We were pleased to welcome Alfa Laval to ITS for a productive meeting with Björn Thunström, newly appointed Global Head of Marketing for Alfa Laval’s Food & Pharma Division.
The meeting was a valuable opportunity to share our thoughts and feedback on marketing, exhibitions and future opportunities to collaborate, with a shared focus on strengthening our support to customers across the Food & Pharma sector and continuing to support each other moving forward.
👏 A big thank you to Björn Thunström, Leonardo Morabito and Ben Greene from the Alfa Laval team who joined us and made the visit a valuable and productive one.
As a proud Alfa Laval UK Master Distributor, we look forward to building on our partnership and working closely together to deliver even greater value to our customers.
No two processing applications are the same, which means no single level sensor is right for every job. From storage tanks and maturation vessels to complex process applications, selecting the right level measurement technology requires careful consideration of product characteristics, media properties and operating conditions.
The range of measurement systems is as large as it is confusing. Hydrostatic, potentiometric, and weight sensors have proven to be particularly reliable, precise, and suitable for the requirements in beverage and food production.
But which systems are best suited for which application?
The latest whitepaper from Anderson-Negele explores the key selection criteria for hygienic level measurement and explains how different sensing technologies perform across food, beverage and dairy processing applications. Whether you’re working with foaming liquids, viscous products, conductive media or changing process conditions, understanding the strengths of each technology can help you make a more informed decision.
It’s been a while… but we’re now back better than ever!
We’re excited to relaunch ITS Lite – our improved online shopping experience designed to make finding the products you need quicker, easier, and more convenient.
Built around a simpler and more intuitive experience, ITS Lite helps you find the products you need with faster searching and more confidence. From hygienic components and spare parts to process solutions, our growing online range is now easier to explore, helping you get what you need when you need it.
🔎 More Solutions. Just a Search Away.
But don’t worry… not everything has changed. 😉
You can still place orders online below our minimum order value of £100 – just as you always have.
The same flexibility, now with a faster and simpler way to find what you need.
Ready to get started?
Whether you’re a returning customer or new to ITS Lite, we invite you to explore the updated platform and discover a simpler way to source the products and solutions your business needs.
🛒Shop today and explore the new ITS Lite experience: SHOP | ITS Lite
🔹Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us today for assistance:
This month’s newsletter is packed with exciting updates, including new product solutions, company announcements, and more. We’ve also rounded up the latest news and insights from across the ITS team to keep you up to date with everything happening at Industrial Trading Solutions.
When it comes to hygienic pumping applications, reliability isn’t just about selecting the right pump. Long-term performance depends on how well critical components are maintained, and one of the most important is the pump seal.
Many SRU rotary lobe pumps handling demanding products are fitted with double mechanical seals. Designed for challenging hygienic applications, these seals provide excellent protection against product leakage while helping to maximise pump reliability. However, like any sealing system, they perform best when supported by the correct flushing practices.
One simple question can make all the difference:
🔹Are you flushing your seals correctly?
🔹Understanding Double Mechanical Seals
Double mechanical seals consist of two sealing faces separated by a barrier or flush fluid. This arrangement helps protect the seal faces, prevent product ingress, and improve sealing performance in demanding applications.
They are particularly well-suited to processing viscous, sticky, abrasive, or temperature-sensitive products commonly found in the food, dairy, beverage, confectionery, pharmaceutical, and personal care industries.
Although double mechanical seals are designed for durability, they should never be considered maintenance-free. Without a correctly maintained flushing system, the seal faces can overheat, wear prematurely, and ultimately reduce pump reliability.
Why Seal Flushing Matters
Proper flushing plays a vital role in protecting both the seal and the pump.
A correctly maintained flushing system helps:
Cool the seal faces during operation.
Lubricate the mechanical seal faces.
Prevent product build-up around the seal.
Reduce friction and wear.
Extend seal life.
Reduce maintenance frequency.
Maintain hygienic operating conditions.
In hygienic processing environments, effective seal flushing not only improves equipment reliability but also supports product quality and cleanliness throughout production.
Common Seal Flushing Mistakes
Even a high-quality sealing arrangement can experience problems if flushing is overlooked or carried out incorrectly.
