A Fortune 500 food and beverage processor sought to consolidate its nutraceutical division headquarters and a new research and development (R&D) center under one roof. After evaluating several options, the company selected a four-story, 50,000 square-foot former business park suite in the Eastern U.S. as the site for this new hub.
Food and beverage R&D facilities require rigorous hygienic standards not found in traditional office spaces. Our team led the conversion of the generic business park suite into a highly sanitary production environment, with a design that incorporated strict filtration levels, temperature and humidity controls and aseptic processing capabilities.
Engineering for hygiene
The facility was designed to meet food safety manufacturing requirements, including the integration of an aseptic filler and sterile production zones.
To support these hygienic needs, we implemented heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) zoning across three production floors based on the client’s four-tier hygienic rating system. This ensured proper air flow and environmental control throughout the facility.
Adapting for production and equipment needs
Although the facility was intended for small-batch R&D, it required full-scale production equipment to simulate real-world manufacturing conditions. This need presented a unique challenge: how to install large equipment in a multi-story building not originally designed for industrial use.
Working closely with contractors, we developed a creative solution by cutting a temporary opening in the roof to lower equipment into place, then restoring the structure once installation was complete.
The retrofit also accounted for equipment weight, utility demands and the vertical layout of the building. A new chiller system was installed to increase chilled water capacity, supporting the thermal needs of the production process.
A fully integrated innovation hub
The result is a fully renovated, four-story facility that serves as a global innovation hub for the client’s fortified foods division.
It combines scientific research, pilot-scale production and hygienic design in a single, cohesive environment, positioning the client to lead in the development of next-generation nutritional products.
