Barry Callebaut is among the world’s largest cocoa producers with sites worldwide. Within their Banbury site, there was a need to convert an existing cacao roasting facility into a liquor melting facility by stripping out the existing winnowing and roasting equipment and providing a new food safe liquor block melting facility with new equipment for an entirely new upstream production process.

The roasting process would be relocated/consolidated with an existing operation at another site.

The planning and construction work associated with providing the new melting facility ensured that cross contamination did not occur with the rest of the site, which was to remain in production during the works.

The completed facility had a requirement to be food safe and contamination free.

Due to the limited supply of liquor during the conversion period the programme and completion date was business critical and could not be missed without severely impacting on operations and potentially stopping ongoing production.

Austin developed a preliminary design, programme and a cost estimate (±10%) for the works allowing Barry Callebaut to assign funds and engage specialist supply chain both prior and during the works, to allow the rest of the manufacturing facility to remain in production.

The project comprised the design of a facility with segregated areas for storage, unpacking and melting of the liquor blocks. Procurement of the works comprised stripping out the existing equipment, washing down and decontamination of the existing facility. The new works included providing a new protected forklift and truck unloading area, installing new food safe flooring and partitions, rapid roller doors, mechanical ventilation, power, lighting and plumbing.

Due to the limited time availability the project was delivered as a complete turnkey solution; design, construction, commissioning through to hand over within a specified budget and an onerous program. The critical time line, delivery and budget were achieved through collaboration during design, engineering and procurements with all parties including subcontractors, the client’s team, specialists and the Austin construction team to fast track the delivery.

The facility was developed to include a walk-on ceiling over the melting areas which was propped in advance of first fix mechanical and electrical works. This allowed both services to be installed above and below ceilings simultaneously. This unique solution reduced the initial programme by at least two to three weeks.

The completed facility is considered by the client to have set a new standard. It was delivered on time and within the budget.

“I thank the Austin team for their great skill and efforts in delivering the requirements within the constrained time scale and exceeding our expectations on cost, quality and program” – Mike Parkins, Chief Engineer, Barry Callebaut UK.