Some of the most common issues include:
Insufficient or inconsistent flush flow.
Using an incompatible flushing medium.
Blocked or poorly maintained flush lines.
Operating with inadequate barrier fluid pressure.
Assuming the seal requires little or no maintenance.
These issues can quickly result in premature seal wear, product leakage, increased maintenance costs, and unnecessary downtime.
💡Best Practice for SRU Double Mechanical Seals
A few simple maintenance routines can significantly improve seal performance and maximise service life.
✅Use the correct flushing medium
Always use the flushing or barrier fluid recommended for your application and seal arrangement. The correct medium is essential for protecting the seal faces and maintaining reliable operation.
✅Maintain a continuous flow
The flushing system should provide a consistent supply of clean barrier fluid throughout operation.
✅Check pressure and flow
Ensure the flushing system is operating at the correct pressure and flow rate to provide effective cooling and lubrication without overloading the seal.
✅Inspect regularly
Flush lines, fittings, reservoirs, and connections should be routinely checked for leaks, blockages, or interruptions that could reduce system performance.
✅Consider the application
Products such as chocolate, confectionery, syrups, dairy products, and other viscous media may require specific flushing arrangements to achieve optimum seal performance.
A Small Maintenance Task with a Big Impact
Seal flushing may seem like a minor part of routine maintenance, but it has a significant influence on pump reliability, equipment longevity, and hygienic performance.
A well-maintained flushing system helps reduce wear, minimise downtime, and protect product quality.
Preventative maintenance doesn’t always require major intervention. Sometimes, the simplest checks have the greatest impact.
🔹Take a moment to ask yourself: Are your SRU double mechanical seals being flushed correctly? A small investment in preventative care today can help avoid costly repairs and unplanned downtime tomorrow.
Not sure if your SRU pump’s double mechanical seals are operating with the correct flushing arrangement?
🛠️The ITS Servicing & Maintenance team can help. Our experienced engineers can inspect your pump, verify that the correct seal arrangement is fitted, assess your flushing system, and recommend any adjustments needed to maximise seal life, improve reliability, and reduce unplanned downtime.
Whether you’re carrying out routine preventative maintenance or troubleshooting recurring seal issues, we’re here to help keep your equipment operating at peak performance.
📞Contact the ITS Servicing & Maintenance team today to arrange a pump health check, discuss your seal configuration, or schedule preventative maintenance tailored to your process – click here
Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs) are widely used to store and transport liquids across industries such as food, beverage, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. But keeping them clean is critical. That’s where IBC cleaning systems come in.
What Are IBC Cleaners Used For? IBC cleaners are designed to thoroughly wash and rinse containers after use, removing product residues, contaminants, and build-up. They play a key role in:
✅Preparing containers for reuse
Ensuring no cross-contamination between batches or products.
✅ Maintaining hygiene standards
Essential in food, dairy, and pharmaceutical applications where cleanliness is non-negotiable.
✅ Protecting product quality
Residue-free containers help maintain consistency and prevent spoilage.
✅ Improving operational efficiency
Faster, more effective cleaning reduces downtime and manual labour.
Why Efficient IBC Cleaning Matters – Without proper cleaning, residues can lead to contamination, product loss, and compliance issues. Effective cleaning solutions provide consistent, repeatable results – while helping reduce water, chemical use, and overall cleaning time.
💡ITSClean IBC Cleaning Solutions – The ITSClean range offers practical, flexible solutions to suit different operational needs:
🔹ITSClean Essential
A basic, cost-effective solution that delivers reliable cleaning performance – without compromising on clean results or cost savings.
🔹ITSClean Ultimate
Designed for more demanding applications, this option includes the added power of a pump while remaining a mobile unit – offering flexibility and a consistently high-quality clean every time.
Cleaner Containers, Better Processes – Investing in the right IBC cleaning setup helps:
Reduce contamination risks
Minimise waste and rework
Improve turnaround times
Support compliance and quality standards
Clean containers aren’t just a requirement – they’re key to efficient, reliable production. With ITSClean solutions, achieving that standard becomes simple, effective, and sustainable.
