PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Weston Foods is steeped in a more-than-135-year history that has helped it become an innovative and trusted leader in the bakery business. To this day its more than 5,000 employees in 40 facilities across North America are committed to delivering top quality, high-value baked goods and bakery solutions to its customers throughout the continent. Colonial Cookies is owned by Weston Foods and is a private label and control branded cookie manufacturing plant.

The existing rooftop units were manufactured by Trane in 1999. They were using R22 refrigerant, which is being phased out. The system had failed and/or compromised heat exchangers. Poor equipment performance was also caused by frequent filter and exchanger clogging. The experience with the local manufacturer aftermarket support from Trane was poor as parts were costly compared to alternate manufacturers and took a long time to be delivered. Finally, the existing equipment was beyond its typical useful life expectancy of 15 years.

B&M SCOPE OF WORK

The project called for Black & McDonald (B&M) to replace existing rooftop units with new high efficiency premium ones using industry accepted and supported refrigerant, a high pressure rated blower fan, an economizer, a free cooling/MUA and a power exhaust system.

The cookie maker needed a competent partner to upgrade its vital air control system. It called on the professionals at B&M to replace the important equipment and ensure that this food processing facility was quickly back in operation providing tasty sweet treats to its customers.

BENEFITS TO CLIENT OR PROBLEM(S) SOLVED

Weston Foods prospered because Black & McDonald’s professional service enabled the reduction of related mechanical cooling power consumption by approximately 85,000 kWh/yr, or about $5,000 per year using current rates, while maintaining the same or better performance capacity. The new system also gave the factory the ability to autonomously control both the heating and cooling temperatures to the mixing area. The project also permitted Weston to take advantage of a local utility incentive of $2,500.