Chalcroft Construction puts the fizz back into COCA-COLA bottling plant

Millions of people in the UK enjoy Coca-Cola, but when the company needed a bit of extra fizz putting in to its bottling plant, it turned to Chalcroft Construction to do just that.

Putting Coca-Cola into bottles and cans is a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week process at the Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) plant in Edmonton, North London which also bottles other Coca-Cola Brands.

But when CCE needed to upgrade the sprinkler system in the main filling hall, they used the opportunity to replace the suspended ceiling system, install plant void access platforms and update the lighting scheme to a carbon trust approved energy efficient system. Thereby creating a better working environment for their staff and reducing the carbon footprint of the operation at Edmonton..

Working in close partnership with CCE, Chalcroft Construction has been contracted to carry out the works over a period of 22 weeks, with a special focus on ensuring no downtime.

This has been ensured through careful planning and close teamwork with CCE senior management, including monthly briefing sessions between Chalcroft personnel and the executive team at CCE.

Roy Burton, Chalcroft's contracts manager on this project, commented: “The organisation has been meticulous with planning meetings taking place six months prior to starting on site so the work could be scheduled in with production programmes.

“The first phase of the work, completed over a series of four weekends, was to erect a hygienic scaffold crash deck to seal off the construction area from the production floor.

“In February, the process will be reversed. Pre-planning has been the key and the payback has been that the first phase has gone smoothly. We'll be working to replace the suspended ceiling, make the improvements to the lighting and sprinkler systems and also make better use of the voids in the roof.”

Chalcroft has built quite a reputation for successfully completing a number of projects in the food sector, and has valuable experience of working with clients to ensure all their needs are met.

Its Food Projects division has recently been involved in a number of projects for Bakkavor Foods, Solway Foods, Masterfoods, and Heinz, to name but a few.

For more information about Chalcroft, log on to www.chalcroft.co.uk. Alternatively, call Tess Morley on 01553 776543 or email her at tessmorley@chalcroft.co.uk.