Vacuumation expertise from Lanes slims food waste bills

Wastewater engineers from Lanes Group plc are using their jetting and vacuumation tankers to help food and drink factories clean waste process tanks cost-effectively and sustainably.

Manufacturers are finding technology developed to empty and clean wastewater tanks is just as adept at efficiently removing food waste, ensuring production lines can run smoothy at all times.

In one example, the Lanes Preston depot, in Lancashire, is helping a major food manufacture in the North-West remove starch sludge from a waste tank, preventing it from becoming clogged.

Lanes Preston Depot Manager Simon Nickalls said: “Before we started to work with this client, they had been experiencing problems with the starch waste settling and becoming compacted in the tank.

“This resulted in the need for a prolonged tank cleaning process to be undertaken at significant cost to clear waste and ensure there was enough capacity to meet production schedules.”

Simon Nickalls recommended that Lanes remove the starch waste more frequently, giving less time for the sludge to become compacted, so it was easier to suck out of the tank.

It also meant the Lanes food waste removal team could monitor the tank more closely, feeding back useful information to the manufacturer’s production team to support long-term asset maintenance.

Simon Nickalls said: “Although the starch waste collections are more frequent, the overall waste management process is less costly for our client because high industrial tank cleaning costs have been eliminated.”

Lanes is working with the manufacturer, and others, to ensure food waste can be taken to recycling and disposal specialists as close to their sites as possible, reducing costs and supporting their carbon net zero strategies.

As the UK’s largest drainage and wastewater maintenance specialist, Lanes provides food manufacturers with a seamless multi-site tank emptying and cleaning service, delivered from 22 depots.

Another key advantage is having rapid and timely access to other specialist Lanes expertise and capabilities.

They include a fleet of super suction vacuumation tankers, advanced industrial pipe rehabilitation services, as well as pipe and tank CCTV camera surveying and 3D laser scanning.

“For the most challenging pipe and tank cleaning projects, Lanes can call in a wet-dry super suction tanker that can remove the thickest sludges and even dry waste from the largest and deepest tanks,” said Simon Nickalls.

“We’re also a leading provider of industrial pipe lining services, so are able to rehabilitate process pipes by installing chemical-resistant liners approved to meet all required safety and quality standards.

“This one stop shop capability streamlines factory maintenance supply chains for food manufacturers, reducing costs and ensuring the right planned and reactive services are delivered in a timely way.” Lanes also works with a range of food and drinks manufacturers,  including brewers, distillers and cider makers, to provide standard liquid waste tankering services.