Caremoli’s Ames 180,000-square foot facility has several areas of production and storage. The central location of the Midwest allows Caremoli to obtain the necessary cereal, legumes and vegetables used to produce flours for the bread, pasta and baking industries. To operate a business of this type, the ability to clean and maintain the equipment is of utmost importance. The problem with the existing interior wall and ceiling surfaces was that the daily coating of dust from production was a continual and expensive issue to manage. The increased risk of grain dust explosions also was a concern of management. The daily maintenance crew consists of four people with a task that was never ending. In the milling room environment moisture is the enemy. All dust collection and cleaning was performed by the use of vacuums and pressurized air lines. Start at one level, work your way to the floor and repeat the process.
The solution was to install the HIGH-R® Insulation System on the walls and ceiling to provide an air tight surface that could effectively be cleaned with less labor. The rigid panel surface of the HIGH-R system was the answer to this predicament. The speed in which the HIGH-R panels could be installed helped to minimize the exposure to dust after the owner had performed an extensive cleaning and commenced production again.
After installation of the HIGH-R system, Caremoli was able to cut the cleaning crew to only two people and the cleaning process was reduced to every other day. The smooth surface of the panels allowed the workers to easily vacuum the dust and maintain improved levels of cleanliness and safety. In addition, the HIGH-R system increased the overall energy efficiency of milling room. An R-value of R-42 was achieved with the HIGH-R system, a vast improvement to the original R-7. This allows for much needed climate control of the milling room where temperatures reach one-hundred and six degrees Fahrenheit in the summer months on the upper level. HIGH-R can change the way a facility performs.
