Alpine Slicing & Cheese Conversion

Growing cheese packager expands into renovated state-of-the-art production facility

National Construction completed a project for Alpine Slicing & Cheese Conversion that included 54,700 square feet of remodeling and 8,300 square feet of new construction.

The new production area was designed for compliance with food safety standards. Everything was designed for efficiency, easy cleaning and sanitation:

• Climate and humidity control
• Automatic hand-washing and boot-cleaning machines
• Special washable fabric ductwork
• Pillars wrapped in stainless steel
• Self-contained and enclosed light fixtures
• Epoxy floor finish
• State-of-the-art machinery for cheese slicing and packaging
• Custom mechanical engineering to determine and meet the correct air exchange rates and equipment loads for heavy machinery.

After production, the packaged cheese passes through metal detectors into a different climate-controlled room for boxing, storage and shipping. The shipping cooler has triple push-back racks to maximize storage.

The facility was improved in several ways to maximize productivity and security. The production and boxing areas were designed with a climate-controlled interstitial space above them to allow access to mechanicals for maintenance and repair without having to breach the contained sanitation areas. The boiler room was designed with built-in redundancy, and all new electrical and transformers were added to the facility. A new security room shows feeds from 150 cameras.

The shipping and receiving areas were updated to allow truck drivers to enter the facility and have access to a designated bathroom without having to wear personal protective equipment. Two large windows allow drivers to observe their trucks being loaded or unloaded from the waiting area. The dock has pitless dock levelers to facilitate cleaning.

Employee-focused areas of the facility were significantly improved. National remodeled the cafeteria in the facility’s signature cherry red color with diner-style stools, a polished concrete floor, and video screens for daily announcements. The restrooms were totally remodeled and include a large touchless hand washing area. A new training room and the employee locker rooms and uniform check-in area were also remodeled.

The exterior of the facility was significantly improved with an all-new facade, siding, paint, asphalt and concrete. National covered the existing masonry walls with two-inch insulated panels and fire-treated plywood, then coated them with liquid moisture barrier and metal siding. The project included new entrances, retaining walls, shipping docks, fire exits, and a self-contained trash system.

This project allows Alpine Slicing & Cheese Conversion to operate efficiently with state-of-the-art machinery in a facility that is already set up for their next stage of growth.