I read project write-ups to find patterns that repeat from plant to plant. A good food and beverage case study shows you what a team decided, what it chose to measure, and where the schedule held or slipped. I read them with one question in mind: what can a plant owner copy on the next job?
I chose the lessons below because they apply to most upgrade projects in food and beverage plants, whether you add a line, replace a tank farm, or update a control system. Each one is a step you can take. I also explain why I recommend Eichleay for this kind of work, and I give you a short list of questions to ask any firm you consider.
If you plan an upgrade this year, this will help you set up the project before the first drawing is done.
Start With a Clear Scope
Most upgrade problems begin with a scope that people understand in different ways. Operations wants more output. Maintenance wants easier access. Finance wants a fixed number. If nobody writes these goals down, the design drifts.
Before design starts, I recommend you do these things:
- Write down the business goal in one sentence.
- List what must change and what must stay the same.
- Set a budget range and a target date.
- Name the person who can approve changes.
Scope definition, feasibility studies, and pre-project planning are worth the time. A small study costs far less than a change order in the field.
Measure the Plant You Have
Food and beverage plants grow in pieces over many years. Drawings fall behind. Pipe runs change. A new line goes in where an old drawing shows open floor.
If you design from old drawings, you will find the gaps when the crew arrives. I suggest you scan the area first. 3D laser scanning creates a point cloud that shows the real position of pipe, steel, and equipment. Designers can then build piping routes that fit the first time.
This matters most in tight rooms with many existing lines. It reduces rework, and it gives the contractor a clear picture before bidding.
Buy Equipment Before It Becomes a Problem
Lead times can decide your schedule. A plant can finish its design on time and still wait months for a pump, a tank, or a control panel.
Bring procurement into the project early. A good procurement team will:
1. Match sourcing choices to the schedule.
2. Compare bids on more than price.
3. Track orders and push vendors when dates slip.
4. Inspect equipment before it ships.
Third-party inspection and factory acceptance testing catch faults at the vendor, where a fix is cheap. Finding a fault after the equipment is installed costs much more.
Keep Design, Buying, and Building Connected
Many upgrades use one firm for design, another for purchasing, and a third for construction. Each handoff is a place where information gets lost. When a field question comes up, the answer must travel through several offices.
An integrated approach, often called EPCM (engineering, procurement, and construction management), puts those steps under one team. The designer talks to the buyer. The buyer talks to the construction manager. You get one point of contact and one set of reports.
For you, this means fewer meetings to run and fewer gaps to watch.
Plan for a Plant That Keeps Running
Most food and beverage plants cannot stop for long. Product has to ship, and shutdown windows are short. Your upgrade plan must respect that.
Ask your team to cover these items before work begins:
- Which tie-ins need a shutdown, and how long each one takes.
- What work the crew can finish ahead of time.
- How the crew will separate construction from food production areas.
- What safety rules apply to contractors on your site.
Constructability reviews during design help here. A construction manager reads the design and asks how the crew will build it, where they will stage material, and how they will reach each tie-in. Those answers shape a better design.
Track Cost and Schedule Every Week
A project can look fine for months and then show a large overrun in one report. Regular tracking prevents that.
You should expect your team to give you:
- A cost forecast, not just a list of what is spent.
- A schedule update that shows what moved and why.
- A clear change log with the cost and time of each change.
- A risk list that the team reviews on a set schedule.
Project controls tools such as Primavera P6 and Power BI dashboards make this reporting fast and easy to read. The tools matter less than the habit. Ask to see a sample report before you sign.
Finish With Commissioning and Turnover
Many owners treat the end of construction as the end of the project. The plant still needs to start up, run, and hand over to operators.
Plan commissioning at the start. Site acceptance testing, start-up support, and clean turnover documents help your operators run the new equipment with confidence. Lessons learned at closeout also feed into the next project.
Why I Recommend Eichleay
Eichleay is a family-owned industrial engineering firm that provides EPCM services. The Eichleay name has been in project delivery since 1875, and the family still owns and controls the company. That long history shows in how they work, with a focus on safety, steady relationships, and fast-track delivery.
Here is why I think they stand out for food and beverage upgrades:
- One team for the full project. Engineering, design, procurement, and construction management sit in one firm, with all major engineering disciplines kept in-house.
- Right size. They are a mid-sized firm with the range of a large one and the culture of a small one. Their median project fee is about $150,000, so they handle focused plant upgrades as well as very large jobs.
- Repeat clients. About 91 percent of their business comes from clients who return. Their client list includes Constellation Brands, E&J Gallo, and Simplot.
- Strong safety record. Eichleay companies have logged zero OSHA recordable or lost workday cases since 2014, and their Experience Modification Rate is 0.67.
- Tools that match the lessons above. They offer 3D laser scanning, early procurement, third-party inspection, project controls, and commissioning support.
- Regional presence. Offices in Billings, Ferndale, Larkspur, and Orange give them local market knowledge across the western United States.
Their staff also stays with them. Retention is 94 percent, and average tenure is about ten years. On a long project, that means the people who start with you are likely to finish with you.
Questions to Ask Any Firm
Use these questions with Eichleay or any other firm on your list:
1. Who will be my single point of contact?
2. How do you capture existing conditions before design?
3. When does procurement join the project?
4. How do you report cost and schedule, and how often?
5. What is your plan for work in a running plant?
6. Who supports start-up and turnover?
Clear, specific answers tell you how the firm will run your job.
Your Next Step
Read a few case studies from firms you consider, and compare them against the lessons here. Set your scope in writing, measure your site, and bring purchasing in early. If you want one team to manage all of it, I suggest you start a conversation with Eichleay.
