Kraft Foods - Post Division in Battle Creek, Michigan is the manufacturer of approximately 60 percent of all post brand cereals in the United States. The Battle Creek building complex includes several dozen buildings and silos. Due to its coming of age, the buildings were in varying degrees of deterioration and Kraft needed an effective way to budget repairs and maintenance to building facades.

 

StructureTec was contacted to perform a full evaluation of the building conditions in the complex and organize its findings in an easy-to-use and manageable fashion. The project consisted of a building facade survey of 20 masonry buildings, as well as concrete grain silos and other structural systems. Along with this, StructureTec helped Kraft prioritize repairs and prepared cost estimates for recommended repairs. A long range asset management program was developed.

 

One of the major problems denoted when the evaluation was completed was the widespread deterioration of maintenance-type items such as sealants. Also noted was a severe deterioration of masonry and concrete components due to the corrosion of embedded steel elements, which had experienced excessive exposure to moisture for many years.

 

Of the many challenges of conducting a large-scale project such as this, StructureTec had to determine a way to evaluate many different buildings in a short period of time with varying wall components. To make the task more difficult, most of the original drawings were never updated when alterations or additions were completed.

 

To combat the challenge of the widespread campus, StructureTec formed multiple crews so they could canvas the entire area. A complete facade survey of all buildings was completed, which allowed Kraft to see the current state of its facilities.

 

A comprehensive report was prepared for Post from the information gathered during the evaluation, which included a summary of building components, conditions and recommendations, existing condition photos, building elevation drawings showing components and conditions, and prioritized budgetary cost estimates. Also, each building was rated with a Wall Condition Index (WCI) to compare the relative condition of each building. The budgets also factored in the deterioration of buildings over time, and the increased costs that would be incurred if the projects were delayed for a few years.

 

As a results, Kraft Foods - Post Division has a complete assessment of 20 buildings and silos on its complex. With individual comprehensive cost estimates for each building and a comprehensive cost estimate summary for the campus, incorporating separate budgets for short, mid-range, and long term repairs, Kraft can plan capitol spending for facade repairs to prevent continued and additional deterioration. Kraft Foods- Post Division can use all these findings to help manage its buildings through time and personnel changes, as this information has become part of the infrastructure of their long range asset management program. Its greatest return on investment will be seen when this same data can be used several years from now as a benchmark of its building conditions.