An important part of the Stancold Food Projects team’s process is conducting a site visit. Our Food Projects Specialists are always eager to head to a food and drink producer site even in the early planning stages. This proactive approach often brings our team members to food and drink production sites across the entirety of the UK.
To explore why these early site visits matter, we sat down with our two Food Projects Specialists, Sam Glover and Andy Connell. They shared their insights on the value that these visits bring at the very start of an enquiry.
Through these conversations, we’ve touched upon three main reasons that explain the importance of a site visit. The three reasons coincide with one another within the overall project process.
To ensure that our team and the client’s team have the same understanding of what is to be accomplished.
The projects we undertake in food and drink facilities can sometimes be complicated to visualise. That’s not at all a negative thing, we absolutely love the challenge and there is no one better equipped to handle a very specific facility fit-out project than the Stancold team.
Due to the intricate nature of what food and drink producers may be looking to achieve, it can be difficult to convey the end goal over the phone, through email, or through site drawings. In many cases, there is no substitute for running through what the producer wants to accomplish in person so that we can see what they want to change in their facility.
‘I appreciate the opportunity to go to a client’s site sooner rather than later in the process,’ says Sam Glover, ‘so that I can see with my own eyes what the client wants to achieve. This ensures we are on the same page from the outset.’
Clarifying the end goal and the physical layout in person also ensures that we are quoting for what the client is planning to accomplish. This ultimately saves time for the client and makes the process more straightforward, efficient, and rewarding for both parties.
To ensure our full understanding of the existing site logistics.
No two food or drink production sites are the same, and we’ve seen so many over our 75+ years of experience!
Therefore, a site visit is paramount to understanding the site logistics, the end user’s facility process flow and how we can work with those elements. For example, drawings might not indicate where we can have panels delivered. What if there isn’t enough physical space to transport the panels by forklift to the installation area? Making these types of on-site observations not only gives us a better idea for project planning but also helps us quote more accurately.
‘The last thing you want,’ says Andy Connell, ‘is to arrive on site and discover a logistical element that could have been identified earlier through a site visit and raises the overall project cost at the last minute, understandably frustrating the client. Having our trained eyes on site from the start allows us to prevent situations like this.’
It also provides the Stancold Food Projects team with a valuable opportunity to suggest improvements that enhance the process or reduce overall project costs—insights that might not be apparent through phone calls, email exchanges, or project drawings.
Our Food Projects Specialists are skilled at spotting facility details that might otherwise be overlooked, ensuring critical elements are considered from the start. For instance, they may notice the span of the building’s steel framing — a detail the client might not be aware of — that helps determine the necessary thickness for the fit-out ceiling panels.
Identifying how the project fits in with the producer’s future goals.
Often, the Stancold Food Projects team is called in to handle whitewall reconfigurations or installations when a food or drink producer is expanding production or moving to a new facility. From experience, we’ve learned that if a client expands once, they’re likely to expand again in the future.
Our team is dedicated to future-proofing your facility, and in-person discussions about the client’s long-term plans for the site are invaluable. Meeting face-to-face allows us to help them visualise a fit-out solution that not only meets current needs but also aligns seamlessly with potential future expansions.
With these three key reasons in mind, Stancold’s Food Projects Specialists are always glad to visit a food or drink producer’s site during the early planning stages. This early visit ensures both parties are aligned and gives our team all the information needed to deliver the project to the highest standard.
‘I’m always happy to visit a prospective client’s site to better understand their goals before we start quoting,’ says Andy. ‘It’s also fascinating to see the facilities where some of the most outstanding food and drink products are made. It’s a great reminder of why we do what we do—plus, you can’t say no to the chance of sampling some free food along the way!’
If you are looking to expand or reconfigure your food or drink facility, get in touch with the Stancold Food Projects team to learn more about how we can assist:
0117 316 7000
info@stancold.co.uk
