ADM (Archer Daniels Midland), was looking to expand their pet food productions to a new, 284,000-square-foot facility in Effingham, IL. They needed an electrical contractor to handle all of the electric motors, controls, and lighting within the new facility, as well as their security and camera systems. While we had previously worked with them on a feed mill in Glencoe, MN, this second project was unlike anything we’ve ever done before.
In the most basic sense, electrical work is simply pipe and wire. But the layout of the Effingham facility was different from any other facility Knobelsdorff has worked on before. Because of the shape of the facility – it’s a tall concrete tower – and the processing workflow they wanted the facility to have, it took a lot of learning and a lot of effort to get the pieces to fall into place.
ADM contracted with Knobelsdorff to provide electrical design, installation and project management services. This state-of-the-art feed mill serves premix and dry ingredient blending needs for use in finished pet foods and treats, as well as animal feed for dairy, beef, swine, poultry, aquaculture and other specialty products. With so many products to manufacture, the facility came with unique specifications that created a series of challenges to overcome.
The Effingham ADM facility was a two-year project, and Knobelsdorff had employees there for all but six months. We started with the underground work, which takes heavy planning but results in a cleaner facility. After pipes were in the ground, we came back later to install panels and pipe the motors and equipment. Next came lighting, safety features (fire extinguishers, etc.), and security components.
Automation was a central theme of the project, and each piece of equipment, sensor, and motor must be tested individually before handing over control to the automation company. Knobelsdorff worked closely with teams from Younglove Construction and WEM Automation to construct this industry leading, high-capacity facility.
KE also employed innovative processes to make the job as efficient as possible:
Even our employees who were experienced in this type of industrial work faced a whole new ballgame with this project. But one of the great things about Knobelsdorff employees is they always rise to the occasion. Everyone, from project managers and foremen to journeymen electricians, did what was needed to make the project successful.
What really sets our work apart is the final product. Knobelsdorff employees take pride in their work and know the importance of having a job that is clean. Any of our project managers can spot a crooked pipe from 100 feet away (and most of them have Karl to thank for that!). We run clean pipe for our customers, and we leave them with a great-looking facility when a project wraps. That attention to detail is in everything we do.