Case Studies

WATLY Engineering are delighted to have recently completed a dairy pilot plant near Weston-super-Mare.

Director Rob Holly said: “The Food Works SW approached us at the beginning of the year with an inquiry to build a dairy pilot plant that would be able to produce yoghurt, ice cream, cheese, butter and vegan alternative products.

“When we first visted the site it was clear that we needed to design the whole plant from the ground up including all services like chilled water, steam and air along with a CIP system to clean the equipment.

Fellow Director Mark Watts said: “All the vessels, platforms and flow plates were designed and fabricated in our workshop in Yeovil. The fabrication time was approximately eight weeks in the workshop and onsite instal was six weeks.

“All the valves, pumps and stainless steel fittings were supplied by Pipeline products. Automation and electrical installation carried out by ECS (Bath) Ltd. Other partners in the project were CFB Boilers, ICS cool energy.”

Rob added: “We encountered a couple of problems along the way but these were easily resolved by the WATLY team. For example getting the boiler into the roof void meant that we needed to go through the roof. Another example was the shortage of space in the plant room so we lifted the CIP set onto a raised platform so there was ample storage underneath.”

The project was handed over in August and since then it has been successfully used to produce vegan alternative products.

Princess Anne unveiled a plaque to mark the official opening of the centre of innovation, which provides the specialist equipment and support needed for food and drink businesses of all sizes to test, develop and manufacture their products.

ECS: lyndon@econsys.co.uk
Pipeline: www.pipeline-products.co.uk
ICS cool energy: www.icstemp.com
CFB Boilers: www.steamboilers.co.uk
The Food Works SW: www.thefoodworks-sw.co.uk