Are your wash-downs wasting water? There's something you can do about it

As anyone in the industry will know, food manufacturing consumes a large amount of water. That’s why manufacturers in this industry are some of the best in the business when it comes to improving energy efficiency and maximising savings.

In the pursuit of efficiency

Take, for instance, Strathmore Foods: a jewel in the crown of the Scottish food manufacturing industry. The company uses most of its hot water during its wash-down and clean-in-place (CIP) procedures. As its site expanded, however, it soon realised that its existing hot water heating solution would no longer cut the mustard.

The business found itself struggling to deliver a suitable flow-rate and temperature. The time spent cleaning also began to rise, as did water consumption. Inefficiency was the new king.

Strathmore quickly seized the initiative, however, and invited us in to assist it in identifying opportunities to improve process efficiency and deliver on energy savings. The ultimate goal was simple: save water.

Following a “walk the plant”, Strathmore decided that it was high-time for an upgrade to match that of its upgraded site and opted to replace the current seven steam/water mixing units for just one, (yes, one!) compact packaged heat exchanger. All the while, efficiency and sustainability were kept at the heart of the upgrade.

Wash-down, efficiency-up

The proof, as they say, is in the pudding. For Strathmore, this was one sweet upgrade. The new unit provided it with instantaneous hot water, allowing the team to undertake wash-downs in a much more time-sensitive way.

“How is that possible?” I hear you say. Well, packaged plate heat exchangers are a piece of wonder-equipment, designed to capture otherwise wasted heat to provide a continuous supply of hot water, at a temperature that does not fluctuate.

Water consumption can then be dramatically reduced as you’re no longer left pumping out unsuitably heated water in the wash-down process. The system leaves you in control of your own sustainability, giving you greater control over the amount of water that you use. It worked for Strathmore, and it could work for you.

The crown can be restored: efficiency is once again king.

Why not come along to our theatre session or stand at Food & Drink Business Europe Conference & Exhibition on the 2nd of October to find out more about how Spirax Sarco can help your business? Alternatively, come and say hello to us at Appetite for Engineering on the 18th October.

If you’d like to arrange a chat with one of our steam experts, please email: If you’d like to arrange a chat with one of our steam experts, please email: Get in touch

Dave Bird, Divisional Sales Manager