Stop Paying to Clean your IBCs: How Equilibrium Brought it In-House
The challenge faced by many chemical manufacturers, such as Equilibrium Chemicals, is the hidden costs of getting IBCs cleaned.
Currently, chemical manufactures send off their IBCs to be cleaned by third party cleaners. The process generates ongoing expenses for manufacturers, whilst often facing delays and reduced availability for these essential assets.
Equilibrium Chemicals, who operate with the UK’s chemical processing sector, produce a range of products where controlled, compliant container reuse is critical. The importance of cleaning left Equilibrium reliant on external cleaning providers, which resulted in delays in container turnaround, losing control of critical assets, and operational inefficiencies tied to logistics and storage.
Due to these difficulties, and the ongoing cost per container being spent. Equilibrium decided that, to improve efficiency and reduce dependency on external companies, they would look to bring the cleaning process in-house.
Rotajet RJ-ICS
Following successful trials, Equilibrium selected Rotajet Systems and their RJ-ICS IBC washing system.
The RJ-ICS is a compact, high performance solution designed for fast repeatable internal cleaning Key features of the RJ:ICS include:
- High-impact rotating wash nozzles for full internal coverage
- Air-Driven lance system ensuring consistent cleaning performance
- Integrated rinse stage for final contamination removal
- Controlled cycle times for repeatable operation
- Efficient water usage (~14 L/min)
The installed system for Equilibrium included the floor standing RJ-ICS unit, the air-driven nozzle systems as well as the integrated rinse functionality.
The systems delivers a simple, repeatable cleaning process. Firstly, the IBC needs to be positioned over the wash lance. Once the lance has been lowered into the container and cover tightly affixed to the top; the high-pressure rotating nozzles clean all of the internal surfaces. The container is then rinsed with fresh water to ensure any remaining residues are removed. The wastewater produced is discharged so that it can be treated and reused, leaving a professionally cleaned IBC.
The cleaning process as a whole takes roughly 3 minutes for an IBC to go through. This allows for a fast turnaround and a seamless integration into any manufacturers daily operations.
Since the installation, Equilibrium Chemicals has transformed its IBC handling process. IBC cleaning has been brough fully in-house and has completely eliminated reliance on outsourced cleaning providers. Turnaround times and operational flexibility have improved dramatically by increasing the availability of IBC assets used in production. What was once an ongoing cost centre is now a controlled, efficient in-house process.
Buy
Full ownership and long-term cost savings
Rent
Fixed monthly cost with minimal upfront investment
Contract
Contract cleaning via Rotajet-approved partners
About Rotajet
Rotajet Systems Ltd, based in Wakefield, UK, designs and manufactures industrial washing and recycling systems, including IBC washers, drum washers, and parts cleaning equipment.
All systems are supported by in-house trials and engineered to suit each customer’s process requirements.
About Equilibrium
With over 75Â years combined experience in the solvent and chemical industry, Equilibrium has gained a reputation for both quality of products and services and have built a large customer base across the UK and Europe.
