The project involved building a 382,000-square-foot premium pet food manufacturing facility to replace an aging plant. T.E. Ibberson Company (Ibberson) was selected as the design-build contractor based on positive experiences from an earlier project.
The process design included two production lines for a total capacity of 30,000,000 pounds per month. The structure types varied from a heavily reinforced 60-foot by 80-foot by 170-foot-tall concrete structure to a relatively lightweight 300,000-square-foot tilt-up concrete finished product warehouse, to a 50-foot-high truck and rail receiving building; all having various building periods but all connected to form one continuous structure.
A high degree of planning and coordination was required to coordinate work between Ibberson and its subcontractors. Partnering sessions were held during the project with the concept that safety and quality were to be of primary concern.
Throughout the project, the area experienced record- breaking rainfalls and even a small earthquake. Nevertheless, the team completed the project ahead of schedule and without a recordable injury.
Awards won for this project include corporate (TIC) Project of the Year; Ibberson Project of the Year; First-place 2006 Minnesota Associated Builders and Contractors Award of Excellence in Construction; American Concrete Institute Innovative Use of Concrete; and the 2007 Minnesota Society of Professional Engineers Seven Wonders of Engineering Merit award.
