Nelsons is an internationally recognised manufacturer of natural health products. With a production facility situated in the heart of the Snowdonia mountains, Nelsons use the iron-rich natural waters from Trefriw Wells Spa to create their range of health supplements.
The Challenge
Nelsons had previously invested in a bespoke 2,500L vessel from Pharma Hygiene Products to maintain the temperature of their large product batches whilst mixing. Increased demand for their ‘Spatone’ range of liquid food supplement sachets meant that the one vessel could no longer keep up, and this presented an opportunity for Nelsons to streamline their processes.
The Solution
Money Saved – No Production Time Wasted
Cold, iron-rich waters from Trefriw Wells Spa are collected at a slow rate overnight into Nelsons’ now two 2,500L vessels. No production time is wasted; production never has to stop as the vessels each include a sensor - when just over 2,000L is reached, water collection shuts off automatically, instead of having to be manually shut off by an operator.
Whilst the water is being collected, it is warmed by a heated jacket around the vessel, and a stirrer keeps the water moving to ensure a consistent temperature throughout. Once the water is warmed, it is mixed with a fruit flavouring to a batch size of 2,500L. The mixed product is then drained from a vessel outlet directly to a sachet filler, ready to be filled and packed for sale.
Money Made – Increased Overall Productivity
The purchase of this second vessel has increased productivity by removing a time-consuming step from Nelsons’ production process. It has alleviated the need to transfer the water into holding tanks before packing on the sachet filler, as the collection of water can be moved to the second vessel if required. This has become crucial to ensure Nelsons can keep up with the increased demand for their Spatone products.
The Verdict - A Cost-Effective Solution
Investing in 316L grade stainless steel vessels is a cost-effective solution for Nelsons, as 316L grade contains 2% molybdenum to help resist corrosion and wear; these vessels will be fully operational for years to come.
316L grade also guarantees impeccable levels of hygiene for ingestible products. The surface-roughness finish of the vessels is an exceptional 0.4 micrometers RA. This high-level finishing is fully compliant with hygiene regulations, giving security that bacteria will not be stored, and also allows the most thorough cleaning with alcohol-based disinfectants in the cleaning process. This means that Nelsons are free from the risk of potentially costly batch recalls.
