As temperatures begin to cool… here’s what cool stuff has been happening around here at ITS:
This month, we had new products to launch and showcase, we delivered informative guides in our articles, and even opened the door to the future, having the pleasure of taking on a work experience student for a week over the summer period.
It’s been another productive month for ITS, from product spotlights, extended ITS services, to real-world solutions, product knowledge, and strengthening partnerships.
We’ve highlighted it all in our August 2025 edition of the ITS Flow Time Newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/4pws5b26
Enjoy the read, and we’ll be back with more updates next month 👋😃
Still thinking about upgrading your hygienic pump?
Here’s a quick reminder. When you purchase any Alfa Laval Hygienic Pump from Industrial Trading Solutions Ltd., your first service is completely free.
✅ No labour costs
✅ Carried out by our expert ITS servicing team
✅ You only pay for any spare parts required
Whether you’re using LKH, SRU, OptiLobe, SolidC, or SX pumps, we’ve got you covered. We understand the importance of keeping your operations running smoothly.
Once your pump is delivered, you’ll receive a direct link to book your complimentary service at a time that works for you. It’s simple, efficient, and exclusive to ITS customers.
Reliability starts with the right support, and we’re here to help every step of the way.
It’s important to maximise the reliability and uptime of your equipment. Unscheduled downtime is problematic and costly, whereas a programme of high-quality preventive maintenance maximises the performance and lifespan of your equipment, helping keep your business at the forefront of its industry.
Performing maintenance on and changing gaskets on your Alfa Laval heat exchanger is an important and cost-effective step. This short guide explains how to complete the task quickly and accurately. However, ensure that you read the instruction manual for your Alfa Laval heat exchanger prior to commencing maintenance, to ensure you obtain the right parts.
The key steps to replace the gaskets on your Alfa Laval heat exchanger
Step 1: Remove the old gasket from the heat exchange plate, ensuring that all sealing surfaces are clean, dry, and free from debris such as dust and grease.
Step 2: Attach the Alfa Laval clip-on gasket to the plate, securing the gasket tabs to the edge in the correct positions. Note the following special points:-
Alfa Laval Clip 3 gasket: Simply align the gasket with the grooves on the plate before securing the tabs on the outside.
Alfa Laval Clip 8 wide stream plate: A regular Alfa Laval Clip 8 gasket can be used, but requires simple modification first. Using sharp scissors, cut and remove the connection beams closest to the centre of the plate before fitting.
Alfa Laval Clip 15 gasket: Due to its large size, it is advisable to hang the gasket, or lie it flat, for 24 hours before use, to help it retain its correct shape. When attaching to the plate, the upper and lower connection beams must be fixed with GC1 tape.
Step 3: Repeat steps 1 and 2 to replace all the gaskets on the plates which require changing.
Step 4: Note that there is a special gasket for end plate II. However, if the end plate II gasket is not available, you can create a suitable alternative using two regular channel plate gaskets. Simply cut these in half and use the two pieces that have complete ring gaskets (you will need to remove the clips and connection beams). Attach the two sections with GC1 double adhesive tape, avoiding the use of tape or glue in the ring gasket areas.
Step 5: The transition plate is the final plate in each pack and features a larger porthole than the other plates to accommodate ring gaskets and collars. Replace the transition plate or use GC5 glue to attach the ring gasket and collar to the plate.
Step 6: Replace the gaskets on the frame plate, pressure plate, connection plate, and on all connections. Simply remove the old gasket and push the replacement components into place.
Step 7: After fitting the new gaskets, stack the plates horizontally so that the gaskets settle snugly into the grooves.
Step 8: When hanging the plates in the heat exchanger unit, take extra care to ensure that the lower diagonal fits correctly into the gasket groove. Some minor adjustments may be necessary.
🔹Contact ITS for all your Alfa Laval replacement gaskets
ITS are the UK’s leading distributor of Alfa Laval Hygienic Flow products and equipment. If you require replacement gaskets or plates for your heat exchange equipment, we’re your first port of call, offering a fast response on all orders (with next-day delivery for in-stock parts). Get in touch for more information or to place an order.
