When you team up with us to build a plant, what can you expect? First and foremost: a lot of questions. Because before we start designing a solution, we want to understand your ways of working, your needs and your goals. So, to secure you get a plant that delivers the quality you are expecting, we listen to you. We explore, discuss and develop the scope together – because thorough planning minimises surprises. And our offering is complete and transparent, so you know, before we even start, what it is you will be getting.
To fulfil these ambitions, we use a structured process. Here's how it works.
Your way is our way: a flexible approach
Our main focus is you. To meet you where you are, and help you reach success. Wilson da Silva works as the manager of the Pre-Project team and is based at our site in Winsted, Minnesota, USA. He emphasises that the process is not an isolated entity, or a rigid set of boxes and arrows that must be followed at all costs, but rather a flexible framework for getting the results you – i.e., the customer – are after. He explains:
“We are committed to building long-term relationships and want to work with our customers throughout the whole process. Our proven design process is there to ensure that the customer’s needs are met. And it is adaptable. We also recognise that all customers have different ways of working, so we always adapt to their specific requirements. We don’t force them to go down a certain path. This flexibility, which is based on us understanding the customer’s needs and that their business is under constant change, is built into our project process model.”
Bill Griffin is the Project Center Director, US/CA, for Cheese, Evaporation and Dryer Projects at the same site as Wilson. After around four decades in the food industry, he knows the value of long-term relationships and getting involved at an early stage of the project.
“The sooner we engage, the more transparent our collaboration with our customer can be, and we can develop the scope together. It adds a lot of value when we get to build up a relationship and fully understand the customer so we can provide a solution that really meets their needs.”
Wilson adds:
“We want to ask questions and understand the needs of our customers, and at the same time, we bring our know-how to the table. We have a lot of knowledge and a great installed base. We can be agile by using our references and experience to expedite the process, while still having the capabilities to tailor our solutions to every customer’s specific needs. As we’ve been through this so many times, we can match the pace of every customer and really help them along the way.”
Just one supplier?
Needless to say, choosing the right supplier is important. Or should that be suppliers, in plural? Isn’t there a risk of becoming too dependent on a single supplier?
“We fully understand these concerns,” says Wilson. “Customers can worry that it could restrict their negotiating power or place them in a challenging position if unforeseen issues arise during implementation. But with decades of experience in the industry, we’ve seen firsthand how the right partner can make all the difference. Working with a single, experienced supplier like us brings powerful synergies – such as streamlined implementation, simplified vendor coordination, and ensured accountability from start to finish. It reduces complexity and helps projects move faster and more smoothly. Our commitment goes far beyond individual transactions. We focus on building long-term partnerships, supporting our customers through every phase of their journey, and delivering consistent value year after year.”
The project journey, step-by-step to success
Let us get into detail and take a closer look at the process for quotation and implementation, which is based on the Understand-Create-Convey-Deliver (UCCD) model. This serves as a comprehensive and structured framework for our operations, ensuring that every project progresses smoothly through four distinct phases.
And let’s not forget what really makes the process framework tick: the expertise of our people. Our experts work for you to ensure an implementation that makes your operations successful in the long run.
Verification and Validation: Quality assurance with the V-model
To make sure your new plant meets your expectations, we follow a very structured, consolidated project governance model. Verification, validation and shaped like a V – no wonder the structure for this is called the V-model. In essence, it ensures quality assurance is weaved into every phase of the project lifecycle. But how does it relate to the UCCD framework? Wilson explains:
“The aim of the V-model is to foster a culture of accountability and to uphold a strong system of checks and balances that drives us to execute our projects with the highest level of excellence. Drawing from our extensive experience in project implementation, we’ve identified the critical milestones and activities that require thorough verification and validation for a successful outcome. To illustrate, think of a project as a road trip: the UCCD model serves as our map, and the V-model acts as our guideposts. Having navigated this road many times, we know the key indicators to look out for in order to reach our destination successfully.”
With you all the way
The plant is up and running. The implementation project journey has reached its final destination. But our collaboration does not end there. Our teams can continue to assist with long-term optimisation, maintenance, spare parts and equipment lifecycle management.
"...automation solutions that range from simple, manual processes to sophisticated, fully integrated systems that utilise state-of-the-art technology to optimise production efficiency"
“We pride ourselves on our ability to support our customers at every stage of their operations, starting from the receiving of raw materials at their facilities, continuing through various stages of production, and culminating at the end of the manufacturing line. And we have automation solutions that range from simple, manual processes to sophisticated, fully integrated systems that utilise state-of-the-art technology to optimise production efficiency,” says Wilson.
