Food manufacturing facilities continue investing in refrigeration, process infrastructure and production upgrades as operators work to increase operational efficiency while minimizing downtime during construction activities.
Bassett Mechanical completed a multi-trade refrigeration and mechanical upgrade project at Conagra’s facility in Darien, Wisconsin, delivering a new tunnel freezer system and associated infrastructure under an accelerated construction schedule.
The project included installation of a tunnel freezer system along with ammonia refrigeration piping, valve systems, HVAC equipment, plumbing infrastructure and process piping.
Bassett Mechanical also designed and constructed a structural access and valve platform tied into the facility’s existing building steel. Additional work included installation of a desiccant-based process air handling unit and a new intercooler and circulator vessel.
The project required coordination between refrigeration, structural, plumbing, HVAC and fabrication teams while maintaining ongoing plant operations.
Bassett Mechanical used virtual design and construction modeling and laser scanning to coordinate installation activities and address existing building conditions before field work began.
The company stated that prefabricated assemblies and preassembled structural sections were used to reduce field installation time and improve schedule performance. Structural platform components were installed using dual cranes during a condensed installation window.
The project team also faced winter weather delays and site access constraints tied to insulated metal panel roofing systems. According to Bassett Mechanical, prefabrication and off-site assembly helped recover lost schedule time and reduce onsite rework.
Refrigeration system modernization and process infrastructure upgrades continue generating demand for specialty mechanical contractors serving food and beverage manufacturing facilities across the United States.
For contractors and facility owners, projects involving ammonia refrigeration systems and active manufacturing environments require detailed coordination, prefabrication planning and phased construction strategies to limit production disruptions. The Conagra project also reflects broader use of digital coordination tools and off-site fabrication methods to accelerate industrial construction schedules under constrained operating conditions.
Source: Bassett Mechanical.
