Food and Drink
Tank Cleaning & Industrial Services for the Food and Drink Sector
Merkland Tank offer a wide range of bespoke tank cleaning, silo cleaning and waste tankering services to the food and drink sector.
The importance of clean tanks, silos and pipelines in the food and drink sector cannot be overstated. Regular and effective cleaning is critical in preventing bacterial contamination and cross-contamination, ensuring food safety, maintaining product quality and integrity, and complying with strict food safety regulations.
From chocolate making and grain processing to drinks manufacturing, dairy processing, distilleries and bottling plants, our industry experience, competent team and state-of-the-art equipment can safely and effectively remove food and drink residues, waste and production byproducts from your machinery and equipment, in any challenging environment.
tank cleaning and industrial Services
Below are some recent food & drink projects by Merkland Tank.
TANK CLEANING
- Our team removed 1,000 tonnes of high viscosity liquid by-product from an onsite storage tank for our food manufacturing client.
- We first emptied the tank utilising the high-suction power of two of our liquid ring vacuum tankers – including the Amphitec BV V-Force – before transporting the product for effective recycling into sustainable animal feed.
- Our highly-trained confined space operatives then hot washed the tank interior to remove any stubborn, sticky residue, which is crucial for maintaining hygiene, preventing cross-contamination and ensuring ongoing product quality.
DRY SILO CLEANING
- One of our recent food sector projects required the capabilities of our ever-performing, heavy-duty CycloVac to empty and clean our client's flour silo to prevent contamination and unwanted build-up of flour dust.
- Although the majority of product had already been emptied, we were required to remove around 4 tonnes of residual flour before brushing down the interior walls and surfaces.
- Our skilled confined space team were equipped with full face respirators and used rope access for the hard-to-reach silo.
- The job was completed with a hot water high pressure clean to remove all traces of residue, using one of our liquid vacuum tankers.
CHOCOLATE TANK CLEAN
- Our specially-trained confined space rescue team were on hand when our food manufacturing client needed 10 tonnes of chocolate removed from the tank.
- Using the high-suction power of our CycloVac - ideal for wet, dry and hazardous waste - we safely removed the molten chocolate, draining down from the bottom of the tank.
- Our operatives then hot washed the tank interior to ensure no residues remained and avoid cross-contamination for the next production batch.
- The job was time-critical as the chocolate needed to remain at a constant temperature and malleable state to allow for discharge at a licensed disposal site.
- Due to the location of the tank within the production facility, we required a 200ft hose from our CycloVac to the tank itself.
"We have been thoroughly impressed with the service provided by Merkland Tank. Your team consistently delivers a professional, reliable, and efficient tank cleaning service, ensuring our operations run smoothly and to the highest standards. Your attention to detail, commitment to safety, and excellent customer support set you apart in the industry. It’s clear Merkland Tank take pride in their work, and that level of dedication gives us full confidence every time we work with you. Merkland have proven to be a trusted partner, and we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend your services to others."
EMERGENCY RESPONSE TANKER SERVICES
- We provided an emergency call-out service to our client, who had identified a blockage in their dry cyclone.
- Our team were mobilised at short notice to remove 2 tonnes of contaminated hulled oat grain to clear the blockage.
- We used the high-suction capabilities of our CycloVac vacuum tanker to remove the grain with ease, for onward safe disposal.
"Thank you for arranging this at short notice - it really helped us avoid potential operational issues and is greatly appreciated. The team who attended site were excellent and worked closely with us to overcome a few challenges to get the job started and did a great job clearing the choke. Please pass on our thanks to each one of them."
VARIOUS CLEANING & SUPPORT SERVICES
- Our client, a market-leading snack and biscuit manufacturer, engaged Merkland Tank to provide specialist cleaning and support services across their production facility.
- Merkland Tank provided a tailored service package that combined planned cleaning schedules with responsive emergency support.
- Cleaning in confined-space flour silos (and also the chocolate storage tanks onsite) required careful planning, risk assessment and safety protocols.
- This planned cleaning programme ensured our client continued to maintain the highest standards of hygiene on site, while reducing production downtime.
HEAT EXCHANGER TUBE BUNDLE CLEANING
- One of our clients in the food and drinks sector needed our support to remove struvite build-up in their heat exchanger.
- Our experienced operatives used a combination of Sentinel Automation Technology with our 1,000 bar high-pressure jetting unit and specialist jetting head with safety leader bar to remove the build-up of material.
- Our team successfully high-pressure cleaned the exchanger using the AutoBox 1L single-lance system with radial positioner, operated by a "game-inspired" hand controller that provided real-time job performance data throughout the entire project!
- This planned maintenance will significantly improve the operational efficiency of the heat exchanger.
DISTILLERY TANK, VESSEL & PIPEWORK CLEANING
- Merkland Tank has long been recognised as a leader in the provision of industrial tank cleaning and maintenance services in the distillery sector.
- We are trusted by dozens of distilleries to provide vital cleaning support during the essential plant maintenance silent season.
- We also provide year-round cleaning, maintenance and tanker services for planned, ad-hoc and rapid response / emergency works.
- Our experienced team - many who have been supporting long-standing distillery clients for decades - are available across the UK mainland and islands.
