Light manufacturing projects are inherently complex—especially in the food and beverage industry—because they often require highly specialized systems. These systems require skilled professionals to coordinate low-voltage controls, power, cooling, piping, and refrigeration.
Structure Tone Southwest started working on these kinds of projects in 2012 for customers including Nature’s Bounty and Vision Works. Light manufacturing now makes up about 60% of revenue for Structure Tone Southwest’s San Antonio office. This includes recent projects such as a refrigerated food processing and distribution facility for Project Hoops, a French baked goods company, and a barrel aging facility for Garrison Brothers Distillery, Texas’ first and oldest bourbon distillery.
“Suddenly, we fully entered the light manufacturing industry,” says Mark Jones, regional vice president of STSW San Antonio. “We’re proud that almost all our manufacturing clients are repeat customers.”
CRAFTING COLLABORATIVE SUCCESS
“The design-build method suits light manufacturing facilities well, enabling cost savings and efficient project delivery.”
Several factors contribute to their success. The preconstruction team plays a critical role during design. They share updated schedules and pricing to help clients make informed decisions and guide a smooth project transition.
“Early team involvement improves the project’s efficiency,” adds Jones. “It also ensures a smooth transition from design to execution.”
For instance, early cooperation and communication were crucial to the success of the whiskey manufacturer Garrison Brothers’ distillery expansion in Hye, Texas. Before starting the facility’s production area, the project’s three primary components needed to be resolved.
Protecting all of the property’s existing structures from fire was the initial step in the construction process. Since the Garrison Brothers began producing bourbon, the current buildings have stood. “Structure Tone erected a water loop that completely encircled the entire production area.”
It included a fire pump, seven fire hydrants, nine fire riser chambers, a 210,000-gallon water tank, and 3,800 lineal feet of subterranean pipe to each structure.
The second phase of the project involved building eight new cook tanks and enlarging their current mash/distilling house. The primary factor behind their 50% increase in bourbon output was this endeavor.
Building a storage barn that could hold up to 15,000 barrels of bourbon was the third phase of the project.
Working closely with the electrical contractor from the beginning, the STSW team helped develop the concept of integrating an old barn with a new building, electrical systems, and a riser room. This early coordination also allowed the team to plan effectively and monitor deliveries, which helped keep the project within budget.
Structure Tone Southwest applied a similar design-build approach to the 140,000-square-foot commercial bakery built for Project Hoops. The two-story, steel-framed building featured a concrete base supported by drilled piers and an exterior made of concrete wall panels combined with insulated metal panels (IMP). The team integrated specialized refrigeration and electrical equipment and selected a glycol loop HVAC system instead of a traditional chilled water setup. Early collaboration with the client and design team was essential due to the involvement of several European specialty subcontractors. To manage supply chain volatility, the team divided the project into multiple work packages and achieved cost-saving efficiencies during the seven-month GMP process.
ON THE HORIZON
Jones anticipates even more specialization in the future as the need for light manufacturing continues to grow. He and his team are ready to take on the challenge.
In the future, there will undoubtedly be a greater need for cold storage options, he claims. “All things considered, our light manufacturing building technique has been shown to be effective and successful, and we are eager for more prospects in this industry.”
