Rebuilding the Pactiv Manufacturing Facility in Middle Georgia

Pactiv is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and distributors of food service disposables and food packaging, employing more than 11,000 people and operating more than 50 plants, including a facility in Macon that produces millions of molded fiber egg cartons and other food packaging each year.

A significant area employer, the entire Middle Georgia community was impacted when a devastating fire destroyed much of the Macon plant in 2013. The community responded rapidly, with the Industrial Authority issuing Industrial Revenue Bonds in the amount of $50 million to help refinance construction of the plant, and Pactiv demonstrated its commitment to the area and its people by offering employees work in other plants or the opportunity to rehab salvaged equipment while the Macon facility was rebuilt.

Pactiv partnered with Clark Nexsen to redesign the plant, relying on our process engineering expertise and our understanding of the significance of schedule and budget in the manufacturing industry to get the job completed on time and within budget. Working closely with Pactiv, suppliers, and multiple subcontractors, our work included determining the plant’s piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&ID’s), surveying the site, investigating piping and control systems remains, and interviewing plant operators, management, and corporate engineering. With our team providing on-site supervision to ensure smooth and rapid execution of the design, our approach led to the commencement of construction as soon as major components were specified.

During the evaluation process, our team identified potential efficiencies that reduced the quantity of pumps required and enhanced control of the pumps installed in the plant, which resulted in a reduction in annual operational cost – a significant value-add for the client in the rebuilt facility, which opened just one year after the fire.