Design Group has experience in engineering, architectural and construction management in food, beverage, cold storage, dairy, life sciences and other industrial sectors. We have the expertise to convert our client’s business needs into an executable solution, providing value through improved operational efficiency, expanded capacities, improved operational workflow and reductions in operating cost.

Our highly experienced facility planning services lead our clients through the early development of complex conceptual solutions to achieve operational objectives. All design responsibilities are handled by our in-house engineering group, including site selection and development, environmental permitting and civil, architectural, structural, refrigeration, plumbing, mechanical and electrical design.

Our construction management services procure and construct the engineered solution to deliver the project safely, on time, on budget and with a high level of quality. Our supply chain solutions provide logistics and warehouse optimization studies, materials handling analysis and innovative automated solutions for distribution networks.

Learn more Design Group services:  

• Facility Planning
• Engineering & Architectural Services
• Construction Management
• Supply Chain Solutions
• Facility Condition Assessment
• Waste Water Solutions
• Real Estate Solutions

Design Group offers extensive engineering expertise in the design and implementation of green field facilities, renovations of existing facilities, warehouse expansions, and utility system improvements.  Our engineering solutions provide cost effective, innovative alternatives to match the specialized requirements of the food, beverage, dairy, and life science industries.

Design Group develops integrated solutions from concept design through construction documents utilizing our full service, in-house engineering team.  Our solutions are engineered with “constructability” in mind, providing the owner a superior, cost effective, high quality deliverable.

Engineering Services include:

Civil Site Planning and Selection Final Grading and Storm Water Design Municipal Utility Design Wetland Mitigation, EPA, Planning and Zoning Structural Footings, Foundations, and Retaining Walls Structural Shell Design Structural Steel, Reinforced Concrete, and Masonry Slab On Grade Seismic Analysis and Design Existing Conditions Analysis Architectural Space Programming, Code Review Life Safety, Egress, Fire Separation, Accessibility Modeling, Renderings in 3D with Revit Building Envelope Performance Modelling Office Interior Design Sustainability Mechanical Boiler and Steam Systems Compressed Air Systems HVAC – Controlled Spaces Plumbing and Hydronic Systems Fire Protection Energy Recovery

Refrigeration Ammonia Central Plant and Modular Systems Freon Central Plant and Package System CO2 Central Plant Systems Brine and Chilled  Glycol Central Plant and Packaged Systems Environmental Cooling and Process Cooling Applications Spiral Coolers and Freezers Cryogenic Cooling and Freezing Heat Reclaim Systems Electrical Power and Lighting Life Safety and Fire Alarm Back Up Generators Arc Flash Analysis Power Factor Analysis We also Offer Specialized Services in: Energy Sustainability Dehumidification Solutions LEED PSM Documentation Program Management

Design Group specializes in construction management services to ensure that our engineered solutions are completed on time, on budget, and within a safe workplace environment, while achieving the highest levels of quality. 

Construction Management Services include:

Preconstruction

• Cost Forecast Estimates
• Cash Flow Estimates
• Project Schedule
• Safety Plan Development
• Construction Phasing Plan to Maintain Plant Operations
• Insurance / Risk Management

Construction Phase

• On-Site Supervision and Field Engineering
• Bid to Local and National Subcontractors
• All Bids and Contracts are Open-Book
• Implement and Manage Project Safety Program
• Manage Project Schedule
• Manage Payments and Lien Waivers
• Monthly Cost Forecasts and Control Reports
• Quality Control Inspection

Project Closeout

• Punch List Administration
• Final Project Accounting
• Final Procedures & Manuals
• Systems Startup
• Training
• Commissioning

Design Group is an industry leader in providing warehouse optimization, logistics strategic consulting, and supply chain engineering solutions.  As a fully integrated engineering firm, our engineers develop solutions to optimize the productivity of your current warehouse operation, and help improve our client's operational efficiency throughout all aspects of the supply chain.

Supply Chain Solution Services include:

• Warehouse Evaluations and Optimization Solutions
• Inventory Analysis and Optimization
• Distribution Center Layout Design
• Material Handling System Selection Analysis and Selection
• Automated Material Handling System Analysis and Selection
• Distribution Network Studies
• Center Point of Distribution Analysis
• Operations Planning with Six Sigma Principles
• Facility Consolidation Planning

Design Group provides facility condition assessment services allowing clients to optimize long-term facility investments. We use a comprehensive Facility Condition Assessment (FCA) methodology to determine current building deficiencies and estimated costs associated with renewal, repair, and code compliance.

The FCA determines immediate and long-term costs liabilities for building component lifecycle renewal, deferred maintenance, code compliance, and functional inadequacies based on an industry-standard cost database.  Clients use the FCA to address operational requirements, facility renewal forecasting, and funding scenarios for capital project planning.

Facility Assessment Elements

• Building interior elements
• Civil/site development and amenities – pavements, entrances, and utilities
• Document review – drawings, specifications, reports, and records
• Fire protection and life safety regulations
• Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems
• Structure, foundation, and exterior wall systems
• Preliminary review and on-site observations
• Production / Process / Packaging Equipment

Facility Assessment Services

• Facilities management and capital planning process analysis
• Life cycle analysis
• Portfolio analysis and alignment
• Long-range capital cost analysis
• Capital project planning
• Capital budget development
• Executive and board level presentations and reports

FCA Benefits

• Improve facilities data
• Define facility deficiencies
• Gather defensible data from independent third party for justifying capital expenditures
• Develop reports and address code issues
• Streamline facilities management and improve facilities condition
• Allow facilities and maintenance personnel to better plan, manage, and direct work
• Prioritize short-term planning issues

Design Group offers effective solutions to our client’s real estate needs anywhere in the United States. Locating, screening, procuring and permitting real estate is an essential skill set for our clients. A Supply Chain Solution that identifies the need for consolidating existing or adding incremental physical plant assets for manufacturing, distribution or support services generally triggers the need to find real estate. This search starts with identifying and ranking possible locations, screening those candidates, engaging in letter of intent discussions, due diligence on the acquisition, grants and incentives negotiations, closing on the property and then completing the permitting activities to allow the real estate to transform into a production or distribution asset.

Real Estate Solutions include:

• Defining site search and real estate parameters based on business needs
• Engagement with Economic Development resources
• Screening sites based on logistics, transportation, incentives, regulatory and utility costs
• High level reconnaissance of preferred locations with developed property cost comparisons
• Research and prequalifying  grants and incentive options
• Preferred location final due diligence prior to closing
• Utility agreement analysis
• Environmental Compliance, Zoning, Permitting and Site Plan approval work to allow site development

Design Group supports manufacturing operations across a wide and diverse group of industries, one of the common needs that they all share is wastewater. We have the ability to engineer, permit, procure and construct a variety of technology solutions ranging from pH neutralization, DAF systems, aerobic and anaerobic digesters using a variety of technology providers.

Waste Water Solutions include:

• Characterize the effluent waste stream for a new facility or existing plant
• Meet with the operators of Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW) to understand the physical and regulatory aspects of the municipal system our clients discharge into.
• Identify technology solutions available from third party providers.
• Craft a strategy to deliver the complete solution that best serve the needs of the client.
• Manage the implementation of wastewater solutions thru engineering, equipment procurement, regulatory, detailed engineering, construction, commissioning.
• Work with our client to draft or modify Industrial Discharge Permit (IDP) agreements between the plant and the POTW.
• Investigate pretreatment systems that may not be maintaining plant discharges in compliance with IDP requirements.
• Engage in studies involving waste mitigation, water balance studies and related operating cost reduction efforts