Whether you’re working with open or closed fermentation vessels, your choice will depend on factors such as the starting and final products, as well as the fermentation type – yeast, mash, cold, or warm.
Here are some key tips for boosting efficiency and consistency in fermentation:
🔹Tank installation: When fitting sensors into insulated tanks, always account for wall depth.
🔹Pressure fermentation: Vessels under pressure must be carefully monitored to prevent overpressure.
🔹Temperature control: Accurate fermentation temperatures are critical and vary depending on the yeast or fermentation type – Temperature Sensors are essential here.
🔹Overflow prevention: Point Level Sensors protect against costly overflows.
🔹CO₂ monitoring: Pressure Sensors help track CO₂ levels during fermentation.
With Anderson-Negele instrumentation from ITS, you can achieve precise control at every stage of your process.
We’ve just unboxed the latest HiFluxMLR-E Autoline Filter here at ITS! There’s always something satisfying about seeing high-quality hygienic processing equipment arrive on-site.
🔍 The MLR-E Autoline is a self-cleaning, automatic filter designed for continuous operation. It’s ideal for demanding applications in industries like food & beverage, dairy, pharmaceuticals, and fisheries, especially where efficient filtration of viscous or particle-rich liquids is required.
As part of our standard ITS quality protocol, we carry out a detailed inspection of all incoming goods before dispatch. Ensuring every customer receives equipment that’s in perfect condition and ready for hygienic use.
This unit came securely packaged, complete with its product handbook, spare parts, and maintenance tool—just as expected from HiFlux quality.
🗣️If you’re in the hygienic processing industry… why haven’t you already integrated an Autoline into your plant?
LIAG® Arc valves are available in both 2-way and 3-way configurations, giving you the flexibility to adapt to your equipment and process needs.
Perfect for a wide range of applications in process engineering, these valves deliver reliable performance and hygienic design. They are especially well-suited for handling viscous or pasty products, as well as fluids containing solid particles. A key feature of this valve is its compatibility with pigging systems.
For more complex process requirements, we can even manufacture a 4-way valve, tailored to meet your specific challenges.
🔧 Engineered for versatility. Built for performance.
This week, we had the pleasure of welcoming Henry Jeans to Industrial Trading Solutions Ltd for a summer work experience placement during his school holidays.
At ITS, we’re proud to inspire the next generation of professionals.
From the beginning, Henry expressed his interest in finance and accounting, but he took this opportunity to explore how different departments come together to keep a business running smoothly. Over the week, Henry got involved across nearly every area of ITS — from accounts and general admin to warehouse operations, ecommerce, and marketing.
One of his key tasks was to audit our Battery Brain website and analyse similar retailers, where he conducted valuable market research and gained insight into customer journey flows. He followed our full order process, from order placement to fulfilment, giving him a complete view of how e-commerce works behind the scenes.
Henry also spent time in our Servicing & Maintenance department, getting hands-on experience by stripping down and trialling pumps. He even sat down with our accountant to help organise supplier invoices and got stuck into some archiving tasks with his grandad, Peter Jeans, learning about Pete’s early days in the industry and the evolution of ITS over the years.
We’re delighted to have given Henry his first introduction to the working world, and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed having him as part of the ITS team this week.
We’re excited to support him on his journey ahead, and we’re confident he has a bright future — wherever his career path takes him.
Premium Steam Boiler at a Steal – First Come, First Served!
We’ve got just ONE high-performance electrical steam boiler available at a significantly reduced price – exclusively through ITS Lite. When it’s gone, it’s gone.
The AB&CO electric steam boiler is designed for demanding 24/7 operations, offering exceptional reliability and a significantly longer service life compared to standard models. Fully automatic with advanced control and safety features, it delivers precise steam output with pressure ratings from 10 to 300 psi.
