Consumer Products

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Since 2009, SSOE has documented savings of over $20.1 million on projects for this client.

When this consumer products client identified the need to increase production, they called on SSOE to lead the design, OEM coordination, and installation as part of an EPC project delivery solution. We were selected based on our pre-determined capabilities in safety, innovation, cost, and success on previous projects.

The plant required facility work to accommodate the new equipment, including overall design for layouts, facilities, mechanical, and electrical. Design services included 3D scanning of areas proposed for the new equipment to develop engineering packages to perform construction activities.

The major scope of this project consisted of process equipment installation and upgrades to the plant’s central material delivery system. Support services included new equipment foundations, electrical and control circuitry, and balance of plant mechanical services. The most challenging aspect of this project involved placing the equipment in an older section of the plant with limited ceiling clearance.

The client provided SSOE with older scans of the areas that were not up to current quality requirements. Instead of re-scanning these areas, SSOE was able to supplement the existing data with portable scanning at the site, which ultimately contributed to a detailed 3D design. This augmentation of additional higher quality scan data provided better insight to the team and contractors as we developed the vendor models. SSOE completed this scan augmentation with our own project personnel and portable scanner, which saved the project time, trouble, and money, versus hiring a third party to travel to the site, complete safety training, and re-scan the entire area.

SSOE’s construction-level coordination included pull-planning sessions with the owner and contractors, and use of the NavisWorks model on a daily basis. This highly detailed design also allowed SSOE to conduct specific coordination meetings with the following user groups that were not directly involved in the project to minimize rework after installation:

  • Operations – Locate accessories, verify forklift access, and locate operator stations and PLC locations.
  • EH&S – Verify exact location of LOTO points, review fall protection strategy, and design machine guarding.
  • Bridge Crane Manager – Bridge crane, including lift dimensions.

Central Materials – Review staging areas and lay out central product delivery equipment.

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A long-time consumer products client turned to SSOE to replicate a previous automatization project to provide design for a new conveying system into a robotic program. Before Covid, the client struggled to find reliable resources to offload empty laundry detergent bottles. Over time, staffing became more challenging as the client was forced to staff the line with management personnel to meet order requirements. This situation was similar to what had occurred at another plant where SSOE was hired to design an automated system for the depalletization of reshippers from the ATU.

The original process included truck delivery empty bottle pallets, which were then manually unpacked by human operators. Operators offloaded layers of empty bottle cases onto a conveyor where the cases were then moved to the filling lines.

Once Covid hit, the client lost nearly all ability to offload the empty bottles. As a solution, SSOE provided the design to install a robot to load the layers of empty bottle cases onto a conveyor. From there, another robot would remove the tie sheet layer and place those into a bin, repeating the process layer after layer.

SSOE provided mechanical, electrical, and structural engineering to tie in the new conveying system. We designed the overhead conveyor supports, a new spiral conveyor, and foundation modifications. Although we were duplicating a similar project, SSOE faced a challenge in working at a different location. During the first project, our team was on-site within minutes to confirm measurements and talk to operators. For this project, we relied on information gathered from fewer site visits and scans to accurately predict measurements. After installing the robots, our client could reduce its workforce from eight operators to five. Since we copied some of the design from the first project, and we had prior knowledge of the equipment and vendors, SSOE was able to provide the client with a reduced estimate for the project’s design saving them about 20%.

SSOE was able to provide the client with a reduced design estimate saving $242,400.

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SSOE worked closely with a long-time consumer products client to install safety guarding around liquid laundry detergent packing equipment to improve safety. The Scope of Work started with the installation of safety guarding around a Unit Load Former (ULF) hoist area, as well as improvement to the safety guarding around the nearby stretch wrapper. We were asked to design a door / gate that would open and close instantly as well as shut down the stretch wrapper immediately, if the door / gate boundary was crossed, eliminating the opportunity for injury.

SSOE evaluated multiple options and discovered a market-ready roll-up safety door that exceeded the client’s requested Category 3 safety rating. This market-ready overhead door eliminated access to the stretch wrapper while it is spinning and also required less custom design by the SSOE team and custom fabrication, saving the client time, trouble, and money. Our client was pleased with this innovative solution which exceeded the request, the automation of the new door, and the safety it provided. As a result, they requested and received additional funding to provide the same safety solution for 11 additional lines.

