FUJIFILM Ink Solutions Group has world-class capabilities in inkjet and dispersion development and manufacturing. Their pigment dispersion technology is extremely stable which makes it critical in the formulation of high-performance inks, capable of manufacturing to ultra-high purity levels which makes it highly desirable for businesses transitioning from analog to digital printing in industrial settings such as packaging applications. FUJI has four major international plants and made considerable capital investments to expand its U.S. facilities. The project involved converting an existing building purchased by FUJI, located in New Castle Delaware, to replicate the client’s Ink jet Pigment Dispersion Manufacturing Plant, headquarters in Grangemouth, Scotland.

The new facility, named Project Marconi, enabled the Client to open their first RxD dispersion manufacturing facility in the U.S. To manage the transition of analog to digital, the client commissioned a second RxD facility on the same site to double the size of the current New Castle capacity. This new plant will enable FUJI to produce and distribute their product on a much larger scale. TAI led both projects for Fuji as the design-build / engineer of record and provided multidisciplinary services for Marconi and the second process plant (Project Maxwell) in the same complex to bring FFIC’s ink production to a total of 200 tons/year.

TAI-SCI completed the Construction package and then acted as general contractor to construct the effluent modifications needed for the Marconi and Maxwell projects. TAI-SCI collaborated with FFIC for the general procurement and supply of equipment, labor and materials and worked with the Client to sole source equipment purchases.

TAI’s construction management and contracting services were deployed over a 50-week construction schedule for project Marconi, providing self-performance labor, subcontractors through sole sourcing, purchase of process and/or utility equipment not purchased directly by FFIC, purchase of materials and construction labor, and construction permitting including field supervision, administration, and safety supervision and commissioning. The same engineering and construction related services are being implemented over a 60-week schedule for Project Maxwell.

Specifically, TAI-SCI provided the following construction services:

Electrical

• Provided new service equipment including 15Kv Main Switch, 15Kv/480 Volt Transformer, Distribution Panels and Motor Control Center.
• Provided new building interior and exterior lighting.
• Provided new Programmable Logic Control Panels ND Instrumentation Control Panels.
• Provided conduit and wiring for power distribution, motors, instrumentation and controls.
• Provided interface with new control system panels to existing plant control system through ethernet and fiber optic network.
• Provided process and ambient electric heat tracing and controls.
• Provided direction and interface with qualified subcontractor for installation of lightning protection system.
• Provided direction and interface with qualified subcontractor for installation of solar panel and connection to power distribution system.
• Provided support for testing and commissioning.

Mechanical

• Provided process and utility piping ½” through 6” in stainless, carbon steel, sanitary stainless tubing, PVC and polypropylene.
• Received and set all process equipment.
• Assembled process skids as required for filtration and presses.
• Set all utility equipment including process boiler and compressors.
• Insulated all piping.
• Provided air tubing for process instrumentation.
• Provided support for testing and commissioning.

Structural

• Provided design and fabrication of all structural fixtures for the project including:
• Provided all support structures for equipment and piping.
• Provided equipment pads for new tanks and equipment.
• Provided structures for new mezzanine for process equipment.
• Provide supports for electrical cable tray.

“During grand opening ceremonies for project Marconi conducted at FFIC’s New Castle DE plant, an FFIC-Corporate/Europe executive singled out the project execution team for having met scope, schedule, and budget targets and remarked that he was ‘unable to recall any project that had hit the scope-schedule-budget bullseye so accurately.’ “

” I had never heard a client make such a statement about any project with which I have been associated in my 30 years of work in this field.’  His statement bears testament to those who contributed to the project’s success, made possible by everyone at TAI/SCI who participated in its execution.”

– Steve McCool, TAI Construction Division Manager

Design began in the Fall of 2020, just as the full extent and impact of the global COVID pandemic were being felt. Groundbreaking commenced in April of 2021, with construction and commission largely wrapped by the end of April 2022. Despite continuous challenges to the schedule from COVID-related supply chain disruptions to both material and labor markets throughout construction, the project’s original targeted completion of 2QT2022 was successfully achieved. TAI-SCI is the General Contractor for both the Marconi and Maxwell projects, self-performing the majority of the process systems, electrical and controls, structural steel and systems integration automation work and subcontracting elements of the project including building fabrication and erection and site civil support work.

CLICK HERE to read the article about FUJI’s new facilities in MANUFACTURING TODAY.

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