In just 3 minutes, ITS can provide more information on our ITSClean ranges📞01675 465191 📧sales@industrialtradingsolutions.com
In process industries, mixing isn’t just a step – it’s a critical driver of efficiency, product quality, and sustainability. Vak Kimsa agitators are engineered to deliver optimal mixing performance while helping facilities reduce waste, energy use, and processing time.
Why Efficient Mixing Matters – The efficiency of your mixing system directly impacts:
Energy consumption
Batch consistency
Processing time
Product yield
An optimised agitator ensures that materials are blended thoroughly and consistently, without overprocessing or unnecessary energy use.
How Vak Kimsa Agitators Make a Difference?
🔹Precision Engineering
Vak Kimsa agitators are designed with application-specific configurations to ensure effective mixing of liquids, powders, and viscous products. The right geometry and speed reduce inefficiencies and improve overall performance.
🔹Reduced Energy Consumption
Efficient mixing means less power is required to achieve the desired result. By eliminating dead zones and improving flow patterns, Vak Kimsa agitators help lower operational energy costs.
🔹Improved Product Consistency
Uniform mixing results in a more consistent end product, reducing rework, waste, and quality deviations.
🔹Shorter Processing Times
Faster, more effective blending means shorter cycle times – boosting productivity and throughput without compromising quality.
🔹Supports Hygienic Design
Designed for use in industries such as food, dairy, and pharmaceuticals, Vak Kimsa agitators support cleanability and compliance, helping maintain the highest hygiene standards.
♻️ Sustainability Starts with Smarter Processes – By improving mixing efficiency, Vak Kimsa agitators contribute to:
Lower energy usage
Reduced product waste
Optimised resource consumption
More sustainable operations overall
Efficient mixing isn’t just good engineering; it’s a smarter, more sustainable way to process. With Vak Kimsa agitators, you can achieve both performance and environmental goals in one solution.
🌱Looking to improve your mixing performance while supporting more sustainable processing? Contact our ITS sales team 📞01675 465191 📧sales@industrialtradingsolutions.com
When it comes to industrial filtration, reliability, efficiency, and product quality are critical. Across demanding applications, HiFlux Filtration has built a strong reputation for developing liquid filtration solutions designed to protect processes, improve performance, and remove unwanted particles before they impact production.
Formerly known as ‘Heco Filtration A/S’, HiFlux Filtration carries decades of filtration expertise, supporting industries where precise liquid separation is essential. Their extensive portfolio includes:
From hygienic applications to heavy industrial processes, HiFlux filtration technology has supported a wide range of sectors, including:
Food & beverage
Pharmaceutical and biotechnology
Chemical processing
Energy and district heating
Marine applications
General industrial processes
In this case study, we explore how HiFlux Filtration’s Auto-line® automatic filters helped a paint manufacturer overcome challenges with their existing filtration process.
A global paint manufacturer was experiencing limitations with traditional filtration methods, including frequent filter changes, maintenance requirements, and interruptions to production. They required a more reliable solution that could improve process efficiency while maintaining consistent product quality.
By implementing HiFlux’s self-cleaning automatic filtration technology, the production process was optimised through reduced manual intervention, improved reliability, and more continuous operation.
Let’s Talk Filtration. Interested in finding the right filtration solution for your process? Contact ITS📞 01675 465191📧 sales@industrialtradingsolutions.com
In today’s dairy operations, efficiency, product recovery, and cost control are more important than ever. This case study explores how turbidity sensors – specifically Anderson-Negele’sInstrument ITM-51 – can transform traditional, time-based or manual monitoring methods into precise, data-driven processes.
From optimising phase transitions to improving CIP (Clean-in-Place) performance, turbidity monitoring offers a smarter way to reduce product loss, lower wastewater costs, and enhance overall plant efficiency. This introduction will guide you through how the ITM-51 works, where it fits within your operations, and how it can deliver measurable returns, often with a fast payback.
Whether you’re looking to modernise your process control or simply improve reliability and consistency, this case study will help you determine if turbidity sensing is the right step forward for your dairy facility.
