The challenge: replace old, unreliable systems
Cargill’s Trafford Park site is home to the organisation’s UK sweetener, industrial starches and texturants plant, which is supported by a busy office complex.
With employee comfort a priority, Cargill needed to replace ageing, unreliable systems that were unable to efficiently heat or cool their building anymore.
The original set up Cargill had included boilers and radiators for their heating, with a chiller and fan coil solutions to provide comfort air. Using these methods meant that water leaks from suspended ceilings had become common throughout the building, which led to office carpets becoming damaged, causing considerable hassle for both staff and site managers.
Performance was also an issue, with parts of the office going unheated during colder months. On top of this, systems were out of warranty and unsupported by original manufacturers, leading to often costly repairs or unable to even repair at all.
Cargill required a modern, energy-efficient system that could be installed without disturbing daily operations, as many parts of the building were fully occupied and sending staff home during work was not an option.
The solution: a bespoke comfort cooling and heating system installed with minimal impact
After a recommendation from Cargill’s maintenance company, Cargill discovered JLA and never looked back. JLA’s engineers were invited to the site to assess and help provide solutions. They proposed several bespoke cooling and commercial heating solutions where most of the work would include being carried out externally to minimise interruptions.
After considering JLA’s proposal, Cargill chose to buy a new commercial air conditioning system outright, and over the next nine months, the new system was fitted with as little disruption as possible and the install went smoothly. JLA’s ability to thoroughly assess the building during the planning phase, from a team of experts, prevented any unexpected costs or delays.
"JLA came out straight away with experts from different disciplines – mechanical, electrical, installation – and assessed our building thoroughly. From this, they gave us options that would cause less disturbance to our building occupants, keep costs low, and cover everything we wanted."
Fatih Şentürk, Build Project Engineer, Cargill
The new system has not only eliminated leaks but offers significantly improved heating and cooling efficiency. What’s more, Cargill has been able to replace the office’s water-damaged carpets, assured that the new system won’t cause further damage.
"From general planning through to installation, everything went smoothly. Even when our offices were empty, JLA would call and ask for approval before accessing rooms, which gave us confidence in their discipline. If I have another aircon project, or another project that JLA can cover, they’ll be my first port of call.”
Fatih Şentürk, Build Project Engineer, Cargill