Challenge:
The scale of Arla’s new Stourton dairy resulted in longer than normal pipe runs and, for production efficiency, the need to recover product from within them. The highly complex and automated lines within the new ‘state of the art’ facility also had a clear objective of maximising shelf life of product through a scrupulous level of manufacturing hygiene. Fragile and/or live culture dairy products have always proved challenging when applying ‘pigging’ technology to recover product from within pipework.
Solution:
Arla evaluated suppliers of suitable pigging technology and identified Martec with their patented Marplug™ as offering unique, best in class, capabilities. Seeking a second opinion an independent dairy sector process engineering company confirmed Arla’s findings and then engaged Martec to design and install a product recovery system on one of the cottage cheese production lines.
Martec worked in partnership with the integrator bringing their process engineering expertise to bear on delivering a solution incorporating product recovery with the clean-in-place (CIP) processes and regimes to meet all the challenges involved. Martec developed a new ‘hyper-hygienic’ Marplug™ based on the patented design aspects but with specific material and manufacturing processes to deliver a new level of hygiene confidence.
Since the first installation Martec systems have subsequently provided hygienic product recovery across a wide range of product lines; cottage cheese, creams, custard, ice-cream formulations in both the new plant and the existing dairy on the same site. Martec product recovery systems are now permanently used as part of the normal daily production.
Benefits:
The wipe action of the Marplug™ and the attention to detail in pipe layout arising from professional engineering expertise meant that during the trials Arla saw more than expected product recovered from within the pipework. Virtually 100% recovery occurs wherever the Marplug™ travels.
By integrating with clean-in-place practice cleaning times were reduced as a result of removal of residual product minimizing the number of flushes to achieve the required level of hygiene. The high level of hygienic performance provided the opportunity to further extend the declared product shelf-life. Click here for original Arla press release.
