In recent months, Baker Group has been a regular presence at the Verbio Nevada Biorefinery production facility located about 30 miles north of Des Moines, Iowa. The facility focuses on developing renewable fuels and Baker Group has been engaged to handle several jobs on the sprawling campus.
In addition to service, maintenance, and mechanical projects at the facility, Baker Group recently fabricated and installed essential process piping.
Sam Linde, Baker Group Project Executive, says the job was a perfect fit for Baker Group.
"We were able to lend the expertise they required for the project," he says. "Having the ability to provide state-of-the-art in-house fabrication capabilities, stringent quality control, and field expertise ensured we could get the job done in a timely fashion and within their budget constraints."
Linde says the project required the fabrication of an intricate piping system to be installed in close quarters at the Nevada Facility. Complicating the project was the fact that the Baker Group team needed to understand and implement a third-party design.
"Taking on complex projects like this one is nothing new for us," Linde says. "We had confidence in the combination of craftsmanship, adaptability, and industry knowledge we were able to bring to this project."
While most of the piping would be installed outdoors, Baker Group's in-house fabrication capabilities allowed the completion of more than 80% of the welds in the controlled environment of its expansive shop in Ankeny. Linde says that in the case of the Verbio project, Baker Group was able to manage an aggressive timeline by optimizing in-house fabrication capabilities and closely coordinating work details.
"Having such a large shop enabled us to continue to progress on this job, even during Iowa's unpredictable and harsh winter months," Linde says. "It also helped us to deliver top-tier quality control and documentation. Together, it enabled us to meet industry standards while enhancing efficiency and safety."
The installation of the piping was done in a building that was not yet complete. It also took place over a period of months, requiring the team from Baker Group to deal with some harsh weather conditions. Despite the challenges, Linde says it was a huge success. And, going forward, Baker Group is looking to continue to partner with Verbio on future projects.
"This is a job that represents our commitment to collaboration, combined with our industry expertise, can help a large manufacturer like Verbio meet its needs on time and on budget. We are proud to have played a role on the project and look forward to partnering with them more in the future."