Construction project includes relocation of water chiller tower to accomplish noise abatement
Hanover, PA (August 19, 2010) – The recent 50,000 square foot expansion of the Ring Container Technologies manufacturing facility in Hanover, Pennsylvania featured "the law of intended consequences." Surging orders for product packaging from regional and national customers necessitated the expansion of its existing plant by approximately 100%, to accommodate additional manufacturing equipment and warehousing space. Integrated into the construction program – which was recently completed by Holland Construction – was the relocation of a 40-foot tall water chiller tower from the south side to the northern section of the building. The movement of this tower completed noise abatement activities to the benefit and satisfaction of nearby residents.
Since 2008, Ring Container Technologies has operated this stretch blow molding operation to provide plastic packaging products for various customers in the snack food industry. A five-day, 24-hour a day production cycle was accelerated to a seven-day work schedule to keep pace with increasing demand among key customers. The facility is located on 351 Church Street and rests adjacent to neighboring communities along Vincent Drive and Oak Drive in the Conewago Township of Hanover.
"Local residents made us aware of noise emanating from the water chiller tower located on the southern portion of the facility and we immediately undertook steps to rectify the situation," stated Wayne Drake, Chief Financial Officer of Ring Container Technologies. "This included the installation of a various frequency drive which – by our estimation – reduced the noise output by approximately 30% of original levels. The feedback generated from the community indicated that we were moving in the right direction, but still had a bit more work to do to alleviate the problem."
A long-term solution emerged in connection with the company's decision to more than double the footprint of its existing facility. "During the pre-construction and design phase, it was determined that it was logistically feasible to install a new water chiller tower in the northern section of the plant which was not close to residential sections, and to deactivate and disassemble the existing tower that was causing concerns," explained Joe Holland, president of Holland Construction.
"The decision was win-win across the board," stated Joe Bican, Plant Manager of the Ring Container Technologies facility in Hanover. "With sustainability features incorporated into the new system, we are operating in a more environmentally-sensitive manner, and the tower is more energy-efficient than the older version. In addition, noise issues raised by the local community have been completely eliminated," he added.
"Ring Container listened to our concerns and took appropriate steps to address the noise issues that the community presented. We appreciate the sensitivity and pro-active philosophy of the company and especially welcome the final result," stated Gary Klunk, who lives adjacent to the plant.
Ring Container Technologies indicates that another expansion of approximately 25,000 square feet of space may be on the horizon.
Founded in 1907, Holland Construction has performed construction management activities for a wide range of office, industrial, retail, food service and residential projects throughout the mid-Atlantic and southwest Florida region. The company's menu of services include preconstruction and construction management, general contracting, design/build services and Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) building. For more information about Holland Construction, visit www.Holland-Corp.com
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