A biotechnology company that is focused on producing algal oils and high protein additives for the supplement, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, pet food and animal feed markets, was in need of a preliminary plant design. The company wanted the ability to raise capital to introduce its products into the marketplace and create revenue streams. This project helped to precipitate investment funding that would result in the construction of a manufacturing plant and the generation of new positions within the company.
The Austin Company was called on to develop a Strategic Facility Master Plan for this effort. The Master Plan confirmed production planning for an optimal configuration that addressed scope, cost and schedule, as well as provide a base concept in support of any future site selection process. In this study, Austin utilized best practices from its standard manufacturing plant design that included food plant, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical quality practices, the considerations of cGMP, sustainability, LEED®, green buildings and related best practices for efficient use of energy and utilities.
The Final Plan included Block Flow Diagrams that defined the major steps of the process and formed the basis for developing the major equipment, facility layout and site requirements. A written narrative was developed to further define the process, along with an equipment list that contained the major pieces of equipment that were developed as part of this project.
The Master Plan drawing showed the facility, major pieces of equipment and a generic site layout was provided by Austin. It was carefully developed with the necessary and required process flow paths and adjacencies in mind. In addition, the Master Plan drawing depicted office space, employee and visitor parking, plant entrances and a shipping and receiving area that is separated from personal vehicular traffic.
