Summary
Aldevra redesigned and delivered a mission-ready training kitchen for the Air National Guard in Alpena, MI—completed in just 12 months.
The Air National Guard National Training Recruit Readiness Command Center in Alpena, MI is unlike almost any other training facility in the country.
They fly troops in from across the U.S. and around the world. They train year-round. And they do it in one of the most demanding environments imaginable: remote northern Michigan, with long winters and weather that pushes both people and infrastructure to their limits.
There aren’t many places that can replicate what Alpena offers. That uniqueness also makes logistics, service, and upgrades especially challenging.
The Challenge They Didn’t Fully See
When Alpena leadership came to Aldevra in spring 2024, the ask sounded straightforward: redesign and reflow their kitchen space, identify the right manufacturers, and do it fast.
But once we started digging in, it became clear this wasn’t just about new equipment.
The existing space had grown organically over time. Some pieces worked well. Others didn’t. Certain limitations weren’t obvious until we mapped how the kitchen supported training cycles (especially during the winter months, when the facility is at its busiest.)
From Real Conditions to a Real Design
We started by understanding exactly how Alpena operates:
- What equipment they already had
- What manufacturers could reliably support a remote location
- What would hold up under constant, high-volume use
- What service response times mattered in “the middle of nowhere”
That analysis led to a full kitchen solution built around Welbilt products.
In Alpena, service isn’t a “nice to have.” Welbilt’s ability to be on-site within 48 hours, even in remote northern Michigan, was a decisive factor.
From there, we translated the concept into something tangible:
- A detailed drawing of their floorplan
- A clear view of how the equipment would function in their space
- No abstractions, no guesswork
They could see it before committing to it.
Executing at an Unusual Speed
What happened next is what truly set this project apart.
From concept to full completion took 12 months.
In most projects of this scale, 12 months is just the equipment shipping timeline.
We:
- Finalized design and manufacturer selection
- Coordinated procurement and logistics
- Installed and commissioned the equipment in just two on-site trips
- Delivered a fully functional kitchen in time for January training sessions
The installation wrapped at the end of 2025.
The President of Welbilt’s Cleveland operations personally traveled to Alpena to provide hands-on training for the staff. That moment validated every decision made along the way. The team felt confident, supported, and fully equipped to operate the new kitchen from day one.
The Result: Speed, Accuracy, and Confidence
Alpena didn’t just get new equipment. They got:
- A kitchen designed around how they train
- Manufacturers aligned with their location and service needs
- A solution delivered faster than they thought possible
- A process that moved cleanly from problem → concept → design → install
That’s the outcome we aim for every time: speed without shortcuts, accuracy without friction, and a result everyone is proud to stand behind.
Ready to level up your operations? Email sales@aldevra.com.
