Stellar Plant for Bell & Evans Chosen as Food Engineering’s ‘Fabulous Food Plant’ of the Year

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (December 12, 2016) — Stellar’s design-build project for premium poultry processor Bell & Evans in Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania, has been chosen as Food Engineering magazine’s December 2016 “Fab Food Plant.” Stellar, a fully integrated firm focused on design, engineering, construction and mechanical services worldwide, provided full design-build and process engineering services for the facility.

Each December, Food Engineering honors a plant as its “Fab Food Plant” and gives readers an inside look “at innovative processors who focus on lean manufacturing, sustainability and food safety.” Bell & Evans’ 160,000-square-foot chicken packaging, storage and frozen processing facility embodies all of these criteria, especially food safety.

Through extensive research and assessment of the previous Bell & Evans plant, Stellar determined how best to expand the company’s packaging and storage operations. The $50-million facility was designed with cutting-edge features and high-end finishes built to last decades. After two years of planning, the project broke ground in March 2014 and was completed in 2015.

Sanitation was carefully considered during planning and design, and food safety elements were painstakingly incorporated down to the last detail. For example, German-imported personnel doors have precision hinges and latching systems that prevent air leakage, which is crucial to maintaining safe air temperatures. The plant also features a state-of-the-art chemical sanitation system located 150 feet away from any product.

“We’re thrilled to receive this recognition and honor from one of the leading industry publications,” said Scott Mark, Divisional Vice President, Stellar Food & Beverage Facility Services. “Bell & Evans has grown tremendously among its elite customer base, and they came to us for a state-of-the-art plant to accommodate that growth. Our expertise and experience in the poultry market enabled us to deliver a high-quality, durable facility to meet that need.”

About Stellar

Stellar is a fully integrated design, engineering, construction and mechanical services firm that provides the industry’s most comprehensive range of self-performed services, including planning, design, preconstruction, construction, refrigeration, mechanical and utility, building envelope, and total operations and maintenance services. More than 600 Stellar employees worldwide create award-winning food processing plants, refrigerated warehouses, distribution centers, commercial buildings and military facilities. In addition to its Jacksonville, Florida, headquarters and its Western Region office in Modesto, California, Stellar operates nearly 25 support locations and offices throughout the United States and in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, China and Puerto Rico. The company also serves Central and South America, Europe and India. For more information, visit www.stellar.net.

About Bell & Evans

Bell & Evans® is a pioneer in the natural foods market. For four generations, beginning in the 1890's, we have been providing the highest quality poultry to the upscale market. Our chickens are raised and processed in the heart of the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, in our modern facility, using only the latest technology. For more information, visit https://www.bellandevans.com.