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A new year means a new start for some food and beverage companies: Some will be building new plants, others will be renovating existing ones. But no one wants to kick off the new year with a bloated budget. An integrated approach to designing and constructing your next big project can help your bottom line in 2018. Let’s look at how.
By now, you’ve likely heard about the various ways our homes are getting “smarter.” We now have devices such as the Amazon Echo, Wi-Fi-connected toaster ovens and doorbells with live-streaming video. Nowadays, you can lock your front door from your smartphone, tell Siri to turn on the lights inside your house and control your thermostat from anywhere you have an internet connection.
These networks of physical devices embedded with electronics, sensors and software that allow them to connect and communicate are often referred to as the Internet of Things. This new era of technology isn’t just limited to your home, though — food and beverage plants are taking advantage of smart devices as well.
Continue Reading “The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and What It Means for Your Food Plant”
China’s economy has been on a rapid upward trend for the last 20-plus years. It has become the second-largest economy in the world and is flirting with taking the first-place spot. If your company is in any way, shape or form connected to the global economy, chances are you have some connection to China.
With a growing middle class and upper class, China still finds it extremely challenging to supply itself with the kind of quality and value-added food products that these growing populations want.
This has made it enticing for a lot of U.S. food companies to create an even greater presence in China, usually in the form of establishing their own in-country food processing plant.
If you are one of these U.S. companies planning or contemplating establishing a food processing facility in China, here are some things you may want to consider with regard to designing and building the structure:
Continue Reading “6 Things to Consider When Designing and Building a Food Processing Plant in China”
Virtual reality (VR) is changing the game when it comes to designing facilities for the food and beverage industry. With a VR headset, you can “walk through” your new building during the design phase, months before the first brick is laid.
Rather than examining a 2D design on a sheet of paper, 3D modeling coupled with virtual reality technology can bring a building to life without having to interpret complicated designs.
Continue Reading “[VIDEO] See How Virtual Reality Can Take You Inside Your Food Plant Design”
Last week on the blog, we examined the brand new, state-of-the-art hatchery Stellar completed for poultry processor Bell & Evans. The facility — which is the first certified organic, humane, animal-welfare focused chick hatchery in the United States — is an example of trailblazing a new approach to traditional food processing.
Not only does it employ fascinating and cutting-edge technology, but this project contains lessons for any food manufacturer looking to pioneer or experiment in their own particular market.
Continue Reading “4 Lessons for Pioneering a New Process in Food Manufacturing”
This summer, Stellar completed one of its more unique design-build projects: a state-of-the-art, organic-certified and highly publicized chick hatchery for poultry processor Bell & Evans. The 120,000-square-foot facility in Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania began operations in September and is the first of its kind in the United States.
As the project developer, I worked with the Bell & Evans team to help develop this unique, industry-shaping facility.
When it comes to constructing a new food or beverage facility, there is no one delivery method that works best for all projects. Each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Design-build can be fast and efficient because construction begins while the design phase is still underway, but completing the entire design before any ground is broken can give you greater insight to anticipated final costs. How do you choose? Check out our infographic to help narrow down your decision:
Constructing a new food or beverage plant can be similar to a lot of big investments in life where attention to detail can make or break your budget. Think about renovating a house, buying a car or maintaining a boat — any of these things can quickly turn into a money pit, but it can be efficient if you plan accordingly. The same goes for your next construction project. Continue Reading “2 Biggest Threats to Food Plant Construction Budgets”
![[VIDEO] See How Virtual Reality Can Take You Inside Your Food Plant Design](https://stellarfoodforthought.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Screen-Shot-2017-12-05-at-12.30.19-PM.png)
![[PHOTOS] An Inside Look at the First Organic Humane, Animal Welfare-Focused Chick Hatchery in the U.S.](https://stellarfoodforthought.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Bell-Evans-1-e1601045685719.jpg)
![[Infographic] Design Only vs. Design-Build: Pick the Best Delivery Method for Your Next Food Project](https://stellarfoodforthought.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Stellar_Design-only-infographic_05242017.png)
