, including the cost and logistics of relocating or adding new access.
Some utilities, like those required for effluent treatment, may have limits on discharge quantities regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that should be considered during design. Also, consider that utilities like electrical power could experience variable demand charges.
Physical Design: The Building and Its Components
Below are several key building components in food processing construction that require intentional design and construction:
Choosing the Right Structure
Food processing facilities are often constructed from insulated metal panels and steel framing. These types of buildings can be pre-engineered, to advance construction timelines and provide budget certainty. You could also choose a concrete or concrete block building; however, concrete structures are usually more expensive and more challenging to modify in the future.
Access Requirements: Docks
Day-to-day operations should dictate where and how many shipping and receiving docks are needed for your food processing plant. Consider the traffic routes to and from the facility and how to avoid congestion or other delivery-related delays.
Parking Lot Considerations
Your parking lot will need designated space for more than just employees. Consider your parking requirements for routine visitors, like delivery drivers, inspectors, and prospective customers.
Production and Processing
Arguably the most critical design consideration in the construction of food processing plants is the production and processing areas. First, assess your company’s order of operations and design your facility’s layout so that processes are sequential, to avoid any backtracking. Also, think about the placement and size of the processing equipment and the routine maintenance tasks that take place.
Storage Requirements
Food processing plants require both short-term storage for raw materials and long-term storage for excess quantities and seasonal products. In addition to the storage space your facility needs for the products or pallets on hand, consider the following provisions for refrigerated and ambient temperature storage:
Refrigerated Storage
Refrigerated storage should first and foremost meet the temperature requirements of your refrigerated goods. In addition, you will need to account for the stack height of your raw materials and finished products that require refrigerated storage.
General Storage (Ambient Temperatures)
Similarly, consider the stack height of materials to be kept in general, ambient temperature storage. Leave dedicated space for material inspection upon delivery and enough clearance from walls and walkways as required for building safety.
Cleaning and Sanitation
Your facility’s cleaning requirements should be considered during the design phase. For example, incorporate wash-down devices near process equipment to enable regular sanitization procedures and consider any other devices necessary for your company’s cleaning protocols.
Drainage Solutions
Wherever wash-down devices or process equipment are located, incorporate floor drains. Floors should also be sloped towards these floor drains to facilitate gravity drainage.
Employee Facilities
Operational needs are often the focus of food processing plant construction; however, employee needs should be equally front and center. Facilities should incorporate enough restrooms, drinking fountains, training or classrooms, break rooms, and first aid equipment. Depending on shift schedules, your plant may also need food service accommodations.
Flooring
A food processing facility will likely have a few different types of flooring. Vinyl or linoleum products are often used beneath process equipment, whereas bare concrete could suffice in shipping and receiving areas. Employee facilities could use tile or even carpet.
Resilient Flooring
Resilient flooring—a non-textile flooring that “bounces back” from repeated traffic—is an ideal option for food processing plants. This type of flooring is often vinyl, rubber, or linoleum, water-resistant, and comfortable underfoot.
5 Ways to Boost Food Processing Plant Efficiency and Sustainability
Once bare minimum plant requirements are met, you should consider incorporating efficiency and sustainability into the design and construction with options such as:
1. Grouping Refrigerated Areas for Maximum Efficiency
By grouping refrigerated areas together for raw goods and finished products, you limit the number of utilities that must be installed and can reduce energy demand. You will need to be creative with your plant’s layout to ensure doing so does not retract from process efficiency.
2. Permeable Paver Parking Lot
Permeable pavement has a porous surface that naturally drains stormwater. Installing a permeable paver parking lot at your food processing facility reduces runoff, lengthens the lifespan of your parking lot and limits the load on your stormwater management system.
3. Rooftop Solar Paneling
As energy costs continue to increase, reducing energy demand is a top concern for food processing companies. Take advantage of the unutilized rooftop surface on your food processing facility by installing solar panels. The solar panels will quickly pay for themselves by supplementing your energy needs.
4. Radiant Floor Heating
Radiant floor heating uses thermal radiation and electromagnetic waves to heat your facility from the ground up. With a system of hot water tubes and electrical wires embedded in your floors, your plant will heat more evenly and efficiently.
5. Warehouse Management System (WMS)
A comprehensive warehouse management system software enables companies to understand every aspect of their operations. Leveraging the information from a WMS allows informed decision-making to improve operational efficiencies that reduce costs and energy consumption.
Begin Your Food Processing Plant with the Best Metal Building From Allied Steel Buildings
To learn more about optimized food processing plant design and construction, contact Allied Steel Buildings today: the experts in steel construction and innovative industry solutions.