Critical Infrastructure Upgrade: Fire Protection Revamp for a Leading Consumer Goods Manufacturer

Major American multinational consumer goods manufacturer Procter & Gamble has operated a large-scale production facility in Albany, Georgia since 1972. The site plays a key role in supplying paper products across the Southeastern United States and has grown substantially over the decades. With that growth came infrastructure challenges—most notably, the facility's underground fire water mains, which run beneath several buildings and feed the sprinkler systems throughout the plant. After a similar facility experienced a catastrophic underground pipe blowout that caused millions of dollars in damage, the manufacturer proactively sought to eliminate that risk at the Albany location.

To address the issue, the company engaged Wood PLC as construction manager to implement rerouting of the facility’s underground fire protection piping above-ground. Wood PLC selected MJW to execute this technically complex and high-stakes project. MJW’s work involved installing approximately 2,400 linear feet of 12-inch pipe and 800 linear feet of 8-inch pipe above ground to bypass the vulnerable underground infrastructure. Additionally, MJW isolated ten sprinkler manifolds from the decommissioned underground feeds and reworked them to the new above-ground feed using newly fabricated header assemblies.

MJW supported the project by handling the building modifications necessary for the new piping layout. Responsibilities included cutting and sealing wall penetrations for pipe routing between structures, applying fire-rated sealants and steel plating, and performing precision welding in basement areas to integrate the new piping with the existing fire protection system.

Given that much of the new piping was installed in areas with regular foot and equipment traffic, extensive planning and coordination were required to ensure safe routing and minimal disruption. MJW collaborated closely with the facility’s operational team to reroute pedestrian pathways and align the most intrusive work with a planned shutdown. Coordination meetings were held to plan basement tie-ins at each paper machine, ensuring the work was executed safely and efficiently.

Over the course of the project, more than 5,000 man-hours were completed without a single safety incident or lost time. This successful initiative marked the completion of Phase One in a larger three-phase infrastructure improvement program.