Successful cellar extension in Jamaica leads to further brewery upgrades

The challenge

We assisted a brewery in Jamaica to free up space to enable further expansion of capacity. The brewery upgrades at the brownfield site were planned in phases, addressing each bottleneck in turn. The Bright Beer Tanks (BBTs) in the cellar had already been replaced and Royal HaskoningDHV was approached to assist with replacing the Fermentation Storage Tanks (FSTs) to ensure the process proceeded smoothly without impacting production or product quality.

This strategic approach was essential to maintain uninterrupted production and preserve the high product quality. The replacement of the FSTs played a crucial role in enhancing the brewery’s capacity.

The solution

Replacement vertical tanks require 80% less space

The existing cellar was a 5m-high cooled building. The switch to vertical FSTs required a new building and much less space. Six new vertical tanks providing the same volume as the horizontal tanks occupy just a fifth of the space.  

While working on the preliminary design, we modelled phases of demolition and construction in 3D to ensure production could continue throughout the work. Measures were taken to minimise dust and noise nuisance while the cellar was demolished. In addition, a section of the building was kept intact and in use during the process. Once the new tanks will be in operation, the rest of the building will be demolished. 

The result

Ammonia cooling is replaced with glycol cooling plant

 Following the success of the cellar project, our involvement expanded into a project to modernize the cooling plant, switching from ammonia to a non-hazardous glycol-based system.  

“What’s special about our solutions is that we think ahead for our client, going beyond boundaries of specific disciplines. By taking a broad overview, we address potential issues before they arise and have the expertise on hand within our organisation to assist where it is needed.”