RACA Journal April 2020 | Page 52

Projects C avalier Group of Companies – located on a farm in Cullinan – is split into four entities, creating the shortest and most cost-effective route for red meat products from farm to fork. The Group is made up of Cavalier Foods, Cavalier Livestock, Cavalier Abattoir and Cavalier Feeders. The Cavalier beef and lamb abattoirs are situated on the same premises as its packaging factories and feedlot. This is where the biltong plant is found that supplies ready-to-eat biltong to a high-end retail outlet nationwide. CLIENT BRIEF Return air and provision for fresh air economy cycle. Cavalier sought Matbar to construct and SCIP Engineering Group to design a biltong plant supplying over 20 tons of dried biltong per week to the retailer. The design specifications were to fit an existing room with the appropriate equipment in order to dry 3 300kg of product in a 46-hour cycle. Upon examination of the existing plant, AMC Engineers (subcontracted mechanical engineers) discovered that the rooms had already been built based on an alternative design concept. The main challenge after the discovery was that AMC had to employ a different approach in order to achieve the correct room conditions and specifically the required airflow through the product. ALL SYSTEMS GO Supply air ducting from the room. The project was always under immense time pressure as it was the result of a new supply contract. AMC was approached The Boekenhout Biltong plant that produces more than 20 tons of product a month. Cavalier aims to build an office space right above the roof of the biltong plant. 50 RACA Journal I April 2020 www.hvacronline.co.za