Dairy Farm, Hanford, CA

• Type: Dairy Farm
• Location: Hanford, California
• Quantity: 1251 sq. ft.

The dairy farming supply chain in the US is the second-largest in the world behind India’s, so anyone looking to make a buck in this industry should be prepared to face steep competition. As a long-time dairy farmer who has run his family’s farm for the past 32 years, Wardell knows that the industry has its ups and downs, so no farm can afford to blow its budgets on upkeep. With an old farm, there were bound to be plenty of creaks and cracks in the foundation from years of moving high volumes of liquid. That’s to say nothing of the health requirements specific to the dairy industry, which have government oversight and regulations on top of the liability implications of shipping products that are consumed by so many people. After one inspection rated his farm as ‘passable’ rather than the exemplary marks he had received for cleanliness over the years, Wardell decided it was time for an overhaul. The first order of business was to protect his facilities against the type of leaks that had led to a few warning marks, due to mold risk. He wanted surfaces that would not only avoid the type of fluid absorption from milk that could lead to mold and rot but also protect his livestock from the elements. For this, he contacted us here at Duramax to see if we could help.

Fortunately, our PVC wall panels were able to satisfy all requirements and then some. He had been using fiberglass panels (FRP) with oriented string board backing since the late 1990s. These had held up well for a time, but a few winters introduced new cracks every year when the ice thawed. We explained that fiberglass isn’t as resistant to moisture absorption as vinyl, so residual water from rain and milk over decades had caused the damage. Wardell’s secondary concern was that the process of installation would take months, and halt production of his dairy farm during its most profitable season. We showed him the average length of an install for facilities of similar size and explained how quickly PVC wall panels could be installed. With his new wall panels installed--and with the peace of mind that comes with walls that are resistant to bacteria, Wardell’s next inspection went off with no concerns.