Courtesy of R. Baker and Son All Industrial Services
When a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company wanted to expand its New Jersey facility, they awarded R. Baker and Son All Industrial Services (R. Baker & Son) the interior demolition and equipment salvage contractor work on the project. The goal of this phase of the project was to perform a total interior gut-out while leaving the structural members in place. This required an immense amount of preparation, coordination and attention to safety.
After making sure all environmental concerns were addressed properly and that utilities had been disconnected or relocated, equipment salvage commenced. R. Baker & Son helped the client offset some of the costs of the project through their expertise in process equipment sales and salvage. Once the salvaged equipment was removed and sold, the remaining interior demolition was conducted. This included demolition of all concrete masonry unit walls, removal of elevator and stairwells, removal of sheet rock walls and the drop ceiling, and all remaining interior non-load bearing structures. In addition, a significant portion of the first floor slab was removed along with all equipment pads on the penthouse floor.
After interior demolition services were completed, R. Baker & Son repaired all floor openings as per specifications, which included new rebar and concrete. The client then performed the necessary pre-construction tasks in preparation to receive the new equipment for the expansion project.
R. Baker & Son was called back to perform the next phase of work, which was the reinstallation of the new equipment. R Baker & Son was intricately involved with the detail development of the scope of work with vendor equipment shop drawings — many in German. The scope of work was to receive, rig, set, and assemble/install all of the process equipment for the project. This included the new Lyopholizer, automated fill line, process chiller, formulation isolation equipment, process air handlers, fluid beds MP3 and MP4, control cabinets, HMIs, various isolation chambers, and complete assembly of all shipped parts from the factory acceptance tests. The shipped parts were stored in a clean area with boxes of parts numbered in the hundreds. Laser precision was needed to set equipment due to tight tolerances. R. Baker and Son performed any necessary shimming, pressure testing, mounting, leveling, and daily protection of the new epoxy floors, which could not be damaged.
R. Baker & Son assisted with commissioning and startup of the newly installed equipment. The startup process was completed with ease due to all the upfront technical planning and the expert installation performed by the re-installation crews.
Despite the complexity of rigging and re-installing this delicate and very expensive process equipment, R. Baker & Son was able to safely and efficiently complete the project without damage to any of the equipment. The project was also on-schedule and within budget.
R. Baker & Son also participated in the project's Star Program of OSHA's Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). As always, safety was the highest priority, and the job was completed without incident.
