Integrated Services for Highly Automated Pet Food Facility.

“One of the Most Impressive Facilities We’ve Seen”

Through its family of companies, Gray provided total project services for the 366,000 s.f. greenfield facility, from feasibility studies to a host of expert solutions including automation, sanitary process, engineering, and advanced controls.

“Gray was the design-build lead for everything you see here today,” says Chad Sharp, director of manufacturing for Hill’s Tonganoxie. “They [have] built one of the most impressive manufacturing facilities we’ve seen.”

In addition to the company’s industry-leading design-build services, Gray provided integrated controls and robotics central to the ultramodern plant’s design, as well as end-to-end solutions for all of the process engineering for the project, which incorporated highly automated process and packing equipment throughout the facility.

Gray’s equipment manufacturing capabilities also came into play, with Gray providing design and fabrication services for more than 25 stainless-steel platforms to house the plant’s process equipment. Each platform was custom-built for the Hill’s facility and follows AISC and OSHA guidelines. To meet stringent sanitary requirements, the platforms feature a sloped design that enables complete drainage following washdown cycles. Many of the platforms house equipment on multiple tiers, including the plant’s Clean-in-Place (CIP) system platforms, which feature a double-deck design. Following custom equipment design and manufacturing services, Gray sourced key components—including pumps, valves, sanitary hoses, tubing, and fittings—and customized them for the ideal fit into the facility layout.

The new facility allows Hill’s to boost production capacity to support its growing global market reach and creates more than 100 jobs for the community.

Early Accolades

In the short time since the plant’s opening, Hill’s Tonganoxie has earned recognition from around the industry. The plant received LEED® Gold certification for its extensive sustainability measures, which include 74% of construction waste diverted from landfill for reuse/recycling, a variety of water-conserving systems, and more energy efficient building and process systems to reduce the use of electricity.

Additionally, Hill’s received an Award of Merit in the Manufacturing category from Engineering News-Record and the 2024 Manufacturing Innovation Award from ProFood World magazine.