New Construction

The team at Southwest and Midwest Design & Construction (SWMW) are, at our core, proudly Albertan.

In all of our Alberta construction projects, we’ve worked hard to foster a strong team that takes incredible pride in the work they do. Our focus remains steadfast on our core values, our dedication to customer service, and developing strong relationships within the communities we work in!

One of our major focus areas is supporting agricultural, ranching, and farming sector builds in the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. We offer a wide variety of services for our customers in these markets – from turnkey solutions and construction management to building renovations and general repairs.

Let’s look at one such project, completed in 2020, the Kamper Potato Storage facility build, located in Burdett, Alberta. This is one of many potato storage facilities that SWMW has been involved with over recent years.

Project Details

Project Type: New Construction
Sector: Agriculture
Location: Burdett, Alberta
Timeline: Fall 2019 – Summer 2020
Project Size: 156’ by 284’ pre-engineered steel rigid frame building

This 156’ by 284’ pre-engineered steel rigid frame building can store up to 12,000 metric tons of potatoes.

The building contains four different storage bins, each self-contained, which allows them to be controlled separately. The building is equipped with a Tolsma ventilation system, which is used to cool the potatoes and keep temperature levels stable.

One of the most important elements of the building design was to work with the ventilation system chosen by the client – keeping the product safely stored and fresh is always top priority. This involved collaborating with the ventilation/air system supplier to provide the best design and solution possible for the client.

Project Timeline Urgency

We had to ensure that the project timeline was delivered as promised, as the client needed the potato storage facility in time for the next harvest. If we missed our timeline or late on our schedule, this would have major implications for the farming operation.

We ensured the successful project delivery timeline by staging the project. Starting with the foundation work in the fall to save on additional heating and hoarding costs associated with winter construction, which allowed time to order the steel building package and have it arrive in time to erect over the winter and spring months for a summer completion.

The Importance of Potato Storage Facilities

Alberta’s potato industry is an important aspect of the province's agricultural economy, and has experienced strong growth over the past several years, with significant additional expansion underway. The industry’s high stable yields and available area for production expansion continue to drive investments by potato processors and packers serving the North American and International market.

Drawing from considerable recent growth in production and potato product sales, the industry in 2022 contributed $2.78 billion to the Canadian economy and $2.31 billion to the Alberta economy. It is no surprise then that producers look to companies like SWMW for effective potato storage solutions, such a crucial component of a thriving potato farming operation.

Steel buildings in Alberta, including cold storage facilities and quonsets, are essential for protecting potatoes, grains, and other commodities from pests and the elements. Potatoes, in particular, require precise temperature control and ventilation, underscoring the need for specialized construction and innovative design.

As agricultural operations expand and evolve, these structures must be adaptable, allowing for gradual development over the years to accommodate growing business needs. Farm shops, cold storage, and equipment storage buildings represent unique construction projects that require specialized experience.

Key Takeaways

Our approach is to always look at the clients operational needs as the primary goal, from a financial perspective and time perspective, and then work out our schedule back from there.

If it is unattainable and does not meet the requirements of the client then we will look for additional solutions or alternatives. We will not risk the farmers' operational needs for the benefit of our schedule, as the successful delivery of the project is paramount to the success of the clients' livelihood!

We also look at long lead order items as soon as the project begins, so as to avoid unnecessary delays or impact on the schedule at critical junctures in the construction sequence which may otherwise stall progress.

 

Connect With Southwest And Midwest Design & Construction

We are very proud of our team’s collaborative efforts, again ensuring total client satisfaction by completing the project on time and on budget!

Looking for a partner who truly understands the unique demands of agribusiness? Our team at SWMW has extensive experience in agricultural construction and design. Let us help you create facilities that meet your specific needs. Reach out today to learn how our expertise can contribute to the success of your agricultural operations.

Contact one of our team members at SWMW with our convenient online quote request tool. A member of our team will be in touch to discuss project details and next steps.