Mezzanine Conveyor Optimization
~450,000 lb of mezzanine waste targeted, 1.8-year payback, 3 FTE released
01 — Results
~450,000 lb
Annual mezzanine waste targeted
1.8 yr
Payback
3 FTE
Labor released (1 floor + 2 sanitation)
| Metric | Before | After | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conveyors | 15 legacy | 17 new, zero crossovers | Reconfigured |
| Mezzanine waste | ~450,000 lb (prior year) | Targeted out of the process | Waste-log basis |
| Sanitation & floor labor | Baseline | 3 FTE released | 1 floor + 2 sanitation |
| Recovery per stop | Bulk-off | 5–6 min recirculation | Accumulation |
02 — Challenge
Four packaging lines shared a mezzanine full of crossovers, poor transfers and belts that could only be sanitized by hand.
Crossovers created cross-contamination risk, transfers created product loss, and every stop dumped product because there was nowhere to accumulate.
03 — My role
Created and owned end-to-end — CAR through commissioning
Timeline: Approval Nov 2025 · Install May 2026
04 — Scope
- Demo of 15 existing conveyors and related electrical; metal detector relocation
- 17 new conveyors across four lines with diverts, Z-inclines and a retracting conveyor; 10GA 304SS, no hollow members, flip-out guides, quick-release tails
- CIP belt washers on every belt with U-shaped spray bars, drain pans, HP/LP and hot water headers for dynamic sanitation
- Recirculation on lines 1–3 for 5–6 min of downtime recovery per stop; smart belts cascading speed for accumulation instead of bulk-off
- Zero crossovers to eliminate cross contamination; curtain segregation and dedicated hose reels per zone
- 10-day holiday shutdown plan with prefab on weekends, onsite engineering support, training and formal commissioning signoffs
05 — Execution
- Demo of 15 existing conveyors and related electrical, plus metal detector relocation
- 17 new conveyors across four lines with diverts, Z-inclines and a retracting conveyor; 10GA 304SS, no hollow members, flip-out guides, quick-release tails
- CIP belt washers on every belt with U-shaped spray bars, drain pans, HP/LP and hot water headers
- Recirculation on lines 1–3 giving 5–6 min of downtime recovery per stop; smart belts cascading speed to accumulate instead of bulking off
- 10-day holiday shutdown plan with prefab staged on weekends and formal commissioning signoffs
06 — Systems & technology
- 304SS conveyance
- CIP belt washers
- Divert controls
- Capital execution
07 — Artifacts & evidence
- Approved CAR (Nov 2025) with a 1.8-year payback; install May 2026
- 2024 waste log as the basis of estimate
- 3D mezzanine layout showing the full packaging line reconfiguration, removed crossovers and recirculation routing
08 — Key takeaways
Sanitation design was the cheapest part of the scope and the largest share of the labor savings.