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EXCEL Marks Completion of CP Kelco's Okmulgee Plant
The CP Kelco Facility Enhancements in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, represent a significant expansion project known as Eagle Phase 2, the largest capital expenditure in CP Kelco's history.
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The CP Kelco Facility Enhancements in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, represent a significant expansion project known as Eagle Phase 2, the largest capital expenditure in CP Kelco's history. CP Kelco is a renowned biodome manufacturer specializing in producing gellan gum, a key ingredient in various applications, including energy drinks, dietary fiber supplements, and organic, non-GMO-certified products.
This expansion project was initiated to address the growing demand for gellan gum. It involved the addition of larger fermenters and the requisite utilities, such as chillers, air compressors, and cooling towers, to support increased production capacity. The project seamlessly integrated with the existing facility, demonstrating greenfield and brownfield construction elements.
The EXCEL Group was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the construction, except for the food-grade stainless tubing and concrete. The project was characterized by its fast-paced nature due to an accelerated engineering phase, which presented numerous opportunities to collaborate with CP Kelco in resolving design challenges and developing solutions for incorporating new equipment in the production process.
The project did not come without challenges, from weather to material procurement and even mechanical issues that required troubleshooting.
Throughout the project, temperatures ranged a staggering 100 degrees from the snow and ice to the triple-digit heat of the summer and even tornadic and high wind activities in between.
The project team was challenged with 50% of the piping systems that were not designed or iso'd and required client collaboration for field design and installation. The EXCEL team planned, designed, and executed the physical installation based on P&IDs and available areas to install.
The most significant mechanical challenges encountered in this project involved the installation of agitators in 80-foot-tall fermenters. Internal scaffolding had to be incorporated into the vessels to facilitate the installation of multiple impellers. Total agitator instillation hinged upon ensuring that the large horsepower motors, shafts, blades, steady bearings, and seals were all vertically aligned within the strict engineered tolerances.
Yet another challenge posed was the accessibility of materials. Due to the strict specifications to follow due to the gellan gum production process, the accessibility of certain food grade stainless with Hastelloy, Inconel, copper-nickel, and PVDF Kynar were often long lead and scarce, which in turn caused us to be innovative in the planning and instillation portions of systems to allow for a seamless continuity in production.
This project has demonstrated a successful collaboration between EXCEL Group and CP Kelco, showcasing their commitment to innovation, quality, and safety by overcoming multiple engineering gaps and adversity by relying on the team concept of reaching our coinciding completion goals.
This expansion project was initiated to address the growing demand for gellan gum. It involved the addition of larger fermenters and the requisite utilities, such as chillers, air compressors, and cooling towers, to support increased production capacity. The project seamlessly integrated with the existing facility, demonstrating greenfield and brownfield construction elements.
The EXCEL Group was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the construction, except for the food-grade stainless tubing and concrete. The project was characterized by its fast-paced nature due to an accelerated engineering phase, which presented numerous opportunities to collaborate with CP Kelco in resolving design challenges and developing solutions for incorporating new equipment in the production process.
The project did not come without challenges, from weather to material procurement and even mechanical issues that required troubleshooting.
Throughout the project, temperatures ranged a staggering 100 degrees from the snow and ice to the triple-digit heat of the summer and even tornadic and high wind activities in between.
The project team was challenged with 50% of the piping systems that were not designed or iso'd and required client collaboration for field design and installation. The EXCEL team planned, designed, and executed the physical installation based on P&IDs and available areas to install.
The most significant mechanical challenges encountered in this project involved the installation of agitators in 80-foot-tall fermenters. Internal scaffolding had to be incorporated into the vessels to facilitate the installation of multiple impellers. Total agitator instillation hinged upon ensuring that the large horsepower motors, shafts, blades, steady bearings, and seals were all vertically aligned within the strict engineered tolerances.
Yet another challenge posed was the accessibility of materials. Due to the strict specifications to follow due to the gellan gum production process, the accessibility of certain food grade stainless with Hastelloy, Inconel, copper-nickel, and PVDF Kynar were often long lead and scarce, which in turn caused us to be innovative in the planning and instillation portions of systems to allow for a seamless continuity in production.
This project has demonstrated a successful collaboration between EXCEL Group and CP Kelco, showcasing their commitment to innovation, quality, and safety by overcoming multiple engineering gaps and adversity by relying on the team concept of reaching our coinciding completion goals.
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