Columbus, Ohio-based electrical and technologies contractor Mid-City Electric Co. completed a difficult industrial project in 2016 that had many unusual challenges, one of which was the installation of food-processing equipment. The scope of work also involved an entirely new electrical service, which required the complete demolition of the building’s existing electrical systems.

The Ezzo Dry Sausage Plant renovation converted a 77,000-square-foot warehouse into a food-processing facility to prepare collagen- and fibrous-cased pepperoni. The processing equipment required electricians to work with unique, foreign-made machines, which greatly affected the power and controls installation. Due to the specificity of the project, the Mid-City Electric team had to work very closely with the owner.

Warehouse to production facility

What was once an empty, open warehouse space is now partitioned into several rooms, including two 600-square-foot coolers—one used for raw items, the other for finished goods. Mid-City Electric’s work encompassed all facets of electrical requirements, ranging from 480-volt (V) power to equipment to low-voltage controls.

“Mid-City’s proactive participation with planning and implementation of this multimillion-dollar project was a major part of why the project came in on time and on budget,” said Mitch LeBrasseur, Ezzo Dry Sausage chief operating officer.

After demolition in the converted warehouse was complete, the electrical service that fed the existing building was refed with a new 4,000-ampere, 277/480V service. This phase of the project required careful coordination between the crew and utility provider, and it added a layer of difficulty.

Additionally, Mid-City Electric completed work on interior/exterior lighting, branch power and devices, a fire alarm system, a pre-action fire alarm in dryers/ovens, refrigeration power/control wiring, and process equipment in clean rooms and storage areas.

Innovative job-site prefab shop

Creating an on-site prefab shop and using radios for device orders substantially improved productivity, scheduling, safety and waste reduction, said Brian Dew, Mid-City Electric president.

“Items that were executed at the on-site prefab shop included conduit bends, conduit racks, fixture and equipment whips, and all other electrical devices,” he said. “This radio-ordering system prevented electricians from having to enter and exit the lift to pick up their needed material, which is a common cause of injuries on the job site.”

Additionally, it reduced waste; radios provided electricians a way to immediately clarify any questions they had about conduit bending prior to the bends being completed. It also made the process more efficient because the person delegated to perform conduit bending at the on-site prefab shop was highly skilled at this task.

“Having one person designated for this portion reduced errors because of the repeat nature of the work,” Dew said. “The entire team—from those working on lifts to the conduit bender at the prefab station—worked together to make this system a success.”

Safety first

Because much of the work had to be completed from lifts, the on-site prefab shop offered a solution to what could have been a substantial safety challenge. Eliminating the need for people to repeatedly enter and exit the lift to pick up material helped prevent accidents. The project was competed in just over a year without any accidents or injuries.

“Safety is always our first priority on any project,” Dew said. “We have a comprehensive safety program, as well as two full-time safety employees who lead our initiatives. This year, we received two industry safety awards, which were the Builders Exchange [BX] of Central Ohio Safety Achievement Award and the BX Safety Innovation Award. The positive safety record incurred at the Ezzo project is a direct result of our programs and the safety culture that has grown from them.”

The BX of Central Ohio also awarded Mid-City Electric’s crew at the Ezzo Dry Sausage Plant with a 2017 Craftsmanship Award. According to the BX, the Craftsmanship Award is one of the highest honors for tradespeople in the commercial construction industry, recognizing individuals who have performed the highest-quality work on large and small projects throughout central Ohio.

This award recognizes both individuals and crews. Crew members recognized for this project included electricians Jeremy Ayers, Bob Christensen, Chuck Kennedy, John Obert and Art Wallace. This is Mid-City Electric’s 26th Craftsmanship Award.