Expansion has been ongoing as part of a five year capital investment project to improve beet receiving, washing and chip recovery at Michigan Sugar Company's Croswell factory. This project included a new beet washer building and conveyor washing system.
The project expands and optimizes the receiving and wash station of the factory by adding dry handling and replacing a large, tub-style beet washer with a process that sends beets over a high-pressure roller spray table designed to use less water and energy, create fewer beet chips and produce a cleaner beet for slicing in the factory.
Corrosion protection in this very harsh food processing environment was a critical part of the design process. The team also wanted to increase overall production while building a system with no interruptions in production.
The team decided to hot-dip galvanize the entire washer system and the entire building. This combination will help to protect both structures from the beet washing process and the acidic chemical involved.
Beyond corrosion protection, the construction team was confronted with a very aggressive schedule for opening the building before the next fall harvest. The steel fabricator consulted with the galvanizer to coordinate quick turnaround service in order to help meet the schedule.
Ultimately, hot dip galvanizing helped save the day on this project in order to allow for the best in corrosion protection and quick delivery in coating application of the steel.
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