Due to travel restrictions implemented from the Covid-19 pandemic, the client allowed our team to laser scan the areas affected by this project. SSOE’s design team then referred to this data, stored in Cintoo, for the needed measurements throughout the design process, eliminating the need for engineers’ site visits. The use of Cintoo also allowed us to share the scan information with our design partners and allowed us to input both our model and their model into the program. It identified clashes and ensured the equipment fit in the space properly, saving the client potential equipment re-work during installation. Our familiarity with this client’s plant, people, and processes combined with our design expertise and innovative thinking led to a successful acquisition of similar project work at an additional client facility.

By utilizing a market-ready solution, reducing custom design and fabrication needed, and implementing this solution on 11 additional lines, $210,000 in Value Promise savings was realized.

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New regulations meant a longtime Consumer Products client needed to adjust how it manufactured one of its most popular laundry detergents. SSOE was hired to lead the process mechanical design at the plant, which included new tanks, mixers, pumps, piping, and truck and rail unload spots.

The project required the double-walled piping design to be exact because it was being prefabricated in another state. To navigate that challenge, our team used laser-scanning technology to capture and route piping around the existing plant conditions.

All of the work followed Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) implementation principles and work flows. The project was on a tight timeline, with kickoff and planned completion less than one year apart. SSOE completed the bulk of the design within six months. The use of IPD allowed the team to deliver progressive work packages to the contractors to enable construction to begin sooner. As a result of the project, SSOE was able to more effectively collaborate with the client and other vendors and reduce waste by generating only the designs needed for the project.

The client was very pleased with the project – even naming it the year’s Top Project in their global Fabric and Homecare Division.

SSOE saved the client $84,000 by providing a design to reuse jacketed piping and existing valves, as well as switching to the main nozzle on the main mixer.

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Over the past 6 years, we’ve managed to save a leading consumer products client more than $8.8 million on SSOE projects demonstrating the ever-increasing value of our partnership. They’ve utilized SSOE as their preferred A/E partner since we began providing our services to them in 2012.

The client had seldom worked with outside firms and was initially apprehensive about working with a new team. Our multidisciplinary team worked diligently and consistently to build trust within the client’s team, while providing world-class service, which has resulted in us delivering 48 projects at the client’s various processing facilities. Here are some of the highlights:

Production Capacity Increase

In order to increase the production capacity of plastic storage bags, the client entrusted SSOE with the conversion of two production lines. As this conversion involved a new product, time to market was crucial and an aggressive schedule was required. The project included the design of a vacuum and reclaim system to feed waste to the front of the production line, along with an exhaust system for new production equipment. We also provided the design of a mezzanine for the support of additional production equipment, an upgrade to the plant power supply, additional process equipment, and various building upgrades that included fire protection systems.

Instrument specification support and electrical upgrades consisting of a new transformer, switchgear, and electrical panels were also required. Our team was able to save the client $58,500 on this project by repositioning hangers to align with existing steel floor beams, reusing an existing roof girder to hang the bridge crane runway beams rather than installing new, and leaving the existing switchgear connected to its transformer to avoid swapping feeds with the new equipment. Additionally, we provided procurement services, construction management support, and package delivery for all SSOE-designed systems.

Innovation Solutions with Technical Know-How

Impressed by the value SSOE brought on previous projects, the client asked SSOE to design or modify various mechanical processes for multiple unique lines across several processing facilities to add new features to its plastic storage bags. Functioning as an extension of the client’s team, we worked directly with their R&D staff to design several prototype subassemblies, which were installed in a pilot line to verify functionality before full-scale design.

Based on the client’s aggressive schedule and launch date, it was evident that a traditional design / bid / build delivery method would not be effective for this project. In addition, there was a requirement to minimize downtime for all lines. We worked with the client to develop a project execution strategy that reduced the amount of downtime from 3 weeks to 2 weeks per line, providing the client more than $3 million in savings. Contractors were pre-selected and participated in review meetings early on to not only collaborate more effectively, but improve external coordination and ultimately the outcome of the project.

One challenge was incorporating more than 10 unique equipment layouts that we designed to fit into different locations within the client’s various facilities. Additionally, the layout for new equipment needed to be installed within the previously mentioned 2-week window—no small feat. We also attained a temporary project license in the location of one of the client’s facilities in order to seal required drawings and keep the project on schedule, which ended up saving the client a projected $2 million in construction package redesign fees.

