The project also offers ecological enhancements. For example, Burnett intends to use the dairy’s heated COW (condensate off whey, which is in turn a by-product of the cheese-making process) water as a co-product to warm the exterior insulated fire tanks during the cold winter months. When the liquid whey is run through an evaporator to distill the whey into concentrated liquid whey or eventually dried into whey protein concentrate, the vapor that comes off of the evaporator is essentially steam. This is condensed into what is known as COW water (“cow water” refers to the water portion of milk). Typically, it is used for hot-water generation, but sometimes it is used as an indirect heat source for buildings.

With the expansion completed, the Burnett Dairy Cooperative will produce more of its Fancy Brand Cheese and continue to reach more retail customers. The project was an addition that was planned, approved, financed and constructed in a remarkably compressed time frame and will provide much needed storage for aging the cheese and holding the volume required for a growing market. Through the years Burnett has maintained high quality standards that reflect the best of northwest Wisconsin, and the latest expansion of its facilities leaves them poised to continue this successful tradition for many years to come.

Author Tony Manos was a construction estimator with Epstein, www.epsteinglobal.com.