MEMO OF TRANSMITTAL

To: Lupe Beltran

From: Roger Pena
Date: 27 March 2016
Subject: Proposal to Create Insect-proof Doors for the Cold Storage at Delano
Farms Co.
Attached is the requested recommendation report on the issue of insect-proof doors for
Delano Farms cold storages. The purpose of this report is to find a solution of making
the doors of the cold storage insect-proof.
Recommendations
Two possible solutions are evaluated throughout this report. The possible solutions are
the following:

Apply door sealants along the edges of the doors to seal cracks
Replace and install new insect-proof doors

Methods
To properly give an educated decision, many different types of information and research
methods are acquired. The following primary sources are used:

Personal interview with Lupe Beltran

Experiment of flow into and out of Cold Storage

The following are my secondary sources:

Primus Labs Evaluations

Duck-brand Products Website
Vortex Doors Website
Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information book

Findings
Information found through these research methods is reported in the Results section
of this report. The information is then analyzed in the Conclusions section.
Final Recommendation
My final decision is that we replace the old doors and replace them with insect-proof
doors from Vortex.
Thank you for your consideration of this report. I appreciate the opportunity. Please
contact me if you have any questions.

Prepared for Lupe Beltran

Head of Maintenance at Delano Farms Co.

Proposal to Create Insect-proof Doors for the Cold Storage at

Delano Farms Co.

Prepared by Roger Pena

Submitted November 27, 2016
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Table of Contents

Introduction 3-4

Methods... 4-5
Primary. 4
Secondary... 4-5

Results 5-7
Primary. 5-6
Secondary... 6-7

Conclusions.. 7-8

Recommendation. 8

References. 9

Figures Cited. 9

Table of Figures
Figure 1: Current doors at Delano Farms outlining the cracks... 3
Figure 2: Circulation and usage of Doors Experiment.. 6

Introduction
Purpose
I am from the town of Delano in California, and my family that works for Delano farms is
dealing with the problem that I am trying to solve. Lupe Beltran, head of maintenance
for Delano Farms [1], explains that this problem needs to be fixed as quickly as possible
because this problem can possibly put the company out of business. My passion to
solve this problem comes from wanting to help my family that works for Delano Farms
to feel more relaxed about their work. I also find this problem very relevant to my
architectural engineering major. Situations like the one my uncle is experiencing can
happen at any time in the architectural world, so it would be great to have some direct
problem-solving experience beforehand.
In this report, I will be studying two different methods that can provide proper insectproof doors at a cold storage of fruit. Through my research, I will determine which
method will prove to be the least costly, most labor-reduced, and most effective. The
two possible solutions that I am proposing to correct this complication are to replace the
doors completely or to implement sealants for the spacing between the doors. Insectproof doors do not allow for air or light to pass between the outdoors and the inside of
the storage unit. The use of these types of doors is vital for cold storage because the
cold storage contains various types of frozen fruits. If the building is not securely closed
off from the outdoors, then the fruit is at a higher risk of going inedible or being eaten by
insects that enter through the building.
Background
Delano Farms has recently been inspected by Primus Lab, which is an inspection
company that determines if fruit-packaging companies are up to safety codes and
cleanliness. The data from Primus Lab gives grocery companies such as Walmart,
Costco, and Albertsons an idea on which fruit packing companies should buy product
from [2]. Since the cold-storage doors at Delano Farms were not up to code, Primus
Lab gave negative points on their website to Delano Farms,
which resulted in a loss of business for Delano Farms.
Primus Lab has given Delano Farms 15 days to find and
implement a solution that either fills the space and cracks
seen in the current doors at Delano Farms shown in figure
one or replacing them [1].
(Figure 1: Current doors at Delano Farms with red outlining to
identify the cracks within the door which is why they are not
up to code)
Insect-proof doors are needed for cold storages to keep the
proper temperature and to ensure the high quality of fruit.
Proper cold temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius and lower
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are needed for fruit to prolong the shelf life [3]. Doors can be made insect-proof in
multiple ways by adding sealants around the edging of the doors [4] and purchasing
new doors that allow for no space between the doors and wall, such as hospital doors. I
am certain that either option will be able to solve the problem, but Delano Farms is
looking for a solution that is most beneficial for them in both the future and present.
Organization
After the Introduction and background, this report is composed of my primary and
secondary methods of research, results from these methods, analyzed information
about the results while comparing to each solution, and finally choosing between the
two possible solutions:

Replacing the old doors and installing new air-tight doors.