Expanding Production to Enter New Markets, with More Options

The client was looking to add three additional lines at an existing manufacturing facility to increase production capacity, expand into new retail markets, and create fresh packaging options. Our multidisciplinary team was selected to provide both facility and process support on this $25 million project—performing architectural, civil, structural, and MEP engineering on the project as well as machine design, packaging, controls and instrumentation, and process design for utilities. We were also responsible for purchasing all equipment.

During the project, we worked with the client to install temporary walls to prevent contamination and disruption of other production lines. SSOE’s in-house construction capabilities were also put to use as we helped optimize the construction bidding process for the client, assisted with procurement and cash flow management, and provided on-site field support for the duration of construction. At the peak of the project, the team consisted of more than 25 people.

The project was not without its challenges. At this particular facility, the client was implementing two very large capital projects with aggressive schedules at the same time, creating several obstacles along the way—including a contractor that was new, not only to the site, but also the client, and a modified purchasing procedure that required detailed bid packages be divided by discipline. To keep the project on track, our team assumed leading start-up and commissioning activities and was tenacious in providing the higher level of detail needed for construction documentation, meeting all budget, schedule, and staffing requirements while maintaining a level of quality the client had come to expect from SSOE. We were able to reduce the number of planned packaging lines without negatively impacting production, thus saving them more than $2 million.

Increasing Production Output by Maximizing Technology

When the client set a goal of increasing its production of plastic film storage products within a multi-year period, they again reached out to SSOE for assistance. By this time, our team had worked to seamlessly integrate themselves into the client’s engineering team, assisting them with multiple key capital projects in addition to supporting a number of routine activities. Our on-site team solidified their relationship with the client, leaving them confident in our ability to help them meet their ambitious goal. Due to our positive track record and knowledge of both the client and the site, SSOE was selected to deliver this $65 million capital expansion project, providing conceptual engineering through start-up and commissioning.

The project—designed to cGMP standards—included the design of a new facility on the client’s existing site and two identical packaging lines within: one for carton and case packing, and the other for shrink wrap and bulk packing. The process included new and innovative packaging concepts. In order to address space constraints and operator access issues, the process was designed into a Lean configuration, allowing the system to fit into the designated area while reducing overall operator travel and increasing efficiency. Notably, the SSOE-designed facility qualified the client for a local energy efficiency
program, which equated to an $170,000 credit. Our design optimizations also allowed us to eliminate confined spaces in the new facility and reduce work at heights, helping us achieve more than 180,000 working hours of injury-free construction.

An industry leader in leveraging technology, SSOE employed reality capture, or laser scanning, to significantly improve the speed and accuracy of capturing existing field conditions. By using a long-range scanner—one of three types of scans we have the ability to perform—we not only reduced time spent conducting on-site walk-downs, we were able to create a point cloud that was referenced into a detailed 3D model, which helped avoid costly rework in the field. The resulting 3D model served as the basis for all design reviews, bringing project stakeholders together early on to eliminate hand-offs, reduce waste and cost, and compress the schedule. The approach also allowed for design changes on the fly while providing ongoing clash detection.

Giving the client a lot of credit: the SSOE-designed facility qualified the client for a local energy efficiency program for one of two packaging lines, which equated to an $170,000+ credit.

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Often, the most difficult part of a job is pulling together consultants working on various pieces of the project. While the task of coordinating numerous suppliers is vital for project success, it is not the most valuable use of one’s time. This global consumer products client recognized this, and enlisted the assistance of SSOE to act as the coordinator of three design firms for this time-sensitive project. This included coordinating the fast-track schedule and budget for the three firms.

This project involved process line additions required to add two new perfumes to the client’s laundry product line. Technical components included installing two new 3,000 gallon tanks, piping to tie the new tanks into the mixing skids, and an extension to the Motor Control Center (MCC) room.

SSOE’s engineering expertise, combined with our familiarity working as an extension of the client on numerous projects at this facility, made coordinating this project a seamless effort.

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In the world of consumer products, it is well known that speed to market is of utmost important when it comes to new products. When this well-known, global consumer products manufacturer sought to launch it’s new 2-in-1 laundry product line, it was critical they be the first to market in order to reap the first-mover advantage.