In modern processing environments, flexibility is just as important as performance. Whether you’re transferring product or running a cleaning cycle, having equipment that can do more with less helps improve efficiency, reduce downtime, and simplify operations.
That’s where the Alfa Laval Twin Screw Pump stands apart.
Designed as a true all-in-one solution, the Twin Screw Pump combines product transfer and Clean-in-Place (CIP) duties within a single pump. By eliminating the need for separate process and CIP pumps, it reduces system complexity, lowers capital investment, and helps create a more streamlined production process.
Built for Performance and Flexibility
From low-viscosity liquids to thicker, high-viscosity products, the Alfa Laval Twin Screw Pump is engineered to handle a wide range of process requirements. Its versatility makes it a trusted solution across the food, dairy, beverage, pharmaceutical, and personal care industries, where both product quality and hygienic operation are essential.
The pump is designed to deliver smooth, gentle product handling, helping to protect product integrity while maintaining reliable, consistent performance throughout every stage of production.
Why Choose the Alfa Laval Twin Screw Pump?
🔹 Dual Functionality
One pump performs both product transfer and CIP duties, reducing equipment requirements, installation costs, and overall system complexity.
🔹 Gentle Product Handling
Low pulsation and minimal shear help preserve sensitive products, making it ideal for applications where product quality cannot be compromised.
🔹 Energy-Efficient Operation
An optimised hydraulic design delivers high performance while helping to minimise energy consumption and operating costs.
🔹 Hygienic by Design
Manufactured to meet the highest hygienic standards, the Twin Screw Pump offers excellent cleanability and supports safe, reliable processing in regulated industries.
🔹 Reliable and Robust
Built for continuous operation, the pump delivers dependable performance with minimal maintenance, helping maximise uptime and productivity.
Smarter Pumping Starts Here
The Alfa Laval Twin Screw Pump is more than just a versatile process pump – it’s a solution designed to simplify production. By combining multiple duties into a single piece of equipment, it helps manufacturers reduce downtime, improve efficiency, lower operating costs, and support more sustainable operations.
Whether you’re handling delicate liquids, viscous products, or demanding hygienic processes, the Alfa Laval Twin Screw Pump delivers the flexibility and reliability modern production facilities depend on.
One pump. Multiple duties. Maximum efficiency.
Have a project in mind? Contact our ITS Sales team today:
📞01675 465191
📧sales@industrialtradingsolutions.com
Behind every high-performing process system is a team of skilled engineers and fabricators committed to getting every detail right. At KMH Metallbau, precision isn’t just part of the process; it’s the foundation of everything they build. Craftsmanship is brought to life through meticulous manufacturing techniques – delivering ducting and pipework systems designed for handling dry products, powders, granulates, and controlled airflows across hygienic and industrial environments.
Precision at Every Stage Each system is built with a clear purpose: reliable, efficient transport of materials and air where cleanliness and consistency matter most.
🛠️CNC Cutting
Accurate, repeatable cutting ensures every component is manufactured to tight tolerances, essential for dust-free transfer of dry products and consistent airflow performance.
🛠️ Orbital Welding
Produces uniform, high-integrity welds ideal for hygienic pipework systems used in powder handling and air movement, minimising contamination risks and ensuring long-term durability.
🛠️ Precision Forming
Carefully shaped ducting and pipework support smooth material flow, reducing product build-up and ensuring efficient transfer of powders, grains, and air.
🛠️ Polishing
High-quality surface finishes improve cleanability and reduce particle adhesion – critical for systems handling dry food products, pharmaceutical powders, and clean air applications.
🛠️ Leak Testing
Every system is rigorously tested to guarantee airtight performance – essential for maintaining controlled airflow, preventing dust escape, and protecting product integrity.
🛠️ Fit-Up and Fabrication
Precise assembly ensures seamless installation and optimal system performance, whether for bulk dry materials or air handling systems.
🛠️ Built for Reliable Product and Air Handling
KMH Metallbau ducting and pipework systems are engineered to support:
Dry product conveying (powders and granulates)
Air handling and process ventilation systems
Dust control and containment
✅Quality You Can Rely On
By combining advanced fabrication technologies with deep industry expertise, KMH Metallbau delivers systems that meet the highest standards of performance, hygiene, and reliability.
