National CPG Facility Relocation & 400% Capacity Expansion
Over an 8-month, overlapping multi-phase execution, Flowtek served as prime integration partner for the relocation of six active production lines into a new 650,000 sq ft facility while simultaneously designing and building five new liquid packaging lines—resulting in a 400% increase in production capacity.
Executive Overview
What began as a single semi-automatic line efficiency engagement evolved into a full-scale production relocation, infrastructure overhaul, and capacity expansion for a major national CPG manufacturer—number one in its sector. The client faced a non-negotiable facility exit deadline. Failure to be operational by that date would have resulted in millions of dollars in lost weekly revenue.
- 650,000 sq ft facility (50,000 sq ft production footprint)
- Six active production lines relocated with same-day go-live
- Five new integrated liquid packaging lines designed and installed
- 400% total capacity increase
- Labor per shift reduced from 110 to 65
- Zero safety incidents in live production environment
Phase 1 – Infrastructure Buildout & Live Production Relocation
Six active packaging lines were relocated in staggered sequence to avoid extended downtime. Each line achieved same-day go-live in the new facility.
Electrical Infrastructure
- 700A @ 480V pulled from MSP (≈750 ft run)
- New electrical room constructed
- 3 × 150 kVA step-down transformers (208/120V)
- 7 new subpanels
- ~50 runs averaging 350 ft each
- ~50 electrical drops to production equipment
Pneumatic Infrastructure
- 1 × 40 HP compressor
- 1 × 25 HP compressor (redundant system)
- Refrigerated dryer
- New concrete pad for outdoor utility housing
- Pneumatic rewiring and new valve assemblies for fluid management
All infrastructure was engineered, permitted at the county level, inspected, and approved under a condensed timeline.
Phase 2 – Facility & Employee Support Buildout
This phase overlapped with live production operations and required temporary facility solutions while permanent systems were completed.
- Men's and women's restrooms (tile walls, sealed concrete floors, stone counters)
- New HVAC, fire sprinklers, and plumbing systems
- Employee break area with power distribution
- Equipment wash area with power + compressed air
- Mechanic area with dedicated power + air
- Guard rails and bollards for forklift traffic safety
Phase 3 – End-of-Line Relocation & Dedicated Utility Segmentation
- Relocation of four end-of-line packaging lines
- 2 × 75 kVA step-down transformers
- 2 new subpanels
- ~200A @ 480V pulled from MSP
- Ceiling-mounted flex drops
- Safe-off and decommissioning of legacy infrastructure
- Relocation and recommissioning of standalone 10 HP compressor dedicated to Phase 3 equipment
The dedicated 10 HP compressor system ensured load segmentation and independent operation of end-of-line systems.
Phase 4 – New Line Design & 400% Capacity Expansion
Five new production lines were designed to handle 100+ SKUs across 4 oz – 1 gallon PET formats.
- 3 high-speed lines up to 80 BPM
- Overflow & piston filling technology
- Belt capping, induction seal, coding
- Zero-downtime labeling systems
- Shrink wrapping, case sealing, accumulation systems
- ~50 new electrical drops
- Full commissioning and ramp-to-rate support
Tailored NELC (New Equipment Learning Curve) training enabled rapid adoption by a workforce that was 90% new within three weeks of go-live.
Operational Outcomes
- 400% increase in overall capacity
- Changeover time reduced by 50%
- Labor per shift reduced from 110 to 65
- Higher weekly throughput achieved within 3 weeks
- Zero safety incidents during live construction
- Certificate of Occupancy secured on schedule
The facility was engineered for future batching, bottle manufacturing, and additional packaging expansion.
Integration Under Pressure
The compact 8-month timeline required concurrent design and build execution with minimal contingency. Subsurface rock conditions impacted plumbing excavation, requiring schedule recovery strategies. Temporary power and contingency utility plans were prepared to ensure uninterrupted startup if permanent systems encountered delay. Failure was not an option.
Flowtek served as prime contractor and integration lead, coordinating engineering, permitting, infrastructure, production equipment, and commissioning under a single execution framework.
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