Heavy Lifting: Massive Mezzanine Project Marks Milestone for P1 Millwrights

The sheer size and weight of the materials made this mezzanine project the largest mezzanine P1 Millwrights have fabricated and installed to date.

The mezzanine was fabricated to support production equipment at the new Heartland Coca-Cola bottling facility in Olathe, KS.

The 11,000 sq. ft. project was a comprehensive Millwright effort, including the fabrication, painting, and installation of large, heavy pieces that included more than 377,000 lbs. of processed steel.

The Millwrights worked long hours to meet a tight schedule.

Pictured, above: Early structure for the mezzanine

Senior Project Manager Marques Nisely says the sheer size of the project presented some challenges when it came to painting and install, but the P1 team was up to the task.

“The 3/8-inch deck plate included pieces measured 5’ x 10’, each weighing several hundred pounds,” Marques said. “The team had to rig and set multiple large pieces like this up on the mezzanine.”

The field team, led by Millwright Foreman Rich Staples, had a big space to fill.

“The amount of work and effort it took to make such a large project happen in a short amount of time was extremely impressive,” Rich said.

“Millwright Foreman Andy Lister and his crew started us off with an excellent layout and an exceptional beginning to the structural steel, which was in place when I got on site,” he added.Rich says truck shortages in Kansas City made getting materials to the site a challenge.

“We requested any components and materials we could get to be loaded at night and delivered first thing in the morning so we had a chance to inspect, sort, and prep all materials for installation,” he said.

The team worked through scheduling with the P1 warehouse to keep things rolling.

“The large and complex platform meant there were many components close to the same dimensions, and the fact they were laser engraved meant it took a little longer to identify them and install them accurately.” -Rich Staples, Millwright Foreman

“Working closely with other contractors at the Coca-Cola plant, we had lots of planning and scheduling to work through daily.”

After the heavy lifting there was still plenty to do in the fab shop.

Painting all of it was another challenge. Nearly 400 gallons of paint and paint thinner were used in total.
“We had to get creative by making our paint space a little bigger,” Marques said. “The fabrication team worked night shifts and 20-hour days. They did a great job utilizing the space at the Haskell fab shop, as well as creating some space in our new North Lawrence shop.”

When the fabrication team, led by Millwright Foreman Tyler Ranes, found out just how much painting the project would entail, they made the necessary adjustments to ensure on-time delivery.

“One of the main challenges we encountered during this project was maintaining organization and ensuring consistent quality standards between the two fabrication shops,” Tyler said.

“To address this, we implemented daily completion checklists and QA/QC forms, which were essential for tracking progress and maintaining project specifications. These tools played a critical role in ensuring the project was completed efficiently and to our high standards.” -Tyler Ranes, Millwright Foreman/Fabrication Team Lead

Marques says the guys in the field and the shop were the reason the project went so well.

“The guys did a great job working through the challenges – it was the largest mezzanine we’ve installed, and the most paint we have ever used on a project.” -Marques Nisely, Senior Project Manager

Pictured, above: completed mezzanine photos at Heartland Coca-Cola

Most of the fabrication and install was executed July-August of 2024, with the main part of the mezzanine completed in September.

The total project took 6,000 fabrication hours and 3,700 field hours to complete, and the team is now working on completing change orders.

“It was a fun and exciting project, and we enjoyed the challenges it brought because it helped us get outside our normal wheelhouse and learn new ways to overcome,” Rich added.

Marques notes that in addition to the change orders, the Millwrights continue to receive new opportunities due to the excellent performance and professionalism of the team.

Congratulations to our Millwright field and fabrication rock stars!