Engineered for precision. Built for performance. Trusted for critical applications.
🔹Looking for a reliable ducting solution for your next project? Contact our ITS sales team to discuss your requirements 📞 01675 465191 | 📧sales@industrialtradingsolutions.com
💻Visit our website to see more from KMH: https://www.industrialtradingsolutions.com/brand/kmh/
When it comes to sealing pipe and cable penetrations, versatility matters. Pipetite ®, available from ITS, is designed to perform across a wide spectrum of environments – helping facilities maintain hygiene, improve safety, and simplify installation.
Engineered for Every Environment!
Pipetite ® isn’t limited to one industry or application. Its flexible, hygienic sealing design makes it ideal for:
Cleanrooms
Maintain strict contamination control with a smooth, compliant seal that supports regulated environments.
Food Production Facilities
Help meet hygiene standards by eliminating hard-to-clean gaps around pipe entries – reducing the risk of bacterial buildup.
Breweries
With frequent washdowns and demanding sanitation requirements, Pipetite ® provides a durable, watertight seal that stands up to daily operations.
Dairy Plants
Designed for hygienic processing zones, Pipetite ® supports compliance while simplifying maintenance and cleaning routines.
HVAC Rooms
Seal around pipework and conduits to improve airflow control and prevent dust or debris infiltration.
Pharmaceutical Production
Ideal for high-spec environments where cleanability, compliance, and reliability are critical.
Pump Rooms
Protect critical areas from moisture ingress while maintaining a professional, finished installation.
CIP (Clean-in-Place) Systems
With resistance to cleaning chemicals and frequent washdowns, Pipetite ® is a natural fit for CIP setups.
💡Why It Matters
Across all these applications, the goal is the same:
Create a clean, sealed, and compliant penetration point without the hassle of traditional methods. Pipetite® helps reduce installation time, improve hygiene, and enhance the overall integrity of your facility.
🔹From heavy-duty boiler rooms to ultra-clean production spaces, Pipetite® proves that one smart solution can serve many purposes.
Interested in where Pipetite® could fit into your operation? ITS can help you find the right solution…📞01675 465191 | 📧 sales@industrialtradingsolutions.com
We’re a bit late… but we promise it’s worth the wait!
Catch up on everything that’s been happening at ITS this month, including our latest technical insights, the introduction of our new ERP system to help improve the way we do business, and a look at what’s coming next.
There’s plenty more on the horizon, so be sure to watch this space.
In today’s fast-paced production environments, uptime and performance are more critical than ever. Condition monitoring has moved from being a “nice to have” to a must-have tool for manufacturers looking to stay competitive and meet sustainability goals.
Unplanned downtime continues to be a major challenge – impacting productivity, increasing costs, and disrupting delivery schedules. Condition monitoring helps flip the script by detecting issues early, reducing unexpected failures, and keeping operations running smoothly.
“Just 45 minutes of maintenance triggered by our condition monitoring solution prevented 4 hours of unexpected downtime and 2,000 litres of wasted water.”
– Soft drink producer, UK
Why It Matters?
With the right condition monitoring solution, you can:
Identify potential failures before they happen
Reduce downtime and maintenance costs
Improve overall equipment efficiency
Support more sustainable, resource-efficient operations
Choosing the Right Solution
While many manufacturers recognise the value of condition monitoring, key questions remain:
How do you implement it effectively?
Which solution is right for your process?
That’s where our Alfa Laval Condition Monitoring Buyer’s Guide comes in – helping you evaluate your options and choose a solution that not only solves today’s challenges but supports your operations into the future.
🔹Want to learn how condition monitoring can improve uptime and efficiency in your operation?
Contact the ITS Sales Team today to find out more and discuss the right solution for your process needs: 📞01675 465191 📧sales@industrialtradingsolutions.com
When it comes to pigging systems, every component plays a role in improving efficiency – but valves are one of the most important. The right valve design doesn’t just keep product flowing smoothly; it helps maximise product recovery, minimise waste, and maintain the highest hygienic standards.
