Designing a Future-Ready Pet Food Manufacturing Facility

Overview

Pet Products Trading Co. approached 1 Solution Group with an ambitious goal: transition from outsourcing production to manufacturing their own premium pet food products in-house. By bringing production under their control, the company aimed to strengthen financial stability, ensure consistent product quality, and gain the flexibility to innovate with new protein-based pet food formulations.

To make this vision possible, the client needed a clear roadmap—one that addressed facility design, equipment selection, production capacity planning, and capital investment requirements.

1SG partnered with the client to transform their concept into a structured, scalable manufacturing plan.

Client Goals

Pet Products Trading Co. had several key objectives for the project:

• Develop in-house production capabilities for multiple pet food brands
• Achieve an initial capacity of 20,000 tons per year of high-quality kibble pet food
• Plan future expansion to 50,000 tons per year, including up to 70% fresh meat inclusion
• Position the facility to potentially operate as a regional co-packer
• Maintain flexibility to add high-end pet treat production in the future
• Determine whether the industrial park property was sufficient for current production and future expansion
• Establish an order-of-magnitude capital cost estimate covering equipment, building infrastructure, and engineering

To accomplish these goals, the client required a comprehensive understanding of the process flow, facility layout, and equipment needed.

The 1SG Solution

1SG worked closely with Pet Products Trading Co. to design a scalable manufacturing concept and provide the analytical tools needed to guide investment decisions.

Process & Equipment Planning

The team collaborated with the client to identify the equipment and production processes required for both current operations and future expansion, including

• Milling
• Mixing
• Ingredient storage
• Material transfer
• Packaging systems

Local vendors were engaged to determine appropriate equipment sizes and cost ranges for the regional market.

Engineering Workbook & Production Modeling

1SG developed a project engineering workbook that incorporated the client’s ingredient properties, formulations, and throughput targets.

This enabled calculation of:

• Storage bin and tank sizing
• Ingredient throughput requirements
• Equipment capacity needs
• Receiving and storage requirements

The workbook also provided formulation calculators, allowing the client to adjust ingredients or throughput and immediately see the impact on storage requirements and operational costs.

Facility & Site Planning

1SG collaborated with engineers to evaluate:

• Building structure requirements
• Cooler placement
• Truck traffic flow and logistics
• Personnel movement and parking

This ensured support for both current and future production.

The final deliverables included:

• A complete process flow diagram
• A 3D model of the facility and production equipment
• A preliminary utility usage analysis
• Equipment sizing documentation
• An order-of-magnitude cost estimate (OMCE)

Results & Client Benefits

The project provided Pet Products Trading Co. with the technical foundation and financial clarity needed to move forward confidently.

Strategic Planning Tools

The engineering workbook equipped the client with powerful calculators to model different formulations and production scenarios. This allowed them to evaluate ingredient availability, supply chain considerations, and cost impacts—particularly important given regional ingredient sourcing challenges.

Clear Production Roadmap

The process flow diagram provided a step-by-step visualization of the entire manufacturing operation, making it easier for the client to work with vendors and contractors during future implementation.

Improved Stakeholder Communication

The 3D facility model helped the client communicate the project to their board, investors, and financing partners. By visualizing the production equipment, facility layout, truck traffic, office areas, and personnel flow, stakeholders could clearly understand the project’s scope and feasibility.

Operational Cost Visibility

The utility usage analysis helped both engineering contractors and company leadership estimate operational expenses and infrastructure requirements for the plant.

Informed Investment Decisions

Ultimately, the order-of-magnitude cost estimate enabled the client to determine:

• The capital investment required to launch the project
• Which product lines to prioritize first
• Which equipment should be installed initially
• Which systems could be added later as part of future expansion

Positioning for Long-Term Growth

With 1SG’s engineering analysis, facility planning, and financial modeling, Pet Products Trading Co. gained a clear path toward building a scalable pet food manufacturing operation.

The project not only provided a practical plan for initial production but also ensured the facility would support future expansion, new product development, and potential co-packing opportunities in the region.