Cranswick Foods Preston: New abattoir extension. Installation of Mineral Wool and PIR cored panels to form walls and ceilings, along with associated doors.

Panels were installed to provide production areas, rapid chill facility, fire compartment walls between production and amenity, chilled holding areas and loading dock. Whilst the project was being carried out further extensive works were being undertaken to remove and replace existing polystyrene cored panels to the sites main butchery plant. PIR cored panels were used as part of Cranswick Foods programme to upgrade their facilities in relation to fire risk management. This particular project required careful project management as the butchery had to remain in production throughout.

In 2006 GPL Construction were awarded the contract to supply and install the insulated wall and ceiling panels along with specialist doors to form a new bacon processing facility. In 2010 GPL returned to site to commence works on phase 2, involving the expansion of the unit with a new slicing hall, chills, blast and holding freezers, dry goods store and amenity block.

Walls and ceilings were formed using a combination of panel types subject to location and application. With Mineral Wool being used to form 1 and 2 hour fire walls and ceilings to the dry goods stores and amenity areas and PIR cored panels to form the main production area walls and “walk-on” ceilings.

GPL were also responsible for the supply and installation of the internal and external doors ranging from fire rated and non-fire rated personnel doors, insulated hinged and sliding doors, rapid roll doors, sectional doors and fire shutters.

The first part of the project was completed in December 2010 ready for the client to meet the needs of its Christmas orders. Post-Christmas saw extensive alterations to the original facility to provide a fully integrated unit.

Management of the overall contract has been achieved through the setting up of a project team headed up by Cranswick Foods.

This 360 square metre extension to the high care production area at Tilmastone Salads was carried out using Mineral Wool core installation panels from Eurobond Laminates with external grade panels to form the outside shell. Close involvement was required with the client to allow smooth and safe running of the existing production facility, whilst internal work was carried out.

This project incorporated the construction of new CA stores for blueberries with an extension to the packaging area and label and printing room. The project was particularly challenging in that the structural floor of the existing building had to be broken out and removed to a depth of 2 metres and re-instated. A number of blueberry stores were constructed each designed to allow Berry Gardens to import blueberries in container loads and hold under controlled atmosphere conditions. The outcome has extended shelf life whilst maintaining a high quality product.

GPLs undertaking was to refurbish the existing food production area. The project included, removal of old, damaged polystyrene panels, lining the existing external walls with new PIR, hygienic, food safe panels and installing a new hygienic PIR ‘walk on’ panelled ceiling. The project included cladding around columns and existing services. Existing personnel doors were replaced with new hygienic doors and in some instance 1hr fire rated doors. This was a relatively complex job with tight time scales, our panel works, were integrated with new machinery installation, floor repairs and service installations. Throughout the project we worked successfully co-ordinating with the client, the equipment suppliers and the electrical and mechanical contractors.