14-month turnaround for dairy processing facility

Tasmanian Dairy Products (TDP) recently opened a new $80 million milk production facility in north-west Tasmania. The Smithton Dairy Product Processing Facility will process raw milk purchased from local farmers to produce high-quality dried milk products primarily for export to overseas markets in Asia and the Middle East.

Engineering consultancy pitt&sherry met a rigorous design and development project timeline to accommodate the opening of the Smithton facility. The project’s timing was key to its success, as TDP had signed contracts for milk delivery 18 months from project inception.

“The tight deadline we were provided with to have the facility up and running is what sets the achievement apart,” said Andrew Buckley, Senior Project Engineer Food and Beverages at pitt&sherry.

“A facility such as this can often take two to three years to complete, but from the moment the project was confirmed, it took just 14 months to have the facility operating and producing powder.”

pitt&sherry was initially engaged by TDP to undertake concept design, engineering works, site selection and initial planning works on the project. The company’s involvement was broadened to installation project management, building and infrastructure design, site services and securing environmental and planning approvals.

Completing the planning and environmental approvals process in a staged manner as construction took place proved a key challenge for pitt&sherry to meet the project’s tight deadline. Buckley said the project team determined a series of strategies to undertake the building schedule in order to effectively manage this.

“We developed a number of innovative methods to start building while still maintaining the necessary environmental and planning approvals, and in the process keeping Circular Head Council up to date with our progress,” Buckley explained.

“The achievement is an excellent example of pitt&sherry’s capabilities to carry out facilities such as this and on the strength of this work we are well positioned to pursue further opportunities in this area.”