2024 is right around the corner and it has been another eventful year for the process pigging industry. The Russo-Ukrainian War, the continuing economic aftermath of COVID-19, and climate change have impacted supply chain stability, international trade, and raw material prices.
Fortunately, the global economy is predicted to make an upturn in 2024, with inflation rates stabilising and protectionist policies easing to facilitate international trade.
So, what’s in store for the process pigging industry in 2024?
From niche sector uptake to green processing, here are some of the key trends that may impact the process pigging industry in 2024.
Niche Sector Uptake
As consumer demands and preferences diversify, niche markets will begin to investigate technologies that will allow them to increase their yields, capacity, and environmental sustainability. Niche markets include the meat alternatives sector, dairy alternatives sector, and, in some countries, the cannabis sector.
Staying Competitive With Pigging
There are a huge number of companies competing for success in niche markets across the world. Startup companies looking to enter and compete for dominance face an uphill battle, with statistics pointing to a startup failure rate of 90% in years one through five.
The 10% of companies that survive to year six must then start looking for ways to grow their reach and expand their output capabilities.
Investing in manufacturing technology is the perfect start to business growth.
Find out how we help companies grow by reading our case studies
Green Processing
Sustainability has been at the forefront of manufacturing regulations for several years now and the pressure for companies to improve their environmental friendliness is only increasing. Consumers are now looking to make purchases from corporations that are actively working towards reducing carbon emissions and improving their social responsibility.
Studies show that consumers appreciate and are loyal to companies actively improving their sustainability. Many companies are already investing in forward-thinking and innovative technologies, and it is expected that many more will follow suit in 2024.
Green Processing and Pigging
Pigging technology contributes significantly towards improving the environmental friendliness of processing operations.
From decreasing water consumption, reducing waste output, and cutting carbon emissions during changeover processes, there are many environmental benefits of pigging. HPS clients have introduced water recycling programmes into their operations, and many are benefiting from massive waste reduction.
“The pigging systems used by the DCS Group have resulted in a 93% reduction in waste compared to when using IBCs.”
Additionally, independent consultants Carbon-Zero performed a study that demonstrated how HPS Advanced Liquid Product Recovery (Pigging) Technology reduces carbon emissions by up to 99.3% per changeover.
Several government bodies around the world are introducing measures that require all companies to measure and manage their Scope 3 carbon emissions. This is important legislation that will impact climate change and company transparency. You can read our article to find out more about the importance of reducing carbon footprints in liquid process manufacturing.
Continued Plant Automation
Manufacturers across the world are often struggling to fulfil labour demands for several reasons. From an aging workforce to low staff retention rates, manufacturers are considering plant automation as an alternative.
The persistent shortage of labourers means that companies are more likely to invest in equipment that makes processes and operations easier to manage. Additionally, investing in high-performance automation technology reduces the risk of human error and ensures smoother production.
Automated Pigging Technology
As leaders in developing high-performance pigging systems, HPS are at the forefront of automated pigging technology. Our fully automatic systems are closed-loop, requiring no manual interaction except for maintenance purposes.
Automatic pigging systems help companies to improve process speed, productivity, and efficiency. Risks associated with human error and complacency, such as health and safety hazards, batch contamination or cross-contamination, and operational delays become minimal.
By using automated pigging technology, manufacturers decrease changeover times with up to 99.5% product recovery rates. This leads to increased product output and manufacturing capacity, contributing to business growth targets.
The Price of Raw Materials Decreases
After several years of high raw material and ingredient prices, economists expect that costs will decrease in 2024. However, companies reliant on materials and ingredients from countries impacted by war, famine, and climate change may see the reverse, with prices continuing to stay high or fluctuating.
Despite these hopes, financial hardships and conservatism are unlikely to end for some time. Companies will continue to look for versatile ways to decrease costs and increase profits throughout their operations.
Pigging Improves Business Performance
Manufacturers using HPS pigging technology recover up to 99.5% of residual product from pipelines, rather than flushing it to waste. Pigging technology enables companies of all sizes to increase their product yields and reduce the cost of waste treatment, transport, and disposal.
Geopolitical events impact the availability of materials and ingredients that manufacturers are reliant on. Intelligent use of resources will contribute to business growth and improved standing in the competitive market.
Find Out More
HPS Product Recovery Solutions has been supplying Advanced Liquid Product Recovery (Pigging) Technology to manufacturers since 1995. For more information on how we can help you improve your processes in 2024, please get in touch.