fairlife has completed the construction of an approximately 300,000-sq-ft production and distribution facility in Goodyear, Ariz. Several material types were used in the $100 million facility’s construction, including concrete tilt-up walls, multi-colored insulated metal panel walls, conventional structural steel framing, pre-engineered metal steel canopy structures, and skylights for increased natural lighting.
The plant incorporates efficient, energy-saving equipment to minimize power consumption. It was also designed for future expansion to accommodate fairlife’s continued growth. Design of a “phase two” expansion of the facility, which will add cooler space, dry warehouse storage, and additional processing capacity, has already begun. | Pandemic-Driven Changes in Food and Beverage Plant Design |
Stellar, a fully integrated firm focused on design, engineering, construction, refrigeration, and mechanical services worldwide, managed the project, including site development, building design, engineering and construction, and installation of all utilities to support the facility’s process equipment.
“It was rewarding to see this great project come together, even in the face of challenges posed by the pandemic,” says Wyatt Payne, divisional vice president at Stellar. “Our teams self-performed the facility’s interior insulated metal panels, TPO roofing system, refrigeration, underground plumbing, and utilities scopes of work.”
“With the assistance of Stellar and local contractors, we were able to construct this facility during the trying times of the pandemic with minimal interruption due to the diligence of all parties,” states John Holzemer, vice president of engineering at fairlife. “This facility is now operating at full capacity and has the latest technologies that will allow fairlife to continue producing high-quality products to serve the needs of our consumers.”
Since the facility is located on land formerly cultivated to grow crops, the Stellar team prepared the soil to ensure it had adequate bearing capacity to support the new structure. Engineers also designed special mat-slab foundations and installed a Geopier system to support twenty 85-ft-tall processing silos.
“Stellar’s commitment to the success of this project was evident in their collaboration with the entire project team, their proactive approach to challenges, and the overall quality of their work,” says Holzemer.
