• Ice Cream Palletizing
• FEL-1 Design (Conceptual)
• Procurement Assistance
• Scope Development
• Packaging Design
• Budget: $2.6MM
• Size: 4,600 SF
• Project Management
• Cost Estimating
• Schedule Development

IFE was commissioned by a large dairy processor to help develop a budget for a new ice cream carton palletizing system in an existing and space-constrained building. The design was required to be fully automated from the filling line discharge through final, stretch-wrapped pallets, and had to cross through an active corridor used for personnel and forklift traffic that could not be permanently blocked. The spaces available for use by the new process were currently being used as offices and a freezer and had to be modified and renovated to convert them to food processing spaces with best-in-class sanitary standards.

IFE created block flow diagrams and a process mass balance to confirm the scope of work and then assisted the owner with procurement activities to competitively bid the palletizing system as well as general contracting services for required building modifications. Innovative solutions were found for fitting the new process into the existing spaces and the bidding process established the required budget for equipment.

The results of the general contracting bidding process showed that the cost to modify the existing building was significantly higher than the owner had previously estimated. As a result, this project was put on hold until it can be reevaluated against other CapEx projects for priority and ROI.