Applying sealants around the edges of the doors to fill up the space between the
doors.

Methods
Primary Methods
Interview
I interviewed my uncle, Lupe Beltran, who is head of maintenance at Delano Farms, on
November 11, 2016. He has full knowledge of the problem and possible solutions that
we can utilize for the doors.
Observational Experiment
This experiment is a study of how many times workers walk in and out of the cold
storage to see how much the doors are used. This experiment included Lupe Beltran
videotaping a full day of work and analyzing how many times workers used the doors
Secondary Methods
Inspection company website
Primus Labs inspects food and fruit-packaging companies to ensure they are up to date
on code and cleanliness. Primus Labs keeps record and points on companies so that
grocery sellers know which company has the food with the highest quality for
consumers.

Book
The book, Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information, contains experiments and findings on
how fruits and vegetables should be contained and stored. It stresses the need for them
to be in cold areas to increase the lifespan of the fruit or vegetable.
Company website of Solution one
Vortex Doors is a company that installs and offers a variety of different kind of doors for
anyone that needs new and high-quality doors. Vortex Doors offers the double opening
doors like those in hospitals which would help in solving the problem for the old doors.
Company website of Solution two
Duck Brand is a door sealant company that sells innovative products to create sealed
doors. These seals allow the door to become weather-proof and airtight, thus making
the door insect-proof.
Results
From all these methods, I gathered all the vital information to help me figure the proper
solution for the problem discussed earlier. Here are the results from my primary and
secondary methods.
Primary Methods
Interview
I asked Lupe Beltran, Head of Maintenance for Delano Farms Company the following
questions and received these answers [1]:
1. Question: How big of a problem is this to the company?
o Answer: Well, we were docked points from our inspection which made us
lose some business and if we do not fix this problem soon then there is a
chance that no company will want to buy our fruit which will cause us to
shut down.
2. Question: Have you guys thought of any solutions already or tried anything?
o Answer: We have put temporary covers around the edging of the doors,
but they will only last about a month or two so we are looking for a more
affordable and long lasting solution still.
3. Question: Is there any other background information you can give me on this
problem?
o Answer: We currently have about 15 days to correct this problem. We
are looking for a solution that will not cause us to have to come back and
should deal with it again. Vortex is a company that installs different types
of doors so maybe they can help.
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4. How long would it take to Vortex company to install the doors?

o Vortex company can install two to three doors in one day for a total of six
hours, but we have three double doors. Most likely it would take about two
days to install the doors.
5. How long would it take to apply the sealants to the doors?
o It would take about a full day to apply the sealants around the doors
because we must measure each length of the door and allow for the
sealant glue to dry.
Observational Experiment
For this experiment, Lupe Beltran set a camera up on each of the doors to observe how
many people walk in and out of the doors to understand how much they are opened and
closed. I wanted to learn how much usage the doors are put under to understand which
solution would be a better suit.
Flow of People walking in and out of Cold Storage
Day #
# of times entered
# of times exited
Day one
2544
2568
Day two
2564
2576
Day three
2532
2542
Average:

Total
5112
5140
5074
5108

(Table 1: Circulation and usage of Doors Experiment)

