Milk Concentrate Expansion

Approximately 120 DFA member dairy farmers were producing 144 million pounds of milk per month at DFA’s Fort Morgan facility, but eastern Colorado’s milk production was growing rapidly, requiring an expansion.

The Fort Morgan facility sits on 14 acres and produces fluid milk as well as a variety of dairy ingredients including sweet cream, condensed milk, and nonfat dry milk, which are used as inputs for cheese, yogurt, and ice cream.

The building addition, designed and built by Dennis Group, added four fluid shipping and receiving bays, a new processing area, an upgraded powder milk dryer, and major wastewater improvements. A new MBR wastewater system was critical because the company was facing hefty fines from the municipality for discharging effluent that was outside designated parameters. The new wastewater system discharged water that was even cleaner that then city’s water.

Process system improvements included a new RO system. The RO was used to concentrate whole and skim milk to 32% solids. The water off the RO was polished and then reused for boiler and chiller make-up, and CIP systems.

This fast-track expansion broke ground in September and was commissioned a mere six months later. Capacity at the plant was increased by 2 million pounds per day.