When Clover Dairies needed to install a new butter melter unit in their blending process room at a third-floor level, the combination of height, confined access, and the need to protect the sensitive food processing environment made this a precision rigging challenge. Reef Rigging completed the installation in half a day — on schedule and without disrupting Clover’s production operations.
Project Overview: Third-Floor Butter Melter Installation
The butter melter unit had to be installed in the blending process room at approximately 25 metres above ground level. Access was through a narrow roll-up door at that height — with a 500mm floor upstand at the entry point and a passageway leading to the final installation position. The unit had to be lifted to height, manoeuvred through the access door, navigated over the upstand, and positioned at the end of the passageway — without damage to the unit or the surrounding food processing environment.
How Reef Rigging Completed the Installation
A mobile crane was used to lift the butter melter unit to the third-floor access point and position it through the roll-up door opening. Once inside the building, the team switched to hand pallet jacks and timber sleepers to carefully navigate the unit over the 500mm upstand and down the passageway to its final installation position. This combination — crane for the high lift, sensitive hand equipment for the in-building positioning — was the correct approach for a precision food-grade unit in a confined passageway environment where mechanical equipment could not be used without risk of damage to the unit or the building.
Why Planning Was Key to Meeting the Half-Day Timeline
The project was completed in half a day, allowing Clover’s dairy to continue operating without missing any production deadlines. This timeline was only achievable because every step of the installation — from crane positioning to the final passageway manoeuvre — was planned and confirmed in advance. When the team arrived on site, they had all the equipment they needed, a clear sequence to follow, and the expertise to execute it efficiently. For dairy installations where production timing cannot slip, this level of preparation is not optional.
For dairy equipment installation within tight production windows, explore Reef Rigging’s food and dairy services or contact the team.
Frequently Asked Questions: Dairy Equipment Installation
How do you install equipment through a narrow access door at height?
Installing equipment through a narrow access door at height requires careful measurement of both the equipment and the door opening to confirm the fit before the lift, rigging that holds the equipment in the correct orientation for entry through the door, precise crane positioning to land the equipment just inside the door opening without contacting the door frame, and a team member inside the building to receive the equipment and manage it through the entry point. The crane’s hook must be positioned to allow lateral movement without the unit swinging, and the banksman gives all movement commands.