Built in translation

Kraemer Brothers renovates ‘fromage’ factory

Kraemer Brothers now know the French word for cheese.

The Plain-based general contractor had to translate many more complicated words while completing an $8.3 million remodeling and addition project for Lactalis USA Inc.

The French-owned company, which manufactures brie, camembert and feta cheeses under the President brand at its factory in Belmont, is the largest producer of specialty soft cheeses in the United States and the largest cheese producer in the world.

Kraemer Brothers had to work with the company’s corporate offices in France to acquire and install the company’s specialized equipment.

Builders worked through a translator to talk with the owners and engineers on the project.

“It was somewhat of a barrier,” Nelson said. “We had an interpreter from their California plant here, and he helped us make sure we were getting the information right.”

Nelson said some French contractors knew English, and an electrical contractor on the job could speak French, which made things easier.

Ultimately, Nelson said the language difference didn’t lead to any delays on the project. Work on finished ahead of schedule at every stage, he said.

Workers had to translate more than the language. All of the equipment came wired with the European 220-volt system and had to be retrofitted for U.S. current, said project superintendent Randall Nelson.

“That was the biggest challenge,” he said. “It was definitely a custom job.”

The equipment was shipped from France across the Atlantic Ocean, loaded on trains and taken to Chicago, and then loaded on trucks for delivery to Belmont. Kraemer Brothers tracked the shipments through customs, and that process required flexible schedules, Nelson said.

For the project, workers built six pre-engineered metal buildings totaling 37,100 square feet and remodeled an additional 58,600 square feet. The project enlarged the facility’s storage rooms, packaging area and maturing rooms, among other areas.

Production continued during construction, creating one challenge for Kraemer Brothers. Crews blocked off work areas to avoid contaminating the cheeses and worked nights and weekends to accommodate the plant’s production schedule. Nelson said the plant never missed a production goal during the 10-month process.

As for the cheeses, the construction workers got to sample the product. Nelson said he preferred the brie and camembert, but not so much the feta.

“My wife liked the feta,” he said, “but I stayed away from that one.”

— Dustin Block