Perfect for a wide range of hygienic applications:
✔️ Pharmaceuticals – clean steam & sterilisation
✔️ Food & Beverage – cooking & pasteurisation
✔️ Chemicals, Healthcare, Brewing, Laboratories, and More – wherever top-quality steam is critical
Available as a standalone unit or skid-mounted system with:
Feed water tank
Water treatment
Blow-down facility
✅A complete, integrated steam solution – ready to go.
Sign in or create your ITS Lite account today, and don’t miss this opportunity to invest in durable, high-performance equipment at a great value. This deal is available whilst it lasts!
For further assistance, contact our experienced technical sales team, who are available to provide support and advice whenever you need it – sales@itslite.co.uk / 01675620445
When precision, hygiene, and compliance are non-negotiable, KMH Kammann Metallbau stainless steel piping systems – available through Industrial Trading Solutions Ltd., provide a trusted solution for dry product handling in pharmaceutical manufacturing.
From powders to granulates, KMH’s expertly engineered systems support efficient, contamination-free transfer of dry materials, tailored to meet the strict demands of high-purity environments.
✅Hygienic, high-grade stainless steel – Ensures product integrity and reduces risk of contamination
✅Modular and configurable – Designed for easy integration into complex dry processing systems
✅Durable and reliable – Engineered for longevity in demanding industrial settings
✅Precision-built to pharma standards – Supporting compliance with hygienic design requirements
Whether you’re designing a new process line or upgrading existing equipment, KMH pipe systems offer the flexibility and performance your dry product applications demand.
📞Contact the ITS team today to discuss how KMH can support your pharmaceutical processing goals. 01675 629151 / sales@industrialtradingsolutions.com
In highly regulated industries such as food & beverage, dairy, pharmaceuticals, and personal care, the safe handling of fluids is paramount. Behind the scenes, a host of precision-engineered components work tirelessly to ensure that processes run smoothly, and safety and pressure valves are among the unsung heroes of hygienic flow systems.
But why are these valves so important? And what makes them particularly critical in hygienic environments?
What Do Safety and Pressure Valves Do?
Simply put, these valves are responsible for protecting equipment, processes, and people by controlling pressure levels within a system.
Safety valves are designed to open automatically if system pressure exceeds a defined threshold, preventing damage or dangerous overpressure situations.
Pressure relief valves (PRVs) serve a similar function but can be adjusted to release pressure in a more controlled, repeatable way.
In hygienic applications, these valves must not only perform reliably, but they must also meet strict cleanliness and sterilisation standards.
– Available to purchase from our webshop, ITS Lite: Click here 🛒
Why Are They Crucial in Hygienic Environments?
1. Protection Against Overpressure
Whether it’s a pasteuriser in a dairy plant or a pressure vessel in a pharmaceutical facility, overpressure can result in catastrophic damage or contamination. Safety and PRVs are the last line of defence — preventing bursts, leaks, and compromised batch integrity.
2. Maintaining Product Integrity
In sectors where product sterility and purity are non-negotiable, pressure fluctuations can introduce air or even backflow, leading to potential contamination. Hygienic valves help maintain stable conditions throughout the process line.
3. Compliant with Stringent Regulations
Manufacturers must meet EHEDG, FDA, and 3-A standards when designing systems for the hygienic sector. Safety and pressure valves built for these environments are designed with cleanability, material traceability, and compliance in mind.
Modern hygienic pressure relief valves — like Servinox’s and Alfa Laval’s latest innovations — are not only more precise, but they’re also easier to clean, inspect, and maintain. This minimises system downtime and improves overall equipment efficiency (OEE).
In the hygienic sector, safety and pressure valves are not just technical necessities — they’re essential components of a broader commitment to safety, quality, and compliance.
🔹At ITS, we work closely with trusted manufacturers like Alfa Laval and Servinoxto ensure our customers are equipped with the right valves for the right application, whether you’re designing a new plant or upgrading legacy systems.
