International Food Manufacturing Business Relocation

Background

A major U.S.-based food company acquired a complete business with multiple product lines that was supported from a single 150,000 sq. ft. European manufacturing location. We were hired to gather required information and develop the necessary documentation to remove, relocate and start up all production and support equipment. This equipment had to be split and relocated to (2) existing U.S.-based manufacturing locations in under one year.

Approach

Initially, we found that the existing processes that were maintained by operators and maintenance/engineering personnel were poorly documented. P&IDs, balance and flow diagrams, assembly drawings, and power and controls drawings either didn’t exist or were limited in their capacity to document the existing equipment. We conducted short, intense data gathering sessions to Europe for acquiring information. Appropriate documentation was then developed which allowed for a smooth facilitation of the relocation.

Results

We were able to develop a cost- and time-efficient approach to manage foreign voltages and frequencies. The main product destination is now located in the United States, which allows for significant savings in shipping costs. Foth was not only able to support relocation, but also a smooth installation and startup process within budget.