Why a facility assessment could be the key to unlocking your company’s hidden potential

Consumer appetites are changing, and the food and beverage market looks to be in flux for the foreseeable future. But as companies scramble to adapt to changing market conditions, many are finding that their manufacturing facilities aren’t as agile as they need to be. Issues with production capacity, packaging, distribution and other processes have been challenging companies in new and unexpected ways. But another growing trend in the industry — shrinking in-house engineering departments — means many companies lack the expertise to resolve issues internally.

Often the best way to find a solution to a new problem is to get some new insight. This is where a facility assessment from Ibberson can be your most valuable tool. Ibberson offers comprehensive facility assessments to help food and beverage manufacturers identify and overcome their biggest challenges. We employ a proven process analyzing multiple areas of your operation to find the most cost-effective solutions. While our assessments are always tailored to meet your needs, let’s take a closer look at how our process works and how it can bring extraordinary value to your business.

Our process and value

Ibberson’s facility assessment process generally works as follows. We first meet with your team to discuss your business needs and the current challenges facing your company. Then our own team of experts spends time in your facility, talking with people at all levels to learn about your operation and the extent of the problem. We then use a multidisciplinary approach involving experts from various business segments to analyze everything we’ve learned and follow up with a presentation of our proposed solutions. It’s a simple, straightforward process that allows us to unpack complex challenges by getting insight from multiple stakeholders and then analyzing that information in the context of your business needs.

The value your company receives from this process is derived from our experience and long track record of success in pre-construction, engineering, procurement, construction, as well as EPC execution and design-build solutions. Because our experts have knowledge and experience working in every aspect of design and construction processes, we can take a holistic view of your challenges and find solutions that not only work on an engineering level, but meet your business needs and strategic objectives.

If you’re having a production problem, a consulting firm may be able to offer strategic business insights, but have no idea how to make them come alive on the plant floor. Likewise, an engineering firm may be able to solve a specific technical issue, but they could offer no guidance on whether the change would actually fix the larger problem. Ibberson brings the full weight of our experience to bear on your unique issue. We do more than fix an immediate need, we strive to truly improve your operations.

Understanding your business case

The first part of our facility assessment begins with a frank discussion about what your business needs are and the challenges preventing you from achieving your strategic goals. Because we have intimate knowledge of the food and beverage space, we can get right to work exploring the intricacies of your unique issue.

Sometimes the challenges are easily identifiable, and companies have an acute awareness of what their issue is, but so far have not been able to find a solution. Other times brands know they have a problem but can’t pinpoint the main source of the issue. In either case, Ibberson is ready to help. We use this initial discovery process to identify roadblocks and get a better understanding of the destination you’re trying to reach. Our goal is not only to solve an immediate challenge, but to improve your operations overall. Engaging in conversation to better understand your business case, strategies and overall goals ultimately allows us to find the best possible solutions for your organization.

Facility tour

Once we’ve developed a complete understanding of your business needs, we then put boots on the ground and tour your facility to learn as much as we can about your challenges and operations. Our team of experts may spend upwards of a week on site, talking with operators and other frontline personnel about their experiences, daily struggles and what they see as your operation’s top assets. Although we try to get as close to the action as we can to get the best possible understanding of your internal operations, we make every effort to ensure we never disrupt production. We’re there to solve problems, not create them.

Because our assessment team members are experts in multiple areas of manufacturing operations, we’re able to ask the right questions from the moment we hit the factory floor. Here are just a few of the common areas that companies like yours ask us to investigate:

Energy and Utilities

• A certified energy manager, supported by our team of experienced mechanical and electrical engineers, can identify areas for improved efficiency such as lighting, steam systems, compressed-air systems, heat recovery, electrical demand/consumption, cogeneration and more.

Packaging Processes

• Our dry and liquids packaging subject matter experts will review your system for overall line performance, bottlenecks, changeover process, storage and staging, operator work-zone activity, conveying and transfer analysis, and more to identify opportunities to improve throughput, efficiency and reliability.

Sanitary Building Requirements

• Let our sanitary building design experts review your facility against the AMI sanitary design standards and evaluate common concerns such as condensation, building/room air flow, floor drains, process area separation layout and more.

Clean-In-Place (CIP) Procedures

• We’ll complete an evaluation of overall CIP procedures and system installation, looking at flow-rate optimization, CIP durations/intervals and verification that the system is designed to properly clean the process.

This is not an exhaustive list. Our experts are prepared to take on any challenge facing your business. In conducting our facility assessment, our holistic approach ensures we leave no stone unturned, capturing all the information we need to deliver extraordinary results for your organization.

Data analysis

After we’ve gathered sufficient data during the initial discovery phase and in-person facility assessment, our team of experts then starts to dive into your unique challenges to find a solution. We leverage experts from all of our internal business segments to create solutions that address your immediate needs and long-term business goals. Analysis typically takes about three weeks as we work to ensure we’re developing the most cost-effective solutions possible.

This is the real value of an Ibberson facility assessment. We harness the power of our collective experience and expertise in multiple disciplines to create comprehensive solutions that drive results for your business.

Delivering results

This is the moment you’ve been waiting for. After completing our analysis, our team will return to deliver a presentation about our findings and proposed solutions. Presentations may include information about changes to individual processes, recommended equipment or facility upgrades, as well as details about external risk factors for any suggested projects. This may mean we propose changing a specific packaging process to improve efficiency, adding personnel to a production line or maybe it’s that you need an entirely new storage facility. Whatever the recommendations, we always put your needs first as we strive to be your true success partner.

Our efforts to improve your operations don’t end there. If, based on our assessment, you decide to go to your company board to request a capital expenditure project, we can help you gather the data necessary to make your case. Whatever we can do to enhance operations and improve productivity for your organization, we’re here to help.

Improving your operations

Many food and beverage brands pride themselves on their ability to combine innovative engineering with classic cooking techniques to create great products for their customers. But sometimes it’s difficult to see the forest for the trees, and finding effective solutions to complex problems can evade even the most accomplished teams. With the market changing as rapidly as it is now, it’s no time to let problems snowball and get out of hand.

That’s when an Ibberson facility assessment can make all the difference. Our comprehensive approach combined with our unmatched expertise in the industry allows us to unlock your company’s potential. By partnering with Ibberson, you not only solve an immediate issue, you improve your entire manufacturing operation.

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Ibberson is a leading design-build firm with over 135 years of experience executing innovative manufacturing projects. Our ability to solve complex challenges and improve operations for food and beverage brands is what sets us apart from the rest of the industry. To see how a facility assessment could revitalize your manufacturing operation, contact Ibberson today.