In an effort to capitalize on the strengths of multiple engineering providers, the client decided to award the project to a consortium of competing firms. SSOE and its partners were charged with providing all engineering and design services to allow for the production of the new laundry product. This included the design of new tanks and piping, as well as tying them into to the existing mixing skids. In addition to this technical role, SSOE was also tasked with coordinating the efforts of all design and construction firms involved in this project.

The project was successfully completed within its fast-track schedule. This allowed the client to get the new product on store shelves before its competitors, resulting in increased revenue, profitability, and higher return on investment.

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Despite setbacks, the schedule for this complex project was met through creative sequencing and quick thinking.

When this project for a major consumer products client went to bid, SSOE was not the lowest bidder and lost the job opportunity. The successful bidder was new to the site and their lack of familiarity caused delays in schedule. They struggled to meet the strict timeline and, in the end, were removed from the project. SSOE was asked to take over the large project, complete with compromised time-critical schedule, and get it back on track.

To ensure deadlines were met effectively, SSOE utilized offshore resources; an Indian-based engineering firm. This afforded round-the-clock development of over 300 drawings.

The project goal was to realign the filling lines with palletizers of a similar speed to avoid bottlenecks and under-utilized capacity. While a typical project would reroute only one line, this project rerouted seven lines to different palletizers, making this project especially complex.

SSOE’s on-site construction assistance proved especially helpful when our extensive in-plant experience allowed us to efficiently act as the project’s scheduler, coordinator, and supervisor. Through strategic sequencing of construction, the team was able to get this project back on schedule and avoid any costly down time.

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Through the design and implementation of a number of efficiency improvements such as equipment placement and repurposing to reduce process demands, SSOE was able to save the client $1.2 million in project costs.

Betco Corporation, a manufacturer of cleaning products, purchased a brownfield site in order to consolidate equipment and processes housed in three separate facilities into one central location. SSOE was selected to provide architectural and engineering services in support of the renovation and expansion efforts necessary to prepare the facility for operation. The expansion involved the renovation of 242,000 SF of manufacturing space and the addition of 54,640 SF to the facility.

SSOE drew from its extensive bench of engineers and architects to form an experienced team to work closely with Betco throughout the project. The team met with the client’s staff on a weekly basis to communicate progress and discuss any issues that may have arisen during the previous week. SSOE also assigned a chemical process engineer to work in the existing Betco facilities and assist in the evaluation and classification of the chemicals used in manufacturing their products.

Working together with Betco’s staff, the SSOE team completed front-end loading (FEL) for the project. During the FEL process, a conceptual layout of the site was developed, along with a 30% cost estimate and milestone schedule. As is the case with many small businesses, Betco did not have the internal staff to create P&IDs for the new operations, which led to SSOE creating a complete set of P&IDs for the new facility. In order to maintain operations in the existing facilities, a blend of new and existing equipment was included in the final layouts. Several processes were also analyzed and updated to significantly increase efficiency.

The code evaluation for this facility proved to be very complex. SSOE provided support in preliminary meetings with the county plans examiner and throughout the building permitting process. Fire walls were incorporated in the design to provide separation, with steel fireproofing for added protection and explosion relief. To effectively accommodate the large amounts of hazardous materials on-site, two additions were designed to isolate them from each other and the rest of the facility. This design was based on SSOE’s site evaluation and included minimizing piping lengths, considering truck deliveries, and minimizing the impact to existing utilities.

 

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Executed 16,000 offshore engineering hours over the course of six months, exceeding the client’s goal.

When a household care manufacturer wanted to integrate an offshore engineering partner from India at its highest revenue generating site in North America, SSOE proved to be key to the successful integration. With more than 20 years of experience on the site, SSOE had personnel capable of managing, controlling, and delivering the entire site’s engineering capital as well as managing integration of an offshore partner over the course of a year.

Because the offshore supplier did not have familiarity with the site, SSOE first worked to integrate them into the existing processes, identify potential challenges and outline plans for troubleshooting them. This included a recommendation to provide a cultural training course for the offshore principles as well as the SSOE team. SSOE was also charged with a goal to manage 15,000 offshore hours over the course of a year and a $3 million site engineering budget for related yearly projects. Projects included capacity and efficiency increases, product additions, as well as site clearance to make the facility more usable. What resulted was the planning and support needed to improve the onboarding of future engineering suppliers, timing of projects, and breakdown of projects depending on complexity.

Additionally, SSOE’s experience and expertise allowed projects to be conducted as planned and exceeded the 15,000 man hour goal in just six months.

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