Making a great beer demands all the right ingredients and the winning recipe for Coopers Brewery’s $65 million state-of-the-art malting facility was Ahrens.
Ahrens, a national full-service construction, engineering and mining services company, is the most vertically integrated construction company in Australia, delivering a complete range of project services and cost-effective solutions.
A fourth-generation family business, Ahrens offers clients a “one-stop shop” from concept to completion and it was this competitive advantage which was the key in delivering this project.
The extensive project saw the design and construct of the entire malting facility in Regency Park, South Australia.
Ahrens Design & Construct SA team successfully completed majority of project works at a value of $40 million, with the remainder of the $65 million-dollar facility consisting of specialised equipment imported from overseas partner, Buhler.
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Works featured 25 silos of varying sizes, a conveyor bridge, conveyor gantry, processing buildings, germinating vessels and kiln.
Particular care and attention was paid to the aesthetics of the building in fitting with Coopers design brief.
A key feature was a visitor experience/showroom gantry in the cleaning building, which was finished to a high level to ensure Coopers put forward a high standard during brewery tours.
The project also utilised 1100 tonnes of structural steel manufactured by Ahrens’ in-house steel division.
The expansive and complex project saw some 200 dedicated employees on site to complete works.
With Coopers an existing Ahrens client, the successful completion of this project has continued a strong relationship between the two South Australian family-owned companies.
Ahrens work on the project was recognised on a global scale in May this year with the facility named equal best maltster in the world.
An international judging panel at the World Barley, Malt and Beer Conference held in Poland, jointly awarded the facility Maltster of the Year 2019 with Dutch malting business, The Swaen.
The facility was admired for its distinguished finish compared to more agricultural-looking malting facilities around the world.
Coopers maltings manager Doug Stewart accepted the award on behalf of Coopers and described the win as a remarkable result, given the technologically advanced facility had only been in operation for just over a year.
“The plant includes some unique in-house design features which have allowed us to reduce steeping times, water usage and kiln-gas during the malting process,” he said.
Ahrens were proud to have partnered with a fellow iconic South Australian business to deliver excellent results, leaving a legacy of success that crosses both state and international borders.
Find out how Ahrens can add value to your next bulk handling project, visit www.ahrens.com.au