PDC has worked in Wisconsin cheese plants for more than 50 years, providing electrical solutions for facilities ranging from small-batch operations to large-scale producers.
BY THE NUMBERS
Wisconsin cheese production operates in environments that standard industrial electrical contractors are not set up for: continuous washdowns, ammonia refrigeration systems, FDA-regulated process controls, and production schedules that rarely allow full shutdowns.
Waste Reduction
~15%
through precise temperature, moisture, and timing controls
Recall Risk Reduction
40%
with integrated digital tracking systems
Labor Efficiency Increase
~15–25%
through automated cutting, forming, and packaging
Cheese plants are wet, corrosive environments with FDA-regulated process controls and ammonia refrigeration systems operating under IIAR and OSHA standards. Electrical installations in these facilities require more than standard industrial methods. PDC specifies and installs NEMA 4X enclosures, stainless steel raceway, and food-grade wiring methods as a matter of course.
Pasteurization, dryer, and evaporator controls
Cheese vat automation and batch process controls
CIP (clean-in-place) system automation
Aging room refrigeration and environmental controls
Specialty stainless steel conduit and cable tray systems
Receiving, loadout, and refrigeration system controls
Washdown-rated electrical installations
SCADA systems for batch tracking and process monitoring
Brine system automation
We understand that cheese facilities rarely have a clear window for electrical work. Because milk receiving runs on its own schedule, vats cycle continuously, and CIP systems operate between production runs, most projects that we complete require installation while some production is still moving. That requires planning for containment, barrier systems, and coordination with plant operations to protect the sanitary environment before a single conduit goes up. PDC has done this kind of work long enough to have a process for it.
Our Commitment
PDC has been the partner of choice for Midwest cheese producers for over 50 years.
Cheese plants modify production lines, add capacity, and upgrade control systems on a regular cycle. When PDC technicians return for post-installation work, they know the system, the facility layout, and the operational context.
Our teams have completed live-plant installations in active cheese production facilities, including multi-week projects that required containment systems to maintain sanitary conditions while work proceeded on the production floor.
PDC designs power distribution and control infrastructure with expansion in mind. Where growth is anticipated, panel capacity, conduit routing, and control system architecture are designed to accommodate future work without requiring the existing installation to be rebuilt.
One contractor with coordinated in-house capabilities reduces the coordination overhead and accountability gaps that come with managing multiple specialty subcontractors.
Project Experience
PDC has completed electrical and automation projects for cheese producers throughout our service area, including full facility expansions, new process line additions, whey plant construction, and controls upgrades on operating production lines.
Electrical Contracting/Agriculture
PDC served as the electrical contractor for a massive multi-year expansion of Grande Cheese's Juda, Wisconsin, facility—doubling production capacity across the cheese plant, whey plant, and wastewater systems.
Electrical & Automation/Cheese Production
PDC Electrical Contractors provided electrical engineering and installation for a fully automated, state-of-the-art system requiring removal of existing equipment and demolition of legacy electrical and control systems. A 10-day plant shutdown was scheduled for summer 2020 to complete the transition.
Automation Services/Industrial & Agriculture
The new state-of-the-art system was housed in a newly constructed 4-story, 75-foot-tall structure. PDC was hired by their long-term customer on a Time and Materials scope.
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTING/CHEESE PRODUCTION
Electrical design and installation for a 36,000-sq.-ft. cheese plant expansion that tripled production, featuring 160 VFDs, 155 motors, and 12,000 ft of stainless raceway.
Connect with PDC
Looking for comprehensive automation and electrical solutions that can jumpstart your business? Or are you searching for expert advice on the latest equipment? Contact our team today to discuss your needs, ask questions, and begin a trusted partnership that supports your long-term success.
