Expert help at all stages

1 February 2005



When Mewa, one of Europe's leading textile rental groups, built a high tech plant in Belgium, it chose Ecolab to supply, install and develop the detergent and dispensing systems


The Mewa project illustrates Ecolab's approach to working with its customers. The company provides a service that combines innovative products and the technical skills to impact total textile service operations. This expert advice, training and the willingness and ability to support the customer ensures that the plant meets its technical, commercial and environmental aims.

In November 2004, the Mewa group opened its new plant at Pérronnes-lez-Binche, about 50km south of Brussels. Built at a total cost of 17.4 million Euros, it represents an excellent example of a modern textile care company, combining innovation in its equipment, a layout that allows a good workflow, and a working environment that is both pleasant and safe for employees.

It replaces an old plant in the town which no longer provided sufficient capacity. The change of address doubles the capacity of the old site, and allows Mewa to attract a broader market, offering an improved and wider range of services to an expanded customer base of 3,900 clients that now extends from Belgium into northern France, reaching as far as Paris. In addition to the garment rental service, the site includes a storage and distribution centre for wipers. This year, the group also plans to establish a wipers service plant in central France.

Steffen Kalus, the plant's technical director says the company hopes to encourage customers to take a wide range of services. In recent years, the Binche facility has added a catalogue business for PPE, a business that is becoming more important. On the workwear rental side, the business can now handle 18,000 pieces a day.

The Binche plant has been designed using innovations in technology to provide an efficient workflow, with automated systems for garment tracking, garment handling and repair and for detergent supply. In the washing area, three 120kg washer-extractors process the whites, while a 50kg, 11 compartment Senking tunnel washer processes coloured garments.

The equipment supply partners for this enterprise have been carefully chosen for their ability to provide technically advanced, well-designed products and to work with Mewa to develop its programme.

As the chosen partner for chemical supply, Ecolab has been involved in the project right from the first discussions at the start of 2004, through to installation and start-up, and it continues to work with Mewa, supporting the system and actively helping the company to implement its development plans.

Mewa wanted a dosing system that was accurate, secure from the health and safety viewpoint and was easy to handle and maintain. Ecolab installed two systems, the Solumix which supplies the stock detergent solution to both tunnel washers and washer-extractors, and the Ecodose system which handles liquid additives for the washer-extractors.

The Solumix is a fully automated, highly accurate system that requires little maintenance. An intelligent PLC system monitors and controls all stages. The system takes detergent from 600kg bags and doses it into a small preparation tank which is mounted on a weighing scale, so the powder can be can be measured exactly to achieve a concentration of 70g/litre. The flow of water is also controlled. The prepared stock solution goes to a storage tank (3,000 litres). From there it is transferred directly via membrane pumps (a variation specified by Mewa) to the machines. The control system monitors levels in the tank and prepares a fresh batch automatically, without interrupting the workflow.

The Ecodose system is used for the liquid additives – enzyme booster, surfactant booster (which removes fat stains), alkaline booster, bleaching/disinfection and neutraliser. Three separate lines, for acids, for alkalines and a neutral line, ensure safe handling by removing any risk of incompatible products being mixed. More aggressive products are diluted before delivery to the machines.

The Ecodose system is designed to produce savings. The system used at the old plant dosed machines according to capacity, but the Ecolab system takes accuracy a stage further by dosing to match the machine's load, saving around 15% as a result.

Ecolab has also applied high safety standards. Lines are rinsed after each dose. Shields over the system protect the employees.

Peter Verreycken, Ecolab's district manager, has been working on the project throughout, taking it from installation and start-up through to the plant's official opening. He took responsibility not just for the installation of dosing equipment, but also installed the correct washing programs on the machines and worked with Jensen-Senking on the programs for the tunnel washer.

Now the system is running, he is working with the company to achieve further targets. Mewa's technical director Steffen Kalus explains that the next stage will be for the two companies to work together to introduce a system for Risk Analysis and Biocontamination Control (RABC) in line with the European hygiene standard 14065.

Food service customers are now demanding this certification; however, it will prove an advantage for all clients as it will demonstrate a standard of hygiene that goes beyond the established HACCP (Hazard Analysis at Critical Control Points) and also provides higher standards of quality control.

The Mewa group and Ecolab have worked together on an RABC project in Germany, and Steffen Kalus says he hopes to have everything in place to apply for certification at the Binche plant by March. Ecolab's role will be to provide the products, training and bacteriological tests (internal control) necessary. Peter Verreycken and his team will also be providing training for Mewa’s staff on other aspects of the operation such as washing, textiles, washing machines and safety. Basic skills will be covered in the first six months, before moving on to an advanced programme in the second half.

The co-operation at the new plant between the two partners, Mewa and Ecolab, seems to be making good progress. A mid-January report on the start-up phase showed that rewash rates had already been cut to less than 2% of the garments washed.

Ecolab's expertise extends over a range of technologies, hygiene in all its aspects and energy and resource savings to bring practical, cost and environmental benefits to its customers.

Steffen Kalus, technical director at the new Mewa plant sums up the co-operation between the two companies by explaining that the importance of a partner like Ecolab is that it can do far more than just supply the product – it can install systems, provide training and cover health and safety in its broadest sense.




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