Inside Our Biggest Project Yet: Delivering a State-of-the-Art Dairy Research Facility

At Membrane Process & Controls, Inc. (MP&C), we’ve always taken pride in tackling complex, engineered-to-order projects—but this one raised the bar.

We’re excited to share the completion of the largest project in our company’s history: a nearly $30 million scope within a $73 million facility expansion for a nationally recognized Midwest university. This cutting-edge upgrade was focused on one mission—enhancing the future of dairy research.

A Vision for Dairy Innovation
The university was looking to dramatically expand its on-campus dairy research facility, modernizing legacy systems and adding an entirely new wing to support advanced processing capabilities. After a thorough proposal and selection process, MP&C was brought on board to design, fabricate, automate, and install the bulk of the stainless steel process equipment and systems needed to bring this vision to life.

We were honored to be chosen as the Engineer of Record for the equipment portion of this project, and we knew it would be a chance to showcase the full depth of our capabilities—from front-end design to final installation.

Two Projects in One
The project had two major components:

1. A brand-new building addition — designed from the ground up with the latest in processing, automation, and energy efficiency.
2. A complete overhaul of the original facility — modernizing a building dating back to the 1950s, while preserving its historic role on campus.

This mix of new construction and renovation made for a challenging and rewarding experience. We needed to seamlessly integrate state-of-the-art technology into both brand-new and legacy infrastructure, all while working around ongoing university operations.

A Full-Team Effort
To make this happen, we assembled a powerhouse team from across our company—project managers, engineers, designers, fabricators, control panel technicians, automation experts, and installation specialists. Together, they mapped out every detail of the process system, from equipment layout and flow paths to electrical and control architecture.

Once the designs were finalized, fabrication kicked off at our world-class manufacturing facility in central Wisconsin. We produced dozens of custom stainless steel tanks, miles of tubing, electrical systems, and highly specialized control panels. Every component was built to exact specifications to meet strict sanitary and operational requirements.

Installation & On-Site Support
Our installation crew spent over 18 months on-site, coordinating with the GC and other trades, installing equipment, running process piping, wiring up controls, and supporting system startup. Their presence ensured any challenges were addressed quickly and efficiently, helping keep the project on track.

A Milestone for MP&C and the Dairy Industry
This project stands as a milestone for MP&C—not just in scale, but in impact. The advanced systems we delivered will help shape the next generation of dairy research, providing the university with the tools they need to remain at the forefront of innovation in milk, cheese, whey, yogurt, and more.

We’re proud of our team, our craftsmanship, and our role in supporting the future of the dairy industry. This project is proof that with the right people, the right facility, and a shared vision, there’s no challenge too big.