Leinenkugel's Brewery Strucural Improvements

Over multiple decades, Ayes has provided a range of services to Molson Coors’ Leinenkugel Brewery in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. Our structural engineering services, supported by survey staff, have produced deliverables and peace of mind on several recent projects.

Pedestrian and Equipment Bridge

Ayres provided structural engineering, 3D scanning, and construction administration services for the replacement of the enclosed utility bridge connection between the Leinenkugel Brewery Malt House and Brewhouse buildings. The previous connection housed utilities that are essential to the brewing process. The new bridge was designed to be wider than the original one to provide a walkway for Leinenkugel’s personnel to travel between buildings, in addition to extra space for the previously congested utility lines.

Ayres addressed multiple challenges, including the requirement that the existing utilities and building connection remain in place without interruption while the new enclosure and structure were constructed around them. Ayres completed a 3D scan of the project area that provided a very accurate digital model of the existing building structures and various suspended pipes and supports. This model allowed our team to design the new structure around the existing conditions with complete certainty, avoiding any conflicts between new and existing construction.

Another challenge was that the appearance of the new connection had to complement the look and character of the historic buildings on the site. The new bridge structure features a Vierendeel-style truss that eliminated the need for diagonal bracing that may have otherwise obscured window openings and detracted from the overall aesthetic. Our team created a new structure that pairs well with the existing site by incorporating windows replicating those of the adjacent buildings, along with EIFS (exterior insulation and finish system) wall panels that provide the appearance of large stone masonry walls. 

Bottling Room Modifications

Ayres provided structural evaluations and designs for building modifications within the bottling room at the Leinenkugel Brewery. The structural modifications were implemented to accommodate new equipment and processes that had resulted in changes to the building’s structural system. The project involved evaluating various existing building components, designing building structural system changes, and developing structural construction drawings.

One structural evaluation involved a new conveyor system that was to be supported from the existing roof structure. Another structural evaluation involved plans to replace skylights in the bottling and pasteurizing rooms with exhaust units.  Ayres completed structural evaluations of the existing roof structure to determine whether strengthening of the roof was required to accommodate the additional loads.

Following the evaluations, Ayres designed structural modifications and produced associated construction drawings to address the changed building systems by strengthening structural components identified in the prior evaluations.

Equipment Supports for Boiler Room and Malt Mill

Ayres provided structural design services for elevated platforms in the boiler room and malt mill areas of the Leinenkugel Brewery to support the replacement of aging equipment. The elevated platforms consisted of structural steel framing to support heavy brewing equipment, storage tanks, and catwalks for brewery personnel.

• Building Structural Design
• HD Scanning
• Industrial/Manufacturing
• Observation