Delivering Under Pressure at New Milk Bottling Facility

Interstates recently completed a fast-paced, high-impact electrical project at Visalia, CA-based California Dairies, Inc.’s (CDI) new Bakersfield milk bottling facility called Valley Natural Beverages. Built for CDI, this greenfield plant marks the cooperative’s entry into the shelf-stable milk market. 

“This project was about helping a legacy company break into a new product line,” says Sam Schrader, Project Manager at Interstates. “Their goal was to produce shelf-stable milk, and they needed the facility up and running quickly.” 

Coordinating Under Tight Deadlines 

The project’s success came despite significant challenges, including a delayed start, late-arriving gear, and stringent California regulations. Interstates provided temporary power, permanent power distribution, site lighting, low-voltage systems, and process wiring. A standout example of problem-solving came when gear was delayed by exceptionally long lead times. 

“We worked with vendors and our supply chain team to identify alternates and get temporary gear on-site fast,” says Schrader. That solution kept commissioning on track, according to Interstates Foreman Justin Sass, who adds, “We installed the temporary gear right after unloading, connected it to a generator, and pushed forward with process contractor commissioning.” 

Workforce flexibility was another critical component. As deadlines tightened, Interstates mobilized additional foremen and worked with local temp agencies to staff up. "We pushed hard, worked weekends, and remained solution-focused," says Sass. "Everyone stayed goal-oriented and committed to a successful outcome." 

Modeling Tools Help Avoid Rework 

The team leveraged Revizto and Interstates’ VDC capabilities to model underground runs, conduit racks, and rooftop cable trays – decisions that paid off in both time and cost savings. “Revizto allowed our foremen and crews to see changes almost live on iPads in the field,” says Andrew Den Hartog, VDC Designer. “We could flag coordination issues directly in the model, keeping rework to a minimum.” 

Den Hartog credits early underground coordination as a key turning point on the project, moving work out of two congested, trade-stacked hallways. “We convinced the client to allow underground routing between electric rooms. That change eliminated constraints and let us move ahead of schedule,” he says. 

Delivering Value Through Collaboration 

Despite a peak crew of 45, including many new or temporary workers, the field team stayed focused. "From day one, we made sure everyone felt like part of the team," says Sass. "Our culture, clarity of expectations, and strong site leadership kept morale high." The project team also benefited from transparent communication with the general contractor, Big-D Construction. "We've worked with Big-D for five years. Their openness and responsiveness helped resolve issues quickly," says Schrader. Sass agreed, noting, "Weekly contractor meetings and open dialogue made a big difference." 

Thoughtful collaboration was also necessary when California’s regulatory environment added another layer of complexity. Lighting controls, EV chargers, fire alarms, and medium voltage testing all had additional compliance requirements. “We partnered with American Electrical Services to help us navigate local codes,” says Schrader. “Their feedback was essential to staying compliant and on schedule.” 

With 684 RFIs (117 from Interstates alone), the project had limited initial detail. However, through proactive coordination with the engineer of record and on-the-fly design adjustments, the team stayed aligned and delivered. “We modeled even small low-voltage conduit runs to reserve space and prevent clashes,” says Den Hartog. “It wasn’t typical, but it was worth the effort to stay ahead of the other trades.” 

A Strong Finish 

The first product run at the new bottling facility occurred in December 2024, just eight months after site work began. For Interstates, the outcome was a testament to companywide collaboration. 

"I'm most proud of how every part of Interstates came together," says Schrader. "Supply chain, VDC, manpower, and the field all stepped up to make this a success."