‘Manufacturers to deal with contamination at the point of exposure to the product’

It is ideal for injection moulding machines, and can be adapted for conveyor systems and process and flow lines. 

ISO 14644-1 standards

Joe Govier, managing director, Connect 2 Cleanrooms, told FoodProductionDaily, many elements of food product and packaging manufacturing require ISO 14644-1 standards or a Class 5-9 environment, which can be costly and time-consuming.

HEPA-lite maintains the quality of air at points where the packaging is exposed, which means manufacturers don’t have to enclose the entire production line within a cleanroom environment.

“Connect 2 Cleanrooms designs and manufactures modular and mobile cleanroom products to enable food and drink manufacturers to maintain GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) air standards throughout their production lines​,” he said. 

“We do a lot of work with companies which use bottle filling lines, because when a bottle is filled, the air that is displaced from inside will introduce impurities to the production process. When you are dealing with high volumes of product, that can potentially be a big source of contamination, which our products help to minimise. ​

"We have worked with soft drinks manufacturers, as well as producers of infant feed systems to solve this problem​.”

The modular system is designed with flexibility in mind. Low, braked castors and angle-adjustable legs make the product easy to slide under machinery and the C-frame itself is built bespoke to requirements. 

Customer branding

It also has LED lighting and a digital pressure differential transmitter with digital output to specify upper and lower thresholds for air pressure and triggers an audible and visual warning alarm, should pressure vary outside these parameters.

HEPA-lite can be customised to suit manufacturers’ individual needs. Side panels are available, with either a softwall curtain or clear acrylic hardwall, and the product can carry customer branding.

Govier said the company will be expanding its distribution network over the coming months to reach out to a broader customer base and it will be recruiting to strengthen its senior management team.

“We predict a trend for more localised clean air products within the industry over the next five years, dealing with contamination at the point of exposure to the product​,” he added.

“This will not only reduce initial outlay to firms as it is a more focused approach, but reduce energy usage and running costs. This has helped us to focus our product development and to come up with sustainable products that firms can use to make tangible savings and improve their bottom line for years to come.​

“We are very interested in the Chinese market, but our concerns are that our products may be copied. We are currently a part of Lancaster University’s China Catalyst Programme, which supports UK companies looking to develop commercial partnerships in China. We have also signed a distributor in the Middle East due to an increase in demand​.”

Govier said he hopes the launch of HEPA-lite will allow the company to work in a diverse range of market sectors.

“There will also be more of a focus for us to form relationships with product suppliers, rather than end users, ensuring our products are compatible and effective for use with a wide range of manufacturing equipment​,” he added.