If you’re unsure about your current setup or curious about the latest valve technology, our team is always here to help.
Leakproof Operation. Maximum Safety. Minimal Downtime.
Now available from Industrial Trading Solutions Ltd., the Alfa Laval Leakage Detection Butterfly Valve is here to help you safeguard your product and processes like never before.
Engineered for use in dairy, food, beverage, and home & personal care industries, this compact double block-and-bleed valve ensures fluid separation, hygiene, and efficiency – all in one smart package.
Key benefits at a glance:
✅ Leakproof shutoff – Protect product integrity and prevent cross-contamination with safe, hygienic valve closure
✅ Reliable detection – Built-in leakage detection for quick fault identification and resolution
✅ Cost-efficient design – Compact footprint saves space, reduces installation time, and lowers maintenance needs
✅ Uptime you can count on – Fewer failures mean more time producing and less time fixing
Pair it with an Alfa Laval ThinkTop® control unit for real-time monitoring, easy automation, and peace of mind.
This is smart, safe process engineering made simple – and it’s available now through ITS.
Contact us to find out how this innovative valve can enhance your process safety and performance. 📞 01675 465191 📧 Or email us at: sales@industrialtradingsolutions.com
When it comes to mixing active ingredients and excipients, precision isn’t just preferred — it’s critical. That’s where the ALVAK in-line mixer from Vak Kimsa excels. Now available through ITS, ALVAK delivers the high-spec performance your pharmaceutical or hygienic process demands.
🧠 Engineered for Exactitude.
🔬 Designed for the homogeneous mixing of:
• Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs)
• Excipients
• Suspensions and solutions requiring exact dosing and uniformity
🧴Suitable for applications across:
Pharmaceutical production
Cosmetic and biotech industries
Any environment where hygiene, accuracy, and consistency are paramount
⚙️ Key Benefits:
✔️ In-line design for closed, contamination-free processing
✔️ Ensures consistent product quality and integrity
✔️ Supports high-viscosity formulations without compromise
✔️ Scalable for both pilot and full production lines
Whether you’re blending delicate actives or viscous compounds, ALVAK is your go-to solution for safe, controlled, and repeatable mixing.
Are you curious if ALVAK is right for your process?
Speak to the ITS team today — we’ll help you find the optimal solution to elevate your mixing system. 📞 01675 465191 📧 Or email us at: sales@industrialtradingsolutions.com
Good news! Our Alfa Laval Service Kit offer has now been extended until 31st August 2025.
There’s still time to purchase five or more of our Alfa Laval Butterfly Valve Service Kits through ITS Lite and enjoy up to 5% off, automatically applied at checkout.
These genuine Alfa Laval Service Kits are compact, high-quality kits containing everything you need for common repairs and preventive maintenance, including high-quality certified seals and O-rings, all with full traceability.
It’s been another productive month for ITS – from product spotlights, extended ITS services, to real-world solutions, product knowledge, and strengthening partnerships. We’ve wrapped it all up in our July 2025 edition of the ITS Flow Time Newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/yd8jkp94
Enjoy the read, and we’ll be back with more updates next month👋😃
Our ITS team recently had the opportunity to pack their toolkits (and passports) and visit LIAG’s production facility in Salem, Germany, for a focused technical training hosted by Fabian Keller.
The visit was all about deepening our understanding of pigging systems and valve technology— two critical components in modern product recovery and hygienic processing.
What did the training cover?
The training combined classroom sessions with practical, hands-on experience. The team learnt how to construct LIAG’s valves and observed their in-house pigging systems in operation. Seeing the systems up close allowed us to gain a clearer technical perspective and sharpen our ability to support customers with tailored recovery solutions that help reduce waste and improve line efficiency.
Our team also toured the production facility, gaining a deeper understanding of the high standards and innovation behind LIAG’s equipment. The trip didn’t stop at the factory; our team had the chance to explore the historic medieval town of Meersburg and enjoy a team dinner overlooking Lake Constance.
