CASE STUDY
160,000-Gallon Bulk Storage Expansion with Sanitary Integration & Advanced Automation
Global Beverage Manufacturer – Midwest Bottling Facility
Beverage – Bottling & Spirits Production
Full tank design coordination; Mechanical & electrical scope development; Controls and automation engineering; PLC, HMI; Historian & Batch system integration; Clean-in-Place (CIP) integration and support; Piping; heat trace, insulation, and pipe rack installation; Commissioning, testing, and operator/maintenance training; Process documentation and redline deliverables
Overview
TM Process & Controls, Inc. (TMPC) partnered with a global beverage manufacturer to deliver a major bulk storage expansion project at their Midwest bottling facility. The project involved installing four 40,000-gallon tanks, complete with sanitary piping, CIP integration, and a fully automated controls system. TMPC provided turnkey support—from mechanical installation to control system programming—ensuring seamless integration into existing plant operations with no production downtime.
Problem
The facility required increased bulk storage capacity to support higher production throughput. Key challenges included:
- Limited space for placing four large-capacity tanks (over 58’ tall)
- Complex routing of sanitary process and CIP piping
- Adherence to stringent food-grade and alcohol process standards
- Coordination around active production lines with minimal disruption
Solution
TMPC delivered complete engineering and field services, including:
- Rigging and installation of four 40,000-gallon tanks
- Design and installation of 3” A270 sanitary stainless steel process piping
- CIP spray ball routing and nitrogen/air via custom swivel arms
- Heat trace, insulation, and new pipe rack design
- Control system upgrades, including FT Batch, Historian, and new PLC/HMI screens
- Development of scaffolding and lift plans to access tank tops
- System testing, commissioning, and hands-on operator training
Results
- 160,000 gallons of new storage capacity added
- Zero downtime to production; installation completed 4 hours ahead of schedule
- Seamless integration into plant-wide CIP and control systems
- High compliance with sanitary and safety standards (3-A, Diageo specs)
- Positive feedback from plant leadership for execution and coordination
“The smoothest tank setting we’ve ever seen.”
