Total Facility Solutions builds dedicated hygienic fabrication plant

Total Facility Solutions (TFS), a speciality contractor and services company focused on critical process infrastructure, has completed its first certified hygienic fabrication facility dedicated to the US life science market. Located in Burlington, North Carolina, the new 20,000ft² building will support life science customers with hygienic and high purity piping fabrication, stainless steel skid fabrication and field installations.

Initially, primary use for the facility will be focused on supporting a new customer – a major player in the global healthcare field – with hygienic/process piping and equipment installation at a site that should see continued investment over the next few years. TFS intends to leverage the capabilities of the facility, both with regards to personnel and equipment, to support other projects across the US.

TFS has also recently secured a significant amount of mechanical work from another long-time biopharmaceutical customer for its new process suite in Albany, NY.

'With this new state-of-the-art facility, TFS will not only be better positioned to support the high purity piping needs of numerous life science customers located in the nearby Research Triangle Park and the Raleigh/Durham area, but for the entire Southeastern US market,' said Joe Cestari, TFS president. 'We will also be strategically equipped to provide timely and quality hygienic fabrication for other major TFS Eastern region operations.'

The new TFS facility is currently equipped with 10 automatic orbital welding stations accompanied by the necessary fit-up/tack-up weld stations. Permanent power has already been installed to allow for future expansion capabilities for an additional 10 orbital welding stations capable of supporting any major multi-million dollar project.

The benefit of off-site fabrication in a controlled environment is that it ensures a high-quality product through the utilisation of more cost-effective resources. Additionally, minimising the number of people at the construction site area makes the site safer, thus improving personnel safety and increasing efficiency.

'Moving man-hours from a customer site to a regional fabrication facility helps us streamline our work,' said Cestari. 'Reducing congestion in the facility also reduces risk to safety, quality and schedule, all while meeting the stringent hygienic standards of the life science market.'