Poppin’ Renovations – Lee Mechanical and Eagle Foods Take Popcorn Production to a New Level

Lee’s Mechanical Team Pops Up to Renovate an Occupied Facility with HVAC, Plumbing, and Electrical Systems

In December 2022, Popcorn Indiana, a subsidiary of Eagle Foods, embarked on a major renovation project of their Waukegan, IL manufacturing plant. Consolidated Construction Co., Inc. out of Appleton, WI, was brought in as the general contractor and the Lee Mechanical team was tapped for the design and construction of HVAC, process piping, plumbing, and electrical systems for the facility. The Lee team members involved in this project are Tony Triscari (HVAC, Process), Adam DeBaere (Plumbing), and Kris Sorenson (Electrical). 

The 208,000 square foot manufacturing facility required process upgrades and office renovations. One of the unique challenges of this project is the facility is occupied and operational during the renovations. Therefore, it is essential to maintain the operation of the existing plant while staying on schedule with the renovations.

To overcome this challenge, Lee team members involved in the project worked closely with all involved parties from early on in the design development phase. This helped to ensure the proper scope and design for the mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems were in place.

The Lee team has a total over 30 members involved in this project. With the project set to end in August 2023, the Lee team is well on its way to delivering a top-quality product that will help Eagle Foods and Popcorn Indiana continue to grow and prosper for years to come.

Project highlights:

  • 20 mechanical team members employed
  • 7 plumbing team members employed
  • 5 electrical team members employed
  • Installation occurred while Eagle Foods was still in full operation
  • Upgrades to existing 208,000 sq. ft. production facility

By working collaboratively with the customer, Lee was able to design and install the new systems in a way that minimized disruptions to the existing plant.