GSM Industrial designed, fabricated, and installed 304 stainless steel dust collection ductwork for Post Consumer Brands in Bloomsburg, PA.
Post Consumer Brands needed a new stainless dust collection system tied into four dryers at its pet food plant in Bloomsburg, PA. Most of the tie-in work could only happen while production was down, and the outage dates moved more than once. Every weld inside the building had to be made in an operating GMP food facility.
GSM Industrial designed, fabricated, and installed 304 stainless steel dust collection ductwork for Post Consumer Brands in Bloomsburg, PA, completed in June 2026. The scope included 45,500 lbs of 304 stainless duct from 14 to 42-1/8 inches in diameter, two roof exhaust stacks, and 21 hot-dip galvanized rooftop supports. All stainless welding followed AWS D1.6. Every tie-in was made within the plant’s outage dates across 12 weeks on site.
| Client | Post Consumer Brands (pet food manufacturing) |
| Engineer of Record | Dennis Group |
| Location | Bloomsburg, PA |
| Project Type | Stainless steel dust collection ductwork fabrication and field installation |
| Stainless Steel | 45,500 lbs of 304 stainless: 11 GA, 12 GA, and 1/2 in. plate |
| Duct Diameters | 14, 16, 29, 32, 34, 41, and 42-1/8 in., in lengths from 24 to 120 in. |
| Exhaust Stacks | Two 304 stainless, 42-1/8 in. diameter by 170 in. tall |
| Support Steel | 10,624 lbs of hot-dip galvanized A36 and galvanized plate; 21 rooftop supports, 7 of them double |
| Standards Applied | AWS D1.6 stainless steel welding; GMP food facility requirements |
| On-Site Duration | 12 weeks, March 2 to May 23, 2026 |
| Completion Date | June 2026 |
| GSM Services | In-house design, shop and field fabrication, welding, rigging, field installation |
The duct runs from four dryers inside the plant, up through the roof, across a long rooftop run, and out through two exhaust stacks. Each roof penetration and dryer connection could only be made while that equipment was down, and the outage days shifted with Post’s production schedule. Inside, the crew was cutting and welding stainless in a food facility with strict GMP and safety rules. It was also out-of-town work, so problems had to be solved on site.
GSM spent days in planning calls with Post, Dennis Group, and the other contractors before the first piece shipped. GSM’s in-house design team built the fabrication drawings from Dennis Group’s engineered drawings. The team then set a schedule around each demo and install milestone and shipped the duct in sequenced lots, so the right sections were on site for each outage.
GSM’s industrial ductwork fabrication shop built the duct and both stacks in its dedicated stainless area. The rooftop supports were fabricated from A36 steel and hot-dip galvanized. The seven double stands are 10 feet wide and carry the 41-inch duct 9 feet 6 inches above the roof to centerline.
Then the plan changed. Outage dates moved. Dennis Group revised the roof support stand design late in the job. New roof curbs that had already been approved and fabricated were pulled from the scope, which changed how the duct penetrations went in. GSM’s industrial ductwork installation crew handled each change with on-site fabrication instead of waiting on new parts from the shop.
GSM’s field crew was on site for 12 weeks, from March 2 to May 23, 2026, and never missed an outage date. The finished system includes four separate roof penetrations to four dryers, 41-inch duct runs from the dust collectors to the fans, and two 170-inch roof stacks. Post has called GSM back for several smaller projects since. In a food plant, that second call is the real review.
What made this project interesting was the vast collaboration between so many parties to reach the finished product on time and under budget. For weeks leading up to GSM’s portion, there were many Teams calls, phone calls, and email dialog to confirm design specifications, demo milestones, and installation milestones.
Travis Urey, Field Project Manager, GSM Industrial
304 stainless steel is a common choice for dust collection ductwork in food and pet food plants because it resists corrosion and stands up to sanitation. It’s the same 304 and 316 stainless GSM uses for food and beverage metal fabrication. On this project, GSM used 11-gauge, 12-gauge, and 1/2-inch 304 stainless plate, welded to AWS D1.6, the welding code for stainless steel structures.
Yes, GSM plans duct tie-ins around a plant’s outage schedule so connections are made while the equipment is down. At Post Consumer Brands, the team built a schedule around each demo and install milestone and shipped the duct in sequenced lots, so the right sections were on site for each outage window.
Yes, GSM Industrial fabricates stainless and carbon steel ductwork in its Lancaster, PA shop and installs it in the field with its own crews. That includes the supports, hangers, roof stands, and exhaust stacks that go with the duct. This project included 21 hot-dip galvanized rooftop supports and two 304 stainless exhaust stacks, 42-1/8 inches in diameter and 170 inches tall. GSM also fabricates dust collectors and baghouses.
Call 717-417-4594 or contact us to start a conversation.
GSM Industrial provides stainless steel fabrication, industrial ductwork fabrication and installation, and field services across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and Ohio. Based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania since 1983, GSM Industrial holds ASME U and R Stamp certification, AISC certification, and AWS welder certifications. For industrial fabrication and field installation projects, contact GSM Industrial at 717-207-8985 or visit gsmindustrial.com.
