The Client –
Food Manufacturer
The Challenge –
Emergency equipment breakdown with no contingency plan in place
The Solution –
Complete temporary cooling system, including Aqua Pro chillers, pumps, buffer tanks, heat exchangers and over 300 metres of flexible hosing
There’s never a good time for a critical equipment failure, especially if you’re running a 24/7 production facility. When one of the UK’s largest food brands experienced an emergency breakdown just a few days before Christmas, they needed nothing short of a miracle. Ben Davies, Aqua’s Hire Director, outlines how his rental team spread a little Christmas magic!
Situation
“With no contingency plan in place and a failed process cooling system, the client was really struggling” explains Ben. “Production had ground to a halt, and they’d already called a couple of suppliers to no avail. It was very much a case of third time lucky when they called our rental desk. They explained they needed to get their line back up and running – to at least 50% capacity – by the next day to avoid serious impact of downtime and financial ramifications.”
With the clock ticking, one of our technical project engineers liaised with the site maintenance team over the telephone to understand the application and identify the most effective rental solution.
Solution
The team set about preparing a 2MW cooling package for despatch to site ASAP. Early next morning a team of seven engineers were deployed to take delivery and install the rental equipment. This was a real team effort, with both Hire and Service engineers joining forces to try and beat the clock.
“In total, the team installed 2 x 760kW Aqua Pro chillers, pumps, buffer tanks, 4 x 500kW heat exchangers and over 300 metres of flexible hose. In just one day we managed to get the client’s production running at 100% capacity. This is testament to the technical ability and tenacity of all our engineers and their commitment to overcoming any challenges put their way” comments Ben.
Result
As well as getting production on track for the remainder of the Christmas period, our rental solution provided additional benefits to the customer. The Aqua Pro chillers within our hire fleet run on low GWP refrigerant and are highly energy efficient. In this example, when operating at 15°C leaving temperature, the units can extract an impressive 1000kW+ each. The units are designed specifically to withstand the challenges and demands of process applications.
Aqua continued to provide technical support to the client over the Christmas period, including helping them with the switch from generator to mains power. They can now focus on repairing, or replacing, their legacy plant, safe in the knowledge that their production is secure.
“For me, this is a great example of the importance of contingency planning” explains Ben. “Aqua offer free contingency planning – with absolutely no obligation or cost involved. Then, should the worst ever happen, you’ll have peace of mind that the kit you need will be immediately available for quick and straightforward install. It’s always easier to help a client when it’s a proactive, rather than reactive, response.”
For more information on our free contingency planning service call the team on 0333 004 4433.
