DECCO earns National EIC award for Wyeth BioPharma project

DECCO Inc. of Brookline, N.H. was a winner at this year's National Excellence in Construction awards. DECCO garnered a National Eagle award for the Wyeth BioPharma project in Andover, Mass. This $3.5 million job included all mechanical and process utility piping as well as on-site, dedicated project management, procurement services, and fabrication for multiple, complex custom skids. In seven months, DECCO installed process lines, WFI, CIP, process waste, compressed air, CO2 , plant steam and condensate, chilled water, chilled glycol, hot water, and vents and drains. The project was a flat out race to the finish, complicated by the fact that Suite II is sandwiched between two existing, fully operational suites. Ongoing processes at the biopharm company could not be disrupted. It would take less time to talk about what wasn't difficult on this job. It was an organic project that tested DECCO's project management skills, procurement capabilities, coordination abilities, flexibility, and the much-appreciated talent of its trade, i.e. everything. DECCO will not only receive an eagle but also a National Pyramid Award for its Nuvera Fuel Cells Renovation. Although this project was much smaller, its challenges were equally tough. DECCO had just under six months to install process piping for compressed air, chilled water, DI water, nitrogen, hydrogen lines from the exterior tanks to the production area, liquid fuel lines, clean steam, clean and dirty drain systems, and a vented piping system from each lab room. Perhaps the most challenging was the installation of 7,200 linear feet of ¼" stainless steel tubing for process and analytical calibration. All of this pipe needed to fit in the narrow utility chase (approximately 6' wide, 57' long, and 18' high) adjacent to the multiple lab spaces in the manufacturing area. With a contract value of $742,000, this six month project presented unique challenges which were met with energy and enthusiasm. The Wyeth project also won an eagle from ABC-Mass. The National EIC awards were held during this year's legislative conference in Washington D.C.