Matthew Lane, PE

Director of Business Development

Matthew has more than 20 years of civil engineering and project management experience with an emphasis on civil site design and storm water management. His experience covers the industrial, food & beverage and commercial industries. Matthew’s responsibilities include development and implementation of project engineering requirements, project coordination with in-house architectural and engineering disciplines and outside engineering consultants. He oversees the development and maintenance of the project design schedule, design budget and permitting requirements from initial project development until certification of occupancy. He has worked on projects for Bahamas Food Service, Burris Refrigerated Logistics, Sara Lee and United States Cold Storage, among others.

The latest from Matthew Lane, PE

February 17, 2022February 17, 2022 Views: 1828

Factors to Consider Before Using a Spec Building for a Food and Beverage Facility

If you’re considering sites for a new facility, you may come across listings for speculative (“spec”) buildings. Developers often construct these basic, pre-engineered buildings in anticipation of a future tenant, and they can be attractive for owners looking for a new space.

Upfront, spec buildings offer to reduce costs by cutting out design and construction steps from a tenant’s to-do list — but there’s a catch. Food and beverage manufacturing has unique needs and it’s impossible to guarantee a spec building will meet them without retrofitting. Although leasing a spec building may be attractive to manufacturers who want to ramp up production quickly, there is the potential that they will incur additional costs the owner wasn’t anticipating.

It can be a valuable option in certain situations, but there are factors to consider before making a final decision.

June 29, 2017March 19, 2019 Views: 2627

4 Major Decisions That Impact the Design of Your Facility

Before a facility can become operational, there is much to consider including planning and design, government regulations and the overall goals a plant owner has. Let’s look at four major decisions that should be considered when the process begins.

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October 10, 2013July 31, 2015 Views: 860

How Product, Product Mix and Production Volume Impact Design

Preliminary discussions with your food processing plant architects should include a thorough discussion of your sales and marketing goals. Your plant’s specific products, product mixes (including future products), and production volume all impact decisions made during the design process.

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July 1, 2013February 16, 2021 Views: 1933

Food processing plant design and Factory Mutual (FM) requirements: What you need to know

Address Factory Mutual requirements before construction begins

As a food processing design build firm, it’s the first question we ask our clients—are you planning to insure through Factory Mutual Insurance Company (FM Global)? As the preferred insurer for most commercial and industrial projects, Factory Mutual has rigorous specifications and standards so it’s important to address those requirements during the initial food processing design phase, whether you’re planning new construction or an expansion.

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