From Spec Building to Cutting-Edge Production Facility: Inside EA Sween
AWB Project Architect, Eric Catellier, walks us through the transformation of EA Sween's manufacturing facility in Greenwood, SC. From an empty spec building to a prepackaged food manufacturing hub, this project showcases our innovative approach to integrating complex refrigeration systems and meeting all production, storage, and sanitation needs to the highest caliber.
EA Sween is expanding its reach throughout the United States, necessitating the development of a new facility to support increased production and distribution. This new facility presented a unique challenge of converting a blank, pre-existing structure to meet the specific requirements of EA Sween’s production and storage needs. One of the primary challenges we encountered was the distribution of extensive refrigeration equipment around the roof structure. This required meticulous planning with the refrigeration contractor to ensure that the refrigeration systems could seamlessly incorporate into the existing structure to accommodate the spaces below.
An critical aspect of the project was ensuring that the facility met stringent hygiene and safety standards. The design incorporated advanced sanitation systems to guarantee every area was watertight and able to be washed down on a daily basis with strong cleaning agents.
Additionally, the design needed to support their detailed production process. This required extensive consultations with EA Sween's operational team to outline the production stages and create spaces that enabled seamless workflow transitions.
Another challenge we encountered was planning the design for future production line layouts as the company expands. EA Sween is in the process of hiring many new employees and an important part of recruitment is demonstrating quality facilities so those employees from the administrative offices to the production line feel comfortable and safe working there.
At AWB when we're talking to a client, we want to make sure that we understand their product lines and safety needs as we go through our design process. All of those factors are front of mind when we're designing even the smallest details.
We are proud of how this final product came together. This facility now plays a critical role in EA Sween's supply chain, bolstering their ability to deliver high-quality prepackaged foods across an expanding market. It is going to be a great facility for EA Sween for years to come.
