The Austin Co.

Client:

Tanimura & Antle

Scope Of Work

The Austin Company was engaged to convert a former orange drink factory into a vegetable production, packaging and distribution facility by Tanimura & Antle, Inc., the leading privately-owned grower and supplier of produce in the United States. Located in Plymouth, Indiana, the facility is being used by Tanimura & Antle to process its SaladTime® brand of premium-quality, pre-cut and pre-washed bagged salads.

To help Tanimura & Antle decide on the Plymouth facility location, Austin Consulting, a division of The Austin Company, first conducted several site-location studies to pinpoint options in the Midwest and Southeast. The location study for the Midwest plant involved analyzing transportation costs, workforce characteristics, utility services and taxes in a three-state region. Together, Austin Consulting and Tanimura & Antle decided on the Plymouth plant. Austin Consulting then assisted Tanimura & Antle in an environmental assessment of the building and site, evaluation of rail service characteristics, negotiation of development incentives, and other due diligence services. The new facility allowed the company to expand its distribution to the Central and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.

With the location selected and facility secured, The Austin Company moved forward with the project, focusing on renovating 140,000 SF of the 193,000 SF facility. This included:

Complete removal and replacement of the existing floor slab to ensure cleanliness and proper water drainage

Building of two new coolers to house the four process lines

Substantial modernization and upgrading of the ammonia refrigeration system with major central-plant compressor repairs

Addition of eight new evaporators

Installation of new compressor, nitrogen, chlorine, citric acid and soap dispensing systems and a new process waste-water system

Creation of separate entrances and foot baths for plant personnel to ensure clean food-processing environment

Expansion of the warehouse to accommodate a wide variety of SKUs

Renovation of the existing office space

In addition, the project involved installing state-of-the art technology, reflected in a sophisticated process for separating out vegetable culls, washing the produce, spin-drying vegetables through a centrifuge, and re-circulating water. The entire operation — from raw goods receiving to palletizing and shipping — takes place in an environment that remains around 36-degrees, to ensure the quality and freshness of the produce. The facility incorporates HACCP technology to ensure maximum food-safety and quality.

“The project resulted in a state-of-the-art vegetable processing and packaging plant designed to ensure fresh, premium-quality products year-round to customers throughout the United States and parts of Canada,” said the spokesperson.

The Austin Company designed the facility to allow Tanimura & Antle to easily add rail service, expand the refrigeration system, and expand operations for future cross-docking capabilities.