Leprino Foods - Cheese Processing Plant, LEMOORE, CA

VALUE DELIVERED

• Construction sequence was changed repeatedly to meet owner’s needs.
• Due to post-9/11 market conditions, the owner expressed a need to reduce construction costs. University Marelich responded with substantial cost savings that were accepted by the owner.
• Project became fast-track and University Marelich continued to perform tasks to realize fi nal completion of the project.

SCOPE OF WORK

• The Leprino Foods plant is a new 475,000 square-foot mozzarella cheese processing facility to initially produce 3,000,000 pounds of cheese daily expanded to 6,000,000 pounds daily in the future. This plant is the largest producer of mozzarella cheese in the world.
• University Marelich was responsible for the installation of the utility piping systems, plumbing and HVAC systems. The HVAC consisted of approximately 1.3 million CFM of state-of-the-art FDA air handling systems with 400,000 lbs of both galvanized and stainless sheet metal ductwork. Chilled water was obtained from heat exchangers at the process refrigeration system and heating water from the utility steam boilers. Utilidor piping systems included steam, condensate, compressed air, cooling water, tempered water and chemical distribution systems. The boiler plant consisted of four 1,200 HP steam boilers. Cooling water was supplied from 3 package towers of 1,400 gpm each. The compressed air plant was fed by 3 – 1,500 scfm; 300 hp compressors and associated dryer filter systems.

BACKGROUND

Leprino Foods is among the 50 largest privately owned companies in the United States. They processe cheese for the wholesale market with multiple plants located within the contiguous United States. Leprino mozzarella cheese and pizza cheese blends are made especially for pizzeria operators and frozen food manufacturers.

OBJECTIVES

The objective was to build a west coast facility to utilize California’s vast dairy farming facilities.

SOLUTIONS

Technical solutions were provided to meet the owner’s need for an oil/gas-fi red boiler that would meet the AQMD (Air Quality Management District) emissions requirements in lieu of the gas-only fired boiler specified.

OPERATING COMPANY:
University Marelich Mechanical

CLIENT:
Leprino Foods Company

GENERAL CONTRACTOR/
CONSTRUCTION MANAGER:
Big D Construction 

ARCHITECT:
E.A. Bonelli & Associates, Inc.

ENGINEER:
STO Consulting Engineers

		New Construction
		Retrofit/Renovation
		Electrical Construction
		Mechanical Construction
		Facilities Services
		Consulting Services