James Walker Moorflex Ltd contacted MecWash Systems to supply a waste fluid recycling system to improve the sustainability of their fluid waste at their factory in in Bingley, West Yorkshire. Based in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, MecWash has a famously meticulous approach with a team of engineers and scientists working together to solve the toughest waste fluid recycling challenges across industry.
Alan Atkinson, sales manager at MecWash, comments: “At MecWash, we work with some of the world’s top manufacturers, including Rolls-Royce Plc, JCB, Brompton Bicycle, Triumph, Eaton and BAE Systems, to name a few. This experience gives MecWash the edge in supplying a system to make a significant difference at James Walker, helping to achieve their environmental ISO14001 goals for continuous waste recycling improvements.
“Speaking with the team from James Walker, I was confident that we could provide a system that would make a sizable difference to the sustainability of their fluid waste operation and contribute towards their waste reduction strategy.
“The Aqua-Save Junior II allows for water to be recovered from waste coolant via an IBC, reducing disposal costs by reducing the volume of coolant to be collected and disposed of. MecWash customers have reported that their water consumption reduces by 75% after the addition of reusing the recovered water for washing applications and floor scrubbers.
The Aqua Save Junior II has brought a substantial reduction in waste disposal for James Walker.
“The Aqua-Save range has been developed for the treatment and recycling of industrial waste water, including wash water from parts cleaning equipment, coolant and dye penetrant, significantly reducing the costs for disposal. The customer found the Aqua-Save gave them a quick payback along with the environmental benefits of recycling waste.
“The effluent from the Aqua-Save system that requires disposal is a concentrated waste, consisting of the oils, emulsions and soluble waste distilled from the contaminated waste. This concentrate is often just 10% of the original volume for waste collection, as the Aqua-Save can remove up to 90% of the water, which is mixed in for the coolant,” said Alan.
Steven Bamber, HSE Facilities Co-ordinator at James Walker, said: “The goal of working with MecWash was to improve the recycling processes, specifically around recycling the water from coolants, and reusing the wash water that would previously be removed as waste.
“At James Walker, we produce a wide range of high-performance products covering sealing and bolting applications for manufacturers across industry. We are known for creating long-term sustainable solutions for our customers, but as a business, we are investing in our own sustainability programme.
“The James Walker Group is aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, so the team are focused on minimising the environment impact by reducing CO2 emissions, wherever possible. The Aqua-Save system has provided a substantial reduction in waste disposal, satisfying the requirements for continuous improvements for recycling included in ISO14001. The system has created savings in water, energy, labour and chemical costs.
“Working with Alan and the team at MecWash has been very informative. The depth of understanding regarding component cleaning is well known in manufacturing and the detail of their approach has been impressive,” said Steven.
John Pattison, managing director of MecWash, said: “Recycling is at the very top of the agenda for manufacturers. Our customers are very aware of the environmental, reputational and financial repercussions of unnecessary consumption and wastage.
“We are pleased that the purchase of the Aqua Save Junior II has made a such an impact on the cleaning process at James Walker, reducing costs and enhancing their environmental commitments. The results have been so positive that the group is considering rolling the systems out to each of their 20 sites,” said John.