That’s exactly what LIAG®valves are designed to do.
Built for Flexibility
No two production lines are the same, which is why LIAG® offers a range of valve options to suit different applications and process requirements.
Whether you need:
Piggable divert valves for smooth, efficient product routing
Hygienic shut-off valves for reliable product isolation
Custom valve solutions designed around your specific pipework and process
LIAG® valves can be configured to integrate seamlessly into both new and existing production lines.
Why Choose LIAG®Valves?
✅ Recover More Product
📈Liag valves are engineered to work seamlessly with pigging systems, helping manufacturers recover more valuable product that would otherwise be left in the pipeline. The result? Less waste and improved production yield.
✅ Maintain the Highest Hygiene Standards
🛡️Designed specifically for food, beverage, dairy and pharmaceutical applications, LIAG® valves feature hygienic construction that supports easy cleaning and compliance with strict industry standards.
✅ Keep Production Flowing
⚙️Smooth internal geometry allows for consistent product flow while ensuring reliable pig passage throughout the system. That means fewer interruptions and more efficient processing.
✅ Reduce Downtime
⏱️Easy maintenance and cleanability help minimise production stoppages, allowing operations to run more efficiently and reducing the time spent on cleaning and servicing.
✅ A Solution That Fits Your Process
🔧Every manufacturing process is different. With flexible configurations and custom valve solutions available, LIAG® valves can be matched to your exact application, ensuring optimal performance across your production line.
🔹A pigging system is only as effective as the components that make it up. By combining hygienic design, reliable operation and flexible configurations, LIAG® valves help manufacturers maximise product recovery, reduce waste and keep production running smoothly.
💡If you’re looking to improve efficiency while maintaining the highest standards of hygiene, LIAG® valves are a smart investment for any pigging system. Let’s talk more about LIAG® product solutions: 📞01675 465191 📧sales@industrialtradingsolutions.com
In hygienic processes, preserving product integrity isn’t just about safety – it’s about protecting the flavour, texture, and overall quality that define the final product. From dairy and beverages to sauces and sensitive food products, how you move your product matters just as much as how you make it.
That’s where gentle-handling pumps play a crucial role.
Why Gentle Handling Matters
Many products are sensitive to shear, heat, and mechanical stress. Aggressive pumping can:
Damage delicate structures (e.g. fruit pieces or proteins)
Alter texture and mouthfeel
Causes unwanted aeration or oxidation
Impact taste and consistency
Even small changes during transfer can have a noticeable impact on the finished product.
Designed to Protect Product Integrity
Alfa Laval’s hygienic pump range is specifically engineered to handle these challenges. With smooth product flow paths and optimised hydraulic design, these pumps move liquids efficiently while minimising stress on the product.
Key benefits include:
Low shear handling to protect flavour and texture
Reduced turbulence to minimise aeration and oxidation
Consistent flow for process stability and repeatability
Hygienic design supporting cleanability and compliance
Whether handling high-viscosity products, sensitive ingredients, or shear-thinning fluids, the right pump selection is critical.
Supporting Quality from Start to Finish
Gentle handling isn’t just a “nice to have” – it directly impacts product quality, yield, and customer satisfaction. By investing in the right pumping solution, manufacturers can:
Maintain consistent flavour profiles
Reduce product waste
Protect brand reputation
Improve overall process efficiency
Every stage of your process affects the final product – and pumping is no exception. Choosing a gentle-handling solution like Alfa Laval’s hygienic pump range helps ensure your product arrives exactly as intended: consistent, high-quality, and full of flavour.
If maintaining product integrity is a priority, it starts with how you move it…
To ensure gentle product handling and protect flavour integrity, the Alfa Laval SRU Rotary Lobe Pump and Alfa Laval Twin Screw Pump are excellent choices.
The SRU Rotary Lobe Pump is specifically designed to handle sensitive process fluids with a smooth, low shear pumping action, helping to preserve delicate flavours, textures, and product integrity across a wide range of viscosities.