💭 Did you know? LIAG pigging systems can recover nearly all product left in process lines up to 99.5%, making them a smart, sustainable choice for food, beverage, and personal care industries.
Thanks again to Fabian and the LIAG® team for the knowledge, hospitality, scenic detour and a valuable experience that will strengthen the support we offer our customers across hygienic processing industries. We’re back with fresh insight and ready to help customers boost product yield, cut waste, and reduce cleaning time.
ITS Servicing & Maintenance: In-Situ PHE Tests on Heat Exchangers
📨A new message from our ITS Servicing & Maintenance down below:
Now Part of Our Extended Servicing & Maintenance Portfolio
We’re expanding our service offering to include advanced in-situ Plate Heat Exchanger (PHE) Integrity Testing and Pasteurisation Holding Time Testing —helping you maintain system performance and ensure product safety, without the need for costly downtime.
🔹PHE Integrity Testing
The PHE integrity test involves injecting a controlled mixture of inert gases into the heat exchanger plates to detect any potential cracks or leaks in the system’s framework.
This method allows our servicing team to assess the condition of the plates without the need to disassemble the system. By identifying faults immediately, plant operators can make informed decisions about the maintenance of their heat exchanger equipment on site, avoiding unnecessary strip-downs, the cost of replacement plate packs, and unplanned production delays.
🔹Why are we doing this?
Undetected cracks in PHEs can lead to cross-contamination, product spoilage, or exposure to harmful fumes. This testing helps verify the integrity of your heat exchanger and protects your product, allowing issues to be identified and addressed before they escalate.
Viscosity is like the “thickness” or “stickiness” of a liquid, determining how easily it flows. Imagine pouring honey and water; honey flows much more slowly because it has a higher viscosity compared to water. This concept applies to all liquids and gases, affecting how they move through pipes, over surfaces, or when being mixed.
What Is Viscosity, and How Is It Relevant to My Product or Process?
In technical terms, viscosity measures a fluid’s resistance to deformation at a given rate, such as when it’s flowing or being mixed. For fluids like water or air (known as Newtonian fluids), viscosity is constant and doesn’t change with the speed of flow or how forcefully they’re mixed. However, for non-Newtonian fluids, like ketchup or gels, their viscosity can change when they’re squeezed, mixed, or shaken – they can become thinner (less viscous) or thicker (more viscous) under stress.
Samples of viscosity
These values represent the viscosity of the materials listed, providing a comparison from very fluid substances like water to very thick materials like window putty. Each fluid’s viscosity measurement is dependent on factors like temperature and the specific composition of the fluid.
These examples span a range of common household and industrial liquids to illustrate how viscosity varies across different materials.
Viscosity behaviour for Newtonian, Thixotropic and Dilatant
Viscosity behaviour describes how the thickness of a fluid (its viscosity) changes under different conditions. Here’s an explanation of the behaviour for Newtonian, Thixotropic, and Dilatant fluids:
1. Newtonian Fluids: – These fluids have a constant viscosity, regardless of the force applied to them or the rate at which they are stirred or moved. – A common example is water. Whether you stir it slowly or quickly, it feels just as ‘thick’ or ‘thin’ – it doesn’t change its resistance to flow.
2. Thixotropic Fluids: – Thixotropic fluids become less viscous, or thinner, over time when a constant force is applied. – Imagine a jar of honey or ketchup. When you first try to pour it, it moves slowly. But as you shake or stir it, it flows more easily. Once you stop stirring, over time, it will thicken up again.
3. Dilatant Fluids: – Dilatant fluids are the opposite of thixotropic. They become more viscous, or thicker, when a force is applied. – Think of a mixture of cornstarch and water. When you press on it or move your hand through it quickly, it feels solid. But if you move slowly, it feels liquid. The faster the force, the thicker it becomes.
These behaviours are important in industrial processes where the flow of materials is critical, such as in mixing, pumping, or during chemical reactions. Understanding and controlling viscosity behaviour ensures that processes run smoothly and efficiently.
