McKenney’s, Inc. installed the HVAC system, including a massive chilled water plant, install a process piping package and much more.

2. In only a few years, this flooring
company has become the largest
residential sheet vinyl provider in
Europe, manufacturing high quality
flexible vinyl flooring. When the
company expanded its operations to
the U.S., it wanted the manufacturing
facility to capture the innovative and
progressive spirit that sparked its
rapid, steady growth.
Photo provided by IVC US

3. Crews began to build the 468,000-square-
foot facility in Dalton, GA, late in 2009.
McKenney’s was selected to install the
HVAC system, including a massive chilled
water plant.
Even though only 3,400 tons are used currently, McKenney’s built a
5,100-ton-capacity central plant to manage future expansions
effectively.
As a result, the system includes more than three miles of piping—
ranging from 3 inches to 30 inches in diameter—to heat and
cool the entire facility.

4. With multiple mechanical packages and
scopes of work being performed
concurrently, the project required
McKenney’s to work in concert with three
other mechanical contractors.
Communication and teamwork was also
critical among the several organizations
from multiple countries working on the
plant construction.

5. For example, the McKenney’s project team
realized that the design for the structure in the
central plant didn’t account for up to 400,000
pounds of piping and water. They contacted
the general contractor and onsite project
manager immediately.
Fortunately, it was discovered before pipes were installed. The
McKenney’s team also leveraged its prefabrication and shop drawing
skills to ensure the project was completed quickly, in only about eight
months.
Just as important, the 30-person team completed the work
without a single recordable safety incident.

6. Photo provided by IVC US

7. The results were even more remarkable
considering McKenney’s completed an
additional piping project—outside the original
scope of work—on time as well.
Impressed with the installation on the base scope
of work, the vinyl flooring company asked
McKenney’s to install a process piping package that
included a pneumatic conveying system, a liquid
additives system, a raw product system and a
compressed air system.

8. McKenney’s worked on the two construction
jobs simultaneously. The team installed each
of the four process piping systems—as well as
415 points of connection to pneumatics-
driven devices—to transport materials using
forced air. The process piping package
required about 20 additional people working
at full capacity for about 12 weeks.
The pneumatic conveying system is used to carry raw powdered
material from trucks or from a bag unloading station to the site’s
massive 80-foot-tall silos and from the silos to the top of the mixing
towers.
The system included about 6,500 feet of stainless steel tubing and
unique ceramic-backed fittings.

9. The vinyl flooring company also requested an efficient method for
transferring liquid additives to the mixing towers and raw product to
the manufacturing floor. To accomplish this, McKenney’s installed more
than 2,200 feet of stainless steel piping with welded joints capable of
withstanding high pressure to transport liquid additives to the top of
the mixing towers.

10. McKenney’s also installed more than 2,000
feet of carbon steel piping to transport
raw product from the mixing towers to the
manufacturing floor. To complete the process,
McKenney’s installed a compressed air system
that was piped to 415 control valves,
diverters, pinch valves and other end devices.

11. McKenney’s was also tasked with parceling about 150
huge crates—filled with valves, pumps, components
and other equipment.
The team sorted through the equipment, organized
components and installed them accordingly
throughout the new facility.
Managing two diverse projects simultaneously, while working with
a multinational team of engineers and project managers, was a
daunting task.
Through persistence, acute problem-solving and effective
communication, both projects were completed on budget and in a
timely fashion—earning McKenney’s another long-term customer.

12. Engineer: Shepherd, Harvey & Associates
Architects: Ruark & Wyatt Architects
Owner: Vinyl Flooring Company
General Contractor: The Conlan Company
Project Team
The Challenge
Install massive HVAC system on large, sprawling site
Accommodate additional process piping scope quickly
Work with unusual piping systems and materials
Address multiple projects, with multiple multinational contractors
The Solution
Significant pre-planning effort
Assess design before work is implemented
Prefabricate piping
Open communication with managers and contractors
Projects completed on time, on budget, with no safety incidents
Highly efficient systems, continued on reverse capable of future expansions
The Results

13. 1056 Moreland Industrial Boulevard
Atlanta, Georgia 30316
P: 404-622-5000
sales@mckenneys.com
www.mckenneys.com
3601 Performance Road
Charlotte, North Carolina 28214
P: 704-357-1200
Atlanta Office:
Charlotte Office: