Great Lakes Cheese and Layton worked together to create a cheese packaging facility capable of managing future growth of the company. The design-build delivery method allowed Layton to expedite the building process and complete the fast track facility one month ahead of schedule.

The packaging facility is used to cut, slice and shred blocks of bulk cheese prior to repackaging the product for delivery throughout the Western United States. The building includes 175,000 ft2 of receiving and shipping coolers, bulk cheese processing areas and shipping and receiving docks. Another 5,000 ft2 is made up of office space, locker rooms, a lunch room and facility maintenance space. Great care was taken to meet or exceed all USDA requirements for food processing facilities.

The Great Lakes Cheese building was designed and constructed with the clients’ specific needs in mind. Because the food packaging industry demands constant equipment upgrades, the building was designed for future equipment expansion as well as flexibility of equipment placement. This design extended the normal building life cycle from 30 years to 50 years.