What does high viscosity mean?
High viscosity means that a fluid is thick and flows slowly. A high-viscosity fluid, like honey or molasses, resists motion due to internal friction – its molecules don’t move past each other easily. This is in contrast to low-viscosity fluids, like water or alcohol, which are thin and flow quickly. High-viscosity substances require more force to pour, spread, or stir compared to low-viscosity substances.
What does density mean?
Density is a measure of how much mass is contained in a given volume. It is often expressed in kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³) or grams per cubic centimetre (g/cm³). You can think of density as how tightly packed or how heavy something is for its size. For example, a rock is denser than a piece of cork; even if they’re the same size, the rock will be heavier because it has more mass packed into the same amount of space. Density is an important concept in physics and engineering because it affects how substances interact with each other, including whether they will float or sink when placed in a fluid.
How does the temperature change viscosity?
Temperature has a significant impact on the viscosity of liquids and gases:
For Liquids: As temperature increases, the viscosity of a liquid typically decreases. This occurs because the increased thermal energy allows the molecules to move more freely, reducing the internal friction that resists flow. In other words, heat makes the liquid’s molecules more energetic and less sticky to each other, making the liquid thinner and flow more easily. For example, heating honey or oil makes it runnier than when it is cold.
For Gases: Unlike liquids, the viscosity of gases increases with temperature. As the temperature rises, gas molecules move faster and collide more often, which leads to an increase in the transfer of momentum across the gas. This increased activity and interaction between the molecules cause the viscosity to go up.
💡These changes in viscosity in response to temperature variations are important to consider in applications such as lubrication, chemical processing, and in the design of equipment where fluids are used or processed.
Did you know that understanding your energy usage can unlock serious savings and sustainability wins?
At Industrial Trading Solutions Ltd., we’re proud to offer the Joules Report from our partner Alfa Laval – a game-changing analysis tool designed to help businesses improve energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
What is the Joules Report?
It’s an in-depth energy audit carried out by Alfa Laval’s specialists, focusing on your heat transfer systems. The report identifies where energy is being lost, and most importantly – how you can reclaim it.
Key Benefits:
Lower operating costs through reduced energy consumption
Improved heat recovery processes
Support in achieving carbon reduction targets
Tailored recommendations for equipment upgrades or optimisation
A clear roadmap for improving sustainability – without disrupting your production
Whether you’re in the food and beverage, brewery, dairy, pharmaceutical or homecare sectors, the Joules Report can help uncover hidden efficiencies in your processes.
🔹Let ITS and Alfa Laval help you make energy efficiency more than just a buzzword – let’s make it a business advantage. 🌍⚙️
Get in touch to discuss how a Joules Report could support your site’s sustainability goals. 📞 01675 465191 / 📧sales@industrialtradingsolutions.com
Looking for a smart, hygienic solution to seal your piping penetrations?
Say hello to Pipetite® ReBoots – the clever answer to sealing around existing pipes and tubing, without having to disconnect anything!
These boots are specially designed to retrofit around pre-installed pipework – simply open, fit, and seal. Flexible, silicone-based, and 100% food-safe, they’re ideal for hygienic processing environments where cleanliness is key.
✅ Easy to install on existing systems
✅ Maintains a watertight, bacteria-resistant seal
✅ Perfect for food, beverage, dairy & pharma facilities
💡 Available now from Industrial Trading Solutions Ltd. – your trusted supplier of hygienic flow equipment.
🔍 Don’t stop there! Be sure to check out our full range of Pipetite® products – there’s a solution for every pipe penetration challenge.
…all depend on selecting the right flow measurement technology.
But with so many options—magnetic-inductive, Coriolis, turbine, calorimetric, PMO-approved and more—how do you know which flow sensor is right for your application?
📘 Our new Whitepaper breaks it down.
Discover the best solution for your needs and learn how to enhance efficiency while meeting hygiene and quality standards.