On average, the doors are put under stress of opening and closing around 5,108 times
a day. These doors are constantly used and put under stress more than usual doors.
Secondary Methods
Book
According to the book, Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information, under the section Cold
Storage of Fruits and Vegetables, it is vital that fruits and vegetables be kept at a cold
temperature of at most 30 degrees Celsius [3]. This is important to increase and keep
the foods shelf-life at a maximum. This is important to cold storages and how they need
to be kept at a regular, constant, cold temperature to keep the foods in better quality for
the customers.
Inspection Company website
Primus Labs is a company that conducts inspections for food packaging companies to
check for food quality and sanitation. Primus Labs gives companies points and docks
them points when they violate any code or some criteria is not met up to their standards
[2]. This company uploads their information on their website for grocery companies,
such as Walmart and Costco, to check and compare who they should buy their fruits
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and vegetables from. Primus Labs has the power to put a company out of business if
they have a failed inspection or some criteria is not up to date or code. Delano Farms
was deducted points on their last inspection due to not meeting the door codes. This
resulted in many grocery companies to stop or decrease their collaboration with Delano
Farms, thus Delano Farms lost valuable customers.
Company Website of Solution one
Duck brand is a company that sells many innovative products to improve or fix certain
areas in a building. Duck brand sells door sealants which are a possible solution to the
problem. Prices of door sealants range from seven dollars to 50 dollars depending on
the quality and life expectancy of the product [4]. Door sealants eventually wear down
and need replacing after a couple months and some may last one to two years.
Installment of the product can be done by yourself and would take about one hour for
each door for installment. The price of the heavier duty sealant is 50 dollars per roll of
length 10 feet. There are six doors that would need the sealant so approximately 80
feet of sealant would be needed. Total costs of this solution would be about 400 dollars
and require a full day of labor of six hours.
Company Website of Solution two
Vortex is a company that sells various types of doors or gates. Vortex has a 24-hour
line that can be called in case of emergency and includes installment labor if wanted.
They can install about two or three doors in a full day of work which consists of six
hours. Other type of doors or gates can be installed at different lengths of time
depending on the type and care needed for the door. Vortex sells insulated doors which
also gives the insect-proof code needed for Delano Farms. It would take about two
days for completion of installment at the cold storage because there are three double
doors which result to six doors total to be replaced. Each door could range from a price
of 750 to 1250 dollars with the cost of labor at 65 dollars per 30 minutes. Total cost of
this solution could be around 6000 dollars and take two days to be implemented.
Conclusions
The problem of the doors being not insect-proof in the cold storage needs to be fixed in
some type of way to be put back on track with sales and production. I suggest two
possible solutions that would both work which are to either implement some sealant
from Duck brand along the edges of the doors to make them insect-proof or to replace
the doors with airtight-insect proof doors from Vortex [4,5].
Solution one involves applying sealant around the edges of each door. This solution is
great because it is the most time productive and could be implemented in one day.
Since this is a timely matter, this solution seems ideal. This solution would cost about
400 dollars to complete project which is relatively cheap. However, the difficulties on
this solution are that it must be installed by a worker at Delano Farms which would take
them away from their current duties. This could result loss of productivity in packaging
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and affect time schedules with shipment dates. Also, the doors are constantly being put
under the stress of opening and closing as seen in table one [6]. Sealants can take
stress but over time eventually tear or break off, so the sealants would need to be
replaced each time that happens. Time varies for how long it takes for the sealants
would break but average around one year [4]. Each year Delano farms would have to
spend 400 dollars to buy new sealants and spend a full day to replace the old sealants.
My second solution is the replacement of the doors and installation of new airtight and
insect-proof doors. Solution two would cost more at that moment but would prove to be
profitable in the future because they would not need to be replaced again like the
sealants. This would take longer but there would be no need for labor of a worker at
Delano Farms since Vortex Company installs the doors for you. This solution would cost
about 6000 dollars and take about two days to be installed. However, this solution
would be the best since the doors would last for many years and pass inspection with
ease.
Solution two is ultimately better because it would solve the problem for now and the
future. Replacing the doors would prove to be the most profitable for Delano Farms and
ideal for the company.
Recommendations
Based on the thorough research, I recommend that Delano Farms replace the old doors
with insect-proof doors by contacting Vortex Doors to install the new doors to allow
Primus Labs to pass Delano Farms for inspection.

References
[1] L. Beltran, Head of Maintenance, Delano Farms Co. Interview. Delano, CA. 11 Nov
2016.
[2] "PrimusLabs Main Page", Primuslabs.com, 2016. [Online]. Available:
http://www.primuslabs.com/. [Accessed: 12- Nov- 2016].
[3] Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information, 1st ed. London: Springer, 2014, pp. 11-16.
[4] "Window & Door Seals | Duck Brand", Duck Brand, 2016. [Online]. Available:
http://duckbrand.com/products/weatherization/window-door-seals. [Accessed: 13Nov- 2016].
[5] V. Doors, "Commercial Door Repair & Door Replacement - Vortex Doors,
Vortexdoors.com, 2016. [Online]. Available: http://www.vortexdoors.com/.
[Accessed: 13- Nov- 2016].
[6] R. Pena, Flow of Workers in and out of the Cold Storage at Delano Farms
Company, Experiment. 11 November 2016.
Figures Referenced
[1] Figure 1. Current doors at Delano Farms outlining the cracks, Picture. 5 November
2016.
[6] Table 1. Circulation and usage of Doors Experiment, Table. 11 November 2016.