The Twin Screw Pump also provides gentle, low-pulsation product transfer while offering the added advantage of handling both product transfer and CIP (Clean-in-Place) with a single pump. Its efficient, hygienic design helps minimise product damage, making it ideal for food, beverage, and dairy applications where maintaining natural flavour and product quality is critical.
🔹How ITS Can Support
At ITS, we support manufacturers in selecting and maintaining hygienic pumping solutions that protect product integrity at every stage of the process. Whether handling delicate ingredients, high viscosity products, or sensitive formulations, our team can help identify the right solution for your application.
We provide guidance across the full lifecycle, from pump selection and system design through to ITS Servicing and Maintenance support and ongoing optimisation, ensuring reliable performance and compliance with the highest hygiene standards.
💡Protect flavour, texture, and product integrity with the right pumping solution. View our range of gentle-handling pumps: Browse more
In hygienic processing environments – such as food, beverage, dairy, and pharmaceuticals – valves are critical components. They control flow, protect product integrity, and help maintain strict hygiene standards. Yet, despite their importance, routine valve maintenance is often overlooked until something goes wrong.
The reality is simple: ignoring maintenance doesn’t save money — it increases risk, downtime, and long-term costs.
Hidden Wear Becomes Visible Failure
Hygienic valves operate in demanding conditions: frequent cleaning cycles (CIP/SIP), temperature swings, pressure changes, and exposure to aggressive media. Over time, seals degrade, seats wear, and moving parts lose precision.
Without routine checks, these issues go unnoticed until they develop into:
Product leaks and contamination risks
Inconsistent flow or process instability
Valve failure during operation
What starts as a minor seal issue can quickly lead to batch loss or even full production stoppage.
The Risk to Product Quality and Compliance
In hygienic industries, valve performance is directly linked to compliance. A poorly maintained valve can harbour bacteria, compromise cleanability, or allow cross-contamination between product lines.
This creates serious consequences:
Failed audits or non-compliance findings
Product recalls
Damage to brand reputation
Maintaining hygienic valve integrity isn’t just good practice — it’s essential for meeting industry standards.
Unplanned Downtime Is the Biggest Cost
When a valve fails unexpectedly, production rarely continues. Emergency shutdowns ripple across operations, leading to:
Lost production time
Wasted raw materials
Increased labour and reactive repair costs
Planned maintenance is predictable and manageable. Unplanned failures are disruptive and expensive.
Reduced Efficiency Over Time
Even before failure, poorly maintained valves affect system efficiency. Increased friction, partial blockages, or worn components can:
Restrict flow rates
Increase energy consumption
Reduce overall process control
This gradual inefficiency often goes unnoticed but impacts operational performance daily.
Shortened Asset Lifespan
Valves that are not maintained regularly experience accelerated wear. Instead of achieving their full service life, they require earlier replacement — increasing capital expenditure over time.
Routine servicing extends the life of valve components and protects your investment.
🔹How ITS Can Support
At ITS, we understand the critical role hygienic valves play in your process. Our goal is to keep your systems running efficiently, safely, and compliantly.
We provide:
Servicing – Routine inspections and preventative maintenance to identify issues before they escalate
Repairs – Fast, reliable repairs to minimise downtime and restore performance
Maintenance support – Planned maintenance programmes tailored to your operation
Training – Practical training for your teams to improve understanding, handling, and upkeep of hygienic valves
💡The Bottom Line
Ignoring routine valve maintenance may seem like a short-term saving, but it leads to higher costs, greater risk, and operational disruption.
A proactive approach ensures reliability, protects product quality, and keeps your process moving – exactly as it should.
Talk to our ITS Servicing & Maintenance team today to keep your hygienic valve systems performing at their best.
There are three main filtration principles – each trapping particles in a different way:
1. Surface filtration
Particles larger than the pore openings are held on the surface, forming a filter cake that often becomes the main filtration layer.
Depth filtration
Particles are captured throughout the thickness of the media as fluid moves through complex pathways, using mechanisms like straining, interception, inertia, diffusion, and adhesion.
Membrane (cross-flow) filtration
Particles are retained at or near the membrane surface, where fouling layers can develop and restrict flow. A rise in transmembrane pressure (TMP) is a key sign of this.
