Customer Success Stories

Ecolab helps a cheese and whey manufacturer increase production and save water by adding Synergex™ to their CIP procedures.

Background

A cheese and whey manufacturer in the Pacific Northwest wanted to increase the production of their cheese vats and ultimately their whey protein to optimize revenue.

Solution

To help achieve the plants goals Ecolab recommend that they switch from Mandate™ Plus*, a non-iodine acid sanitizer to Synergex™ in their CIP procedures. Synergex™ is an EPA-registered**, mixed-peracid based sanitizer and disinfectant that helps protect against many pathogenic and environmental microorganisms, as well as bacteriophage, yeast, and mold in several sanitizing applications. It is the only no-rinse sanitizer and disinfectant to hold an EPA claim of penetrating and killing biofilms (Listeria monocytogenes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) non-porous food contact surfaces, with no rinse options and is listed on the EPA’s List N for use against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.***

Additional benefits include:

Convenient to use as a one-step, no post-rinse required sanitizer.
Improves productivity from enhanced mineral solubility that helps reduce frequency of acid washes and labor needs.
Lower pH solution aids in mineral, hard-water, and milk soil removal.
Reduces employee exposure to concentrated product through unique drum packaging closure to help improve worker safety.
Helps to reduce water consumption for CIP programs as compared to a sanitizers with post-rinse requirements.
Phosphorus reduction in wastewater stream.

"By moving to Synergex™, the plant was able to move from a six-step CIP program to a four-step program on the cheddar master, salter, Vat 8, milk and curd line, rennet line, vat chase and block foamers allowing the plant to gain two additional vats of cheese per day."

Results

By moving to Synergex™, the plant was able to move from a six-step CIP program to a four-step program on the cheddar master, salter, Vat 8, milk and curd line, rennet line, vat chase and block foamers allowing the plant to gain two additional vats of cheese per day. This equated to $7.6M in increased cheese, whey protein concentrate and lactose production annually. Additionally, they were able to save 2.4 million gallons of water per year and reduce nitric acid in their wastewater stream.

*U.S. EPA Reg. No. 1677-194
**U.S. EPA Reg. No. 1677-250
***Synergex™ has demonstrated effectiveness against viruses similar to SARS-CoV-2 on hard, non-porous surfaces. Therefore, Synergex™ can be used against SARS-CoV-2 when used in accordance with the directions for use against Reovirus on hard, non-porous surfaces. Refer to the CDC website at cdc.gov/coronavirus for additional information.

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Annual Savings

Operational Performance

$7,606,000 USD

Value Delivered

View definition

Raw Material Optimization
Product Optimization
Location Productivity
Labor Productivity
Capacity
Reliability
Asset Protection
Industry Compliance
Regulator Compliance

Water

$2.4 Milliongal

Ecolab helped this customer improve:

Productivity:
Gained 2 additional vats of cheese per day
$7.6 Million USD in increased cheese, WPS and lactose production annually

Water:
2.4 Million gallons of water saved annually
$6,000 USD in annual labor savings
Improved wastewater discharge by reducing nitric acid in wastewater stream