Sanderson Farms

The Sanderson Farms Inc. project in Kinston, NC is a state-of-the-art, two-story “first process” poultry processing facility located on approximately 40 acres.

The total scope of the project entails the construction of the main poultry processing plant building, along with the ancillary buildings of a guardhouse, a live haul building, and a truck shop with fueling station. The site work involves raising the building pad area of the site approximately five feet, new utilities, asphalt and heavy concrete paving, an automated fueling station, truck scales and a metal building for the truck shop.

The main processing plant facility includes CIP foundations, slab on grade, structural precast floors and walls along with a stainless steel trench drain system. The interior walls in clean processing areas are clad with structural glazed tile for durability and ease of maintenance. Extensive plumbing, mechanical and electrical work is also included, coordinated with the Owner’s processing equipment design.

A joint venture with Citadel National Construction Group partner Rogers-O’Brien, Choate delivers this leading-edge poultry processing plant for repeat-client Sanderson Farms, Inc.

Precast structural concrete encloses the main processing plant while the packaging portion is constructed via steel framing and enclosed with insulated metal panels. Within the processing environment, the walls are covered with structural glazed tile for durability and ease of maintenance. The floors are placed with precision to properly drain the processing areas into the extensive network of stainless steel trench drains. Insulated metal panels are installed in the refrigeration portion of the plant. An intricate network of process and mechanical system piping and a massive electrical service support the ongoing process operations.

An automated fueling station and truck scales are incorporated into the site supporting Sanderson’s transport vehicles, and a metal building is constructed nearby to house the trucks for service. A two-story, structural steel office adjoins the plant for day-to-day business operations.

At this facility, the freezer rooms are staged in temperature. Beginning at -40°F in the blast tunnel, freezer rooms raise the temperature of the chicken in increments from -20°F to 30°F as the chicken leaves through the loading docks. The freezer and wet areas have structural concrete reinforced wall panels with corrosion resistant galvanized rebar. Underneath all freezer areas, air is circulated through 8 inch PVC piping to keep the concrete slabs from freezing.

All processing area walls are covered by glazed CMU with epoxy mortar for durability and ease of maintenance. These walls receive a high pressure sanitation washing at the end of each shift. Stainless steel trench drains collect all refuse. The facility also has its own on-site water reclamation and treatment system.

Miles of process piping are installed over the course of the project. Also included in the scope is an extensive heavy electrical and instrumentation system to control the plant.