The challenges presented by COVID-19 have resulted in many businesses taking a microscope to their operations to identify potential changes which will help them survive, and ultimately thrive, in this unchartered territory we are all now living in.

For some organisations this means taking stock and consolidating operations to achieve efficiencies. As a long-standing Clean Air Partner to many of the UK’s leading manufacturers, Filtermist has been involved in a number of projects where the customer has consolidated or relocated to alternative premises and taken their existing extraction system with them. This ranges from supporting customers that use stand-alone filter units on individual machines, to reinstating large centralised systems that pick up contaminated air from a number of extraction points.

Knowing they can rely on support from Filtermist’s experienced team means extraction is one element businesses don’t need to worry about when relocating. Systems Sales Manager, Kevin Hood, elaborates, “We’ve worked with a wide range of customers in industries from automotive to food packaging to ensure their extraction equipment is removed from the original premises and then reinstalled effectively at the new building. Projects include relocating dust and fume extraction equipment for Federal Mogul Motorparts Friction Products, and installing new ductwork for a Regenerative Thermal Oxidiser for TCL Packaging when the company relocated from Hortonwood, Telford to its current site on Stafford Park in Telford.

“As with any extraction system installation, a number of factors need to be considered when relocating equipment. The location of the plant, physical size of the existing equipment and its suitability to meet current performance requirements as well as regulatory compliance all have a bearing on the new design to make sure the system is as effective at the new site as it was before it was moved.”

Relocating can also be the perfect opportunity to invest in a more efficient extraction system to reduce costs over the longer term, as Divisional Sales Director (dust), Andy Hives explains, “Modern extraction equipment can be far more efficient than older systems so sometimes it can make sense to take the opportunity provided by relocating to invest in a new system altogether.

“Modern fans can achieve efficiencies, as can redesigning ductwork. Ducting runs may have been added to over time and this can reduce overall performance, so looking at it with a fresh pair of eyes can make sure the system is operating as efficiently as possible. Filter media has improved over the years too which can make a difference to overall efficiency, as can incorporating Ecogate control technology into the system could reduce energy consumption by up to 75%.

“When you start looking at it from this perspective, it can sometimes be more cost effective to invest in a new system rather than sticking with inefficient equipment in an effort to keep CAPEX costs down.”

Relocation can often be the main driver for investing in a new dust or fume extraction system – numerous examples of companies from across the UK that have chosen this route can be found on our news page. Case studies include vinyl wrapped doors and furniture manufacturer Crystal Doors which is still reaping the benefits of an installation made in 2017 and will do for the foreseeable future, as Managing Director Richard Hagan, commented, “It’s the best and will last 20 years+. Sorry to say, but once installed you can just forget the dust extractor!”

Other examples include new dust extraction system installed for Sampson Products Ltd, The Soper Group Ltd and Kingspan Access Floors.

Filtermist can undertake energy audits on existing extraction systems to identify any improvements that could be made which could include retrofitting Ecogate technology. “The current situation means even if a move isn’t on the cards, many firms are looking to cut costs and reduce overhead,” continues Andy. “Installing an Ecogate system can pay for itself in as little as two years through lower energy bills and not only is this good for the balance sheet, it’s also good for the environment.”

Ecogate works by monitoring each individual machine and altering the fan speed if necessary – preventing fans from running at full speed when they are not needed. This short film on Filtermist’s YouTube channel shows how the system works:  https://youtu.be/kN6UGCLQq8I.

If your business is relocating and you want to take your existing extraction equipment with you, or if you’re staying put, but want to lower your running costs – give our team a call on 01952 290500, or email sales@filtermist.com. Our extraction experts will be only too happy to help.