Rosina Food Products, a manufacturer of frozen Italian specialty foods in the United States, has inaugurated a new meat processing plant in the suburbs of Buffalo, New York. The $73.2 million facility was designed and constructed by Stellar, a Jacksonville, Florida-headquartered firm that provides design, engineering, construction, thermal, refrigeration and mechanical services worldwide.
Orders for Rosina products grew dramatically even as companies and consumers found themselves tightening budgets with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. The 105,000-square-foot building includes a high-speed, state-of-the-art production line, which enables the family-owned company to ramp up production of frozen meatballs, sliced sausage and other toppings to keep up with soaring global demand.
“The new facility allows us to continue delivering excellent quality products to consumers,” said Russell Corigliano, chief executive officer and president of Rosina Food Products. “We knew Stellar’s proven record of designing and building innovative, progressive facilities would set our company up for success as we sought to expand operations. The team worked alongside us every step of the way as obstacles arose and offered a list of solutions every time.”
Stellar provided planning, design, pre-construction and construction services for the Brownfield Clean-up Program project. In addition to a highly efficient meat processing area and oven room, the facility includes a packaging room, ingredient holding area, shipping and receiving docks, ammonia refrigeration, mechanical support equipment, a wast treatment facility and office spaces.
The project was shut down in early 2020 for six months as the coronavirus spread, but Stellar successfully turned a setback into an advantage, using that time to make value management changes to the design. As part of these adjustments, it engineered the building for future expansion including process line additions, consolidation of office areas and space for a future finished goods freezer.
“Our team was able to roll with the punches to make owner-requested changes as needed throughout the project,” said Stellar project manager Dobbie John. “We leveraged our experience and expertise to ensure the facility was completed on schedule and within budget. We’re happy to have had the opportunity to work with the Corigliano family to ensure their business continues thriving as it grows.”
Stellar accomplished 45% of the work utilizing the local labor market. In completing the project, 90% of the workers were contracted from western New York.
Despite setbacks from the Covid-19 pandemic, winter weather conditions and material shortages, the project was completed as scheduled. The new meat processing facility is now fully operational and is located at 3100 Clinton St. in West Seneca, New York.
