Envirogen Group has completed a new, state-of-the-art activated carbon water treatment plant for drinks company Vrumona, one of largest soft drinks companies in the Netherlands. Crucially, Envirogen maintained a continuous flow of purified water to Vrumona’s production line throughout the project and during the switchover to the new plant.
“We had to be adaptable because we were facing Covid-19 lockdowns which could have threatened progress. We overcame this through remote planning and robust project management to deliver on time and on budget,” says Emil Bisseling, Sales Manager, Envirogen Group.
To ensure continuity of water supply, one of the existing stainless-steel vessels – containing filtration media and extremely high quality granular activated carbon – in the plant that was being decommissioned was replaced by a new one and its treatment materials. When the new vessel was handling the same water volume as the one it replaced, two new vessels were installed in a building specifically designed for the new plant, ensuring ample capacity for future expansion.
“Because the flow rate of the new system significantly exceeded that of the old system, Vrumona’s manufacturing operation was able to seamlessly switch over with just two vessels running,” adds Bisseling.
Critical
Included in the next stage was the implementation of new hardware and firmware, including a new Human Machine Interface (HMI) and updated software. “Then came the most critical part of the whole project – switching from one set of control panels to another. A joint on-site Vrumona-Envirogen team carried that out, step by step. It was seamless thanks to the intuitive nature of the HMI.”
Finally, the new vessel in the old set-up was moved to the new plant, to complete the project and lift the overall flow rate to the required level. With three million hectolitres of beverages coming out of Vrumona’s production line each year, the new plant was designed to handle today’s requirements and tomorrow’s growth.
As part of the Heineken group, and as a contract manufacturer for major brands such as PepsiCo, Sisi, 7UP and Sourcy, Vrumona must work within stringent recipes to ensure that the taste profile is identical. Reaching very high standards of water purity is a key element of this.
Crucial for production
Vrumona Managing Director Evelien Sanders-de Boer comments, “The project has made Vrumona’s operations future-proof. The quality of treated water is crucial for production.”
Bisseling points out, “Our granular activated carbon filter systems are created to strip out impurities so that the manufacturer can start creating their beverage from a neutral position. The hygienic design complies with global manufacturing safety standards and the stringent quality and consistency metrics defined by Heineken in its recipes.”
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