2023
Columbia, MO
INNOVATIVE FOOD PRODUCTION WITH SWIFT MEAT AND SIKA FLOORING
Many people don’t think twice about where their food comes from, but the process is a sophisticated, complex system filled with many parts working in tandem to create delicious food to be plated around our nation. Reliable, state-of-the-art flooring is required in factories andplants to ensure a safe, efficient process for virtually all food production, and Sika Corporation’s recent installation in a high-quality dry-cured meat processing plant, operated by Swift PreparedFoods, is a representation of some of the innovative technologies being used in modern flooring infrastructure.
Floor to Table
The plant receiving this innovative flooring is a 315,000-square-foot facility in Columbia, Missouri,producing dry-cured meats including pepperoni, prosciutto, and salami. The plant processes raw products at Unit 1, which is then moved, via automated-guided vehicles (AGV), to Unit 2, where the product is then dried and salted. Once the drying or fermenting process is done, Units 3, 4, and 5 are equipped to slice, package, and ship the finished, tasty product to top our pizzas and fill our bellies.
The plant’s owner, Swift Foods, contracted design-build firm Stellar, a long-time Sika collaborator and materials partner. Sika was then contracted to provide materials to their Elite Level installation partner, US Flooring Company, creating an integrated network of experienced organizations managing the construction process. “I really enjoy working with Stellar as a design-build firm. We can communicate important details concerning best practices on installation and the communication seems to flow seamlessly to the field personnel to ensure implementation and execution of the Sika flooring systems installation,” said Randy Butera, director of business development for Sika.
PROJECT: Swift Prepared Foods Columbia, MO
FLOORING CONTRACTOR: US Flooring CompanyThe Stellar Group
FLOORING SYSTEMS:
Sikafloor® ESD: Electrostatic Control Flooring
Sikafloor® DecoDur Flake: Decorative Epoxy Flooring
Sika Ucrete: Cementitious Urethane Flooring
PROJECT SIZE: 315,000 square feet
COMPLETED: February 2023
Production of this caliber required ultra-flat floors that could support automated-guided vehicles gliding along its surface while controlling potential electrostatic discharge (ESD) by dissipating allstatic charges. Controlling static discharge is essential for smooth and efficient production when so many electronics are on the plant floor, and Sika expertly addressed the challenge with its Sikafloor electrostatic control floor systems.
Sika also used its heavy-duty Ucrete technology to meet ideal hygienic standards, and its DecoDurFlake floor systems for seamless, efficient cleaning. For a base, Ucrete HS22 was installed and broadcasted with Sikadur® 508, then followed by a thorough sanding. Additionally, self-priming epoxy coating Sikafloor® 264 was applied, and Sikafloor® 340 ESD top coat was used for its chemical and UV resistance properties.
About the Sikafloor Systems
Sikafloor DecoDur Flake:
An aesthetic,easy to clean, seamless floor using a clear epoxy binder that is broadcast with a multi-colored vinyl chip blend and sealed with a transparent, UV stable top coat.
Sikafloor ESD :
Provides effective personnel grounding and meets or exceeds the requirements of ANSI S20.20 for electronics applications, DOD facilities and NFPA requirements for flammable liquids, powders and gasses.
Sika Ucrete HS22:
A self-leveling, heavy-duty, solid color, phthalate free, water dispersed polyurethane based cement, and aggregate slurries. They are designed to provide excellent resistance to abrasion, impact, chemical attack, and other physical aggression on concrete floors and can be installed in thicknesses up to ¼ inches.
Sika has engineered a wide range of floor andwall systems for virtually every work space and facility. Our experts can even custom craft a specialized surface to fit your unique environment.
The team also designed and built two additional employee-only areas on both sides of the plant, keeping the “raw” workers separate from the “ready-to-eat” employees. The facility also features a pilot plant for testing new products and an Italian café-inspired kitchen for customers to taste their way around the plant.
Success Through Collaboration
Sika’s relationship with US Flooring proved to be a “tremendous partnership” according to Mark Warren, account executive at U.S. Flooring. Throughout the process, multiple meetings were conducted between the organizations, ensuring correct solutions were created for any challenges faced during production. Cooperation and teamwork were essential for the success of this project, and all organizations involved took on the process with an eagerness for collaboration. “I’m very proud of it,” said Warren. “It wasn’t me; it was the team.”
This project was challenging, but the teams were equipped to tackle any issues. “Open and consistent communication was key to make this successful,” said Chris Wood, project manager II at Stellar. These challenges included ensuring everything was completed before all the plant’s equipment arrived, as well as guaranteeing the teams weren’t working faster than Swift Foods’ preferred pacing.
The floors had to be completely flawless, as AGVs cannot veer off their track by even mere centimeters without disrupting operations. These machines are so precise and work so symbiotically that if one stops,they all stop, so ensuring a floor free from imperfections was especially important during this project. On a logistic side, working behind or ahead of schedule could change the whole trajectory of the entire construction, but luckily, with proper preparation and effective communication, these challenges were mitigated or eliminated.
From conception to finish, this project took two years to complete. This new plant had a $200 million production cost and created more than 100 local jobs, widening Missouri’s path to becoming a top destination for food production companies. This construction also earned the title of Best Project, Energy/Industrial 2023 by ENR Midwest. According to Wood, this project is “the feather in the cap” for Stellar anda great source of pride for all three companies involved.
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Read the whole story on how Sika Helped Swift foods with their new palnt.