Food packaging firm invests £320k in factory
The new system replaces three existing evaporating cooling towers at the site in Featherstone and runs at low ambient temperature for optimum energy efficiency.
It also completely removed the risk of legionella bacteria formation on site, claimed Linpac.
Linpac UK engineering manager Nathan Oades said: “By installing the new cooling system external to its manufacturing operation, Linpac UK now complies with industry-wide best practice. It also mirrors the standards set by our [European] sites, which already operate similar systems.
‘Positive environmental impact’
“The investment will have a positive environmental impact, with estimated energy savings of up to 26,000t of water and over £120,000 in power per year. And, importantly, it eliminates the potential health risks associated with vapour emitting systems, being fully HSHE [Health and Safety, Hygiene and Environment] compliant.”
The investment is part of a wider programme of redevelopment at the factory to make it more environmentally friendly and cost effective.
Oades added: “Today’s investment in its new cooling system secures Linpac’s position as a socially and environmentally responsible fresh food packaging manufacturer of tomorrow.”
Invested £1.2M in machinery
The installation of the new cooling system comes just over a year after the company invested £1.2M in machinery that enabled the firm to produce an extra 200M expanded polystyrene trays each year at its St Helens site.
Founded in 1959, Linpac manufacturers a wide range of packaging for the food industry, including meat trays, films and rigid plastic containers. The company had 2,500 employee worldwide as of 2015.
