Plant Modernization & Retrofits | A&K Machine & Fabrication

Beyond Single Parts

Full-System Overhauls, One Accountable Team

Sometimes the next replacement idler or scraper isn't going to fix it. The frames are bent, the drive train is undersized for the new product mix, the OEM doesn't make half the components anymore, or the line just wasn't built for what you're putting through it now. That's where modernization comes in.

A&K plans the overhaul from end to end. We engineer the new spec, fabricate every component in our shop, and field-install with our own crew — so the design intent, the manufactured part, and the on-site fit all line up. No handoff seam. No "that's not how we drew it."

Full-system overhauls: idlers, pulleys, drives, shafts, frames, controls interfaces

Retrofits to new belt width, load rating, or throughput target

Replace discontinued OEM systems with A&K-machined components

CAD/CAM engineering when drawings are missing or out of date

Phased rollout — one bay at a time around your shutdown calendar

In-house fabrication, machining, and field crew — single point of accountability

Heavy fabricated steel weldment in the A&K shop ready for modernization installation — A&K Machine & Fabrication, Jacksonville FL

Where Modernization Applies

From a Single Line to a Whole Plant

The scope is up to you. We've handled jobs as targeted as a single conveyor takeup retrofit, and as broad as a full production line rebuild over a six-month phased rollout.

Conveyor Lines

End-to-end overhauls: new idlers, pulleys, drive shafts, takeups, scrapers, frames, and walkways. Retrofit to a new belt width or load rating, or replace a legacy OEM system with A&K-machined components you can re-source on demand.

Belts · Drives · Frames

Processing Equipment

Augers, screw conveyors, agitators, mixers, mills, hammer-mills, and bulk material handling equipment. We rebuild worn flighting, replace shafts and bearings, re-skin troughs, and retrofit drives to current spec — keeping older equipment in service indefinitely.

Augers · Mills · Bulk Handling

Structural Assemblies

Mezzanines, walkways, support structures, hoppers, chute work, and equipment skids — retrofitted to current OSHA spec, new load ratings, or a different layout. Old fab gets cut out, new fab gets installed, with field welding and alignment done on-site.

Mezzanines · Skids · Hoppers

Our Process

How a Modernization Job Runs

Four phases. Each one signed off before the next starts, so you always know what's coming, what it costs, and when.

Walk & Assess

We come on-site, walk the line, photograph and measure what's there. Talk to your operators. Identify which components are at end-of-life, which can stay, and where the bottlenecks are.

Engineer & Quote

CAD/CAM model of the new spec, part list with materials and heat treatments, phased schedule tied to your shutdown windows. Fixed quote — no time-and-materials surprises.

Fabricate & Stage

Components machined and welded in our Jacksonville shop, palletized and labeled by phase. Nothing leaves until it's been inspected against the print — so install time isn't wasted fixing a bad fit.

Install & Commission

Our crew on your site during the scheduled outage. We disassemble the old, install the new, align, tension, run-up test, and hand it back. One team from CAD model to commissioning.

Worker beside a massive fabricated steel structure on site during a plant modernization project — A&K Machine & Fabrication, Jacksonville FL

Phased Rollouts

Modernize Without Shutting Down

Most plants can't afford a multi-week shutdown for a full rebuild. We don't ask them to. A typical A&K modernization is broken across multiple short outages — a weekend here, a planned-maintenance window there — with shop fabrication happening between visits.

Each phase is self-contained: we leave the line operational at the end of every outage, even mid-project. If business priorities shift, we pause between phases without stranded inventory or sunk cost.

Schedule work around your existing shutdown calendar

Line stays operational between phases — no partial-rebuild paralysis

Components fabricated ahead, staged for fast install

Pause or re-sequence the rollout without penalty

Scope a Modernization

Industries

Where We Modernize

Mining & Aggregates Food & Beverage Wood, Pulp & Paper Recycling Wastewater Agriculture Distribution & Warehouse Marine Power & Utilities Airports Pharmaceuticals Construction & Roads

If your operation is running on legacy equipment that's getting harder to source parts for, tell us about the system — we'll come walk it.

Common Questions

Plant Modernization FAQ

What counts as plant modernization at A&K?

Anything from a single legacy conveyor line being brought up to current spec, to a multi-bay processing system being retrofitted to a new throughput target. We modernize conveyor systems, processing equipment, structural assemblies, and complete production lines — handling engineering, fabrication, and on-site installation in one shop.

Can A&K handle a modernization when we don't have drawings of the original equipment?

Yes. Our in-house CAD/CAM team reverse-engineers from physical equipment, field measurements, or worn samples. Missing drawings are the norm, not the exception — we'll measure your existing system, model it, and design the modernization around what's actually there.

Can the work be phased so production doesn't stop?

Yes. We schedule modernization work around your planned shutdown windows — one bay or one line at a time, with new components pre-fabricated in our shop and staged for fast installation. Most modernizations are completed across multiple short outages rather than one long shutdown.

Do you handle just the parts or the full project including install?

Full project. A&K does the engineering, the shop fabrication, and the on-site installation with one team. There's no handoff seam between the shop that built it and the crew that put it in — and that means a single point of accountability for the whole job.

What if the OEM no longer makes parts for our legacy equipment?

That's a common reason customers call us. We machine direct replacements from your worn parts or measurements — and during a modernization, we often replace whole sub-assemblies with A&K-fabricated versions so you're no longer dependent on a discontinued OEM supply chain.

Related Services

Also From A&K

Scheduled Replacement

After the modernization, keep the new spec running with pre-staged replacement parts on a custom schedule — no emergency calls.

Explore the Program

Structural Fabrication

Conveyor frames, mezzanines, hoppers, skids, and walkways — the heavy steel side of every modernization, built in our shop.

Explore Fabrication

On-Site Services

Field installation, welding, alignment, and commissioning — the final phase of every modernization, done by the same team.

Explore On-Site

Get a Quote

Start Your Project

Send us your details — drawings, dimensions, or just a description. We'll get back to you within 48 hours on most quotes. For faster response or lead time questions on jobs, just call.

Fast Response

We respond to most quote requests within 48 hours. For faster responses or lead time questions on specific jobs, call us directly at 904-388-7772.

We Ship Anywhere

Based in Jacksonville, FL — we ship finished parts and components throughout Florida, the Southeast, and beyond.

Prefer to Call?

Reach us at 904-388-7772, Mon–Fri 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM (closed Sat–Sun).

Legacy Lines, Brought Up to Current Spec.