The Darling Ingredients retrofit project recently wrapped in Winnipeg\u2014and it\u2019s already being hailed as a model for future upgrades across the company\u2019s North American facilities. Black & McDonald\u2019s electrical division was tasked with replacing the motor control centres (MCCs) at the rendering plant, a high-stakes environment where downtime simply isn\u2019t an option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey can\u2019t stop running,\u201d explained Ryan Field, who led the project. \u201cIf they do, product spoils, production is lost and they risk losing clients. So, outages were scheduled every Sunday throughout the summer to tackle the retrofit in phases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Darling Ingredients is a global leader in sustainable solutions, converting animal by-products and food waste into ingredients used in food, feed, fuel, and fertilizer. A new client for Black & McDonald\u2019s electrical division, Field said the success of this five-month project has laid the groundwork for a promising long-term relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead of constructing new infrastructure\u2014a common approach for MCC upgrades\u2014the client and consultant devised a plan with a phased approach to reuse the existing electrical room. This decision saved the client an estimated $5 to $6 million and significantly reduced environmental impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe old gear was packed into a low-ceiling electrical room,\u201d Field said. \u201cIt was cramped, and full of aging components and cables we had to work with.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Originally, the plan was to program a few sections of MCC at a time during the week just prior to the planned outage and then install.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To streamline the process, the team built a temporary test lab on-site. \u201cWe set up the new equipment with temporary power, Ethernet, lighting\u2014everything it needed to function like it should,\u201d he said. \u201cThat gave the client and the engineers time to fully program and test each of the MCCs before installation.\u201d During the programming and testing of each MCC, issues were identified (programming and component failures) and corrected prior to the outage, and resulted in trouble free startups after every outage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt saved a lot of stress and potential delays,\u201d he said. \u201cIt really set the stage for a successful outcome.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite the complexity, B&M completed the project a full month ahead of schedule. And now, with the new gear online and the electrical room fully upgraded, the Winnipeg retrofit stands as a benchmark for future MCC projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe came in with a really strong methodology\u2014every line item of work was captured, identified, and scheduled in detail,\u201d Field explained. \u201cThat level of planning and transparency ultimately won us the job, even though we were not the lowest bidder, we presented the best execution plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the end, the team handed over a cleaner, more efficient system\u2014and best of all, their approach is now being considered the new standard for MCC retrofits across all Darling Ingredients facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFor me, it\u2019s a great example of what smart planning and collaboration with our clients and consultants can achieve, and I\u2019m excited to see where it leads,\u201d Field said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n