Exploring the Top Process Pigging Articles of 2023
As we bid farewell to 2023 and eagerly anticipate the arrival of 2024, the team at HPS is thrilled to have had an incredible year.
We’re excitedly looking ahead to all that 2024 holds. To wrap up this remarkable year, we’ve compiled a selection of our most popular blog posts. Take a moment to explore these favourites and join us as we step into the New Year!
Thank you for being part of our journey, and we can’t wait to share more liquid product recovery (pigging) and industry related content with you in the upcoming year!
But before we dive into the most popular blog articles, an honorary mention must go to one of our latest pigging technology case studies. It’s had an incredible amount of interest, and shows how HPS technology reduced sanitisation times to around 15 minutes instead of 2 to 3 hours, delivered an estimated 83% reduction in washout times, plus a 93% reduction in waste compared. Please take a look at the case study about pigging in personal care product manufacture.
10. How Do Pigs Move Along Pipes
Taking the 10th spot is an insightful article about how pipeline pigs (specialist projectiles used in pigging systems to reclaim valuable product) are propelled through pipelines.
Pigs are unable to propel themselves through the pipe. Instead, they are pushed along the pipeline by liquids and gases.
This blog article looks at the range of propellants used in industrial process pigging. This includes water, filtered air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and other products.
9. 5 Challenges Candy Companies are Facing in 2023
In 2023, numerous industries grapple with escalating costs of raw materials and energy, and the candy industry is no exception to these challenges.
This article looks at some of the key challenges facing the candy industry in 2023 and how the adoption of advanced liquid product recovery systems can assist companies in enhancing operations and growing return on investment (ROI) year-on-year.
From increasing yields, and boosting production capacity, to enhancing operational efficiency, and boosting the bottom line, the benefits of pigging systems for chocolate and confectionery production are extensive.
If you’re involved in manufacturing candy, chocolate, confectionery, or similar products, this article is a must-read for you.
8. Covid-19 and the Demand for Hand Sanitiser and Increasing Production Capacity by Pigging
Recall the days of the COVID-19 pandemic? It seems like a lifetime ago now. One significant impact of this global event has been the remarkable surge in the demand for hand sanitisers and hygiene products.
At a pivotal stage of the pandemic, the demand for hand sanitisers skyrocketed by an astonishing 1400%, reflecting the rush among consumers to secure supplies as the COVID-19 outbreak spread.
Due to the huge demand for hand sanitiser, cleaning product manufacturers increased their production capacity to meet the demand. Moreover, some companies ventured into hand sanitizer production despite never having done so before.
This blog article looks at COVID-19 and how pigging systems can help manufacturers of hand sanitiser and similar type products increase production capacity, reduce waste, and improve the efficiency of their operations.
7. How to Clean a Chocolate Transfer Pipe Using Product Recovery (Pigging)
Ranking in at number 7 is an insightful article about how to effectively clean chocolate transfer pipelines using pigging technology.
Effective cleaning is crucial in chocolate manufacturing to ensure product quality. After all, a processing plant’s reputation, and by extension, the brand, could be at risk if a chocolate product is manufactured in an undesirable way.
A time-saving and hygienic way to recover product while cleaning a transfer pipe is by using hygienic and sanitary liquid product recovery technology.
Thanks to the exceptional recovery efficiency of the HPS pig, the same pipeline can be used for multiple products with fast changeover times. This streamlined process ensures convenient cleaning and facilitates recipe changes effortlessly.
Moreover, pigging eliminates the need for extensive dismantling of equipment during cleaning, ultimately saving valuable time, resources, and labour. It also reduces the use of oil and butter, often used for cleaning.
This article also looks at some of special considerations for chocolate processing and production.
For those in chocolate manufacturing, this insightful read is a must!
6. How to Reduce Clean in Place (CIP) and Downtime in Liquid Processing
CIP systems play a vital role in ensuring the cleanliness of processing equipment, preventing bacterial contamination, as well as maintaining the integrity of the entire system. The necessity for CIP systems intensifies significantly when pipelines are shared.
CIP technology has many benefits to companies that process liquids. It enables the removal of bacteria, chemicals, and biological residues from processing equipment without having to dismantle the equipment.
This article looks at the role of CIP in hygienic, sanitary and process industries, spanning food and beverage, cosmetics, homecare, and so on. It also delves into how HPS pigging systems can make the CIP process easier, quicker, and more efficient.
Essentially, CIP and pigging go hand in hand. Because the HPS pipeline pig reclaims so much product from process pipelines, this results in reduced cleaning, water usage, and resource required. Therefore, there’s less work for a CIP system to do.
Pigging a pipeline before CIP, offers a wide range of additional advantages, thoroughly explored within this article.
5. Raw Price Inflation Still a Problem for Paint and Coatings Manufacturers in 2022
This article was our most popular pigging blog article in 2022. It’s now sitting in the number 5 position.
During 2022, paint and coatings manufacturers contended with substantial inflation in raw material costs.
Among them, manufacturers faced soaring prices for crucial raw materials like solvents, resins, and pigments, all experiencing notable increases in cost.
These increases were largely due to the huge increase in oil prices. At the time, oil prices skyrocketed by over 70%, reaching a peak of more than $113.94 (£86.81) per barrel, marking the highest point since 2014.
Alongside this, paint and coatings industries encountered additional pressures such as rising energy costs, the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the effects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
An effective way to offset these increasing costs and boost the bottom line is my implementing HPS custom pigging systems.
Explore the blog to delve deeper into the challenges facing paints and coatings manufacturers and how pigging systems can help.
4. How to Prevent Aeration During Liquid Processing
This blog article has climbed up three positions from 2022. It’s now sitting at the number 4 spot.
This educational article is particularly useful for companies dealing with liquid products susceptible to foaming (such as detergents, shampoos, shaving gels) or those that would be compromised by coming into contact with air during processing (such as wine).
Products vulnerable to exposure to air during manufacturing pose significant risks for manufacturers if they become aerated. Aeration can disrupt or halt manufacturing processes, leading to delays and, in severe cases, requiring complete product disposal.
One of the most effective methods to prevent liquid from encountering air before a run, after a flush, CIP, or product changeover is to use an HPS double-pig pigging system.
Double-pig systems seal the product from air or gas in pipeline by using two pipeline pigs. The specialist system not only significantly reduces aeration (and foaming), but it removes residual water or cleaning fluids (typically up to 99.5%).
To learn more about preventing aeration, foaming or air contact in liquid processing, be sure to delve into this informative article.
3. Sustainability Challenges Facing the Cosmetics and Personal Care Industry
This article has moved up one spot from its previous ranking, now holding the number 3 position.
It looks at the key sustainability challenges impacting the industry from eco-packaging and transparency to greenwashing and water management.
In recent years, sustainability has emerged as a paramount concern for numerous businesses within the cosmetics and personal care industry.
While many manufacturers are taking sustainability seriously and have adopted initiatives to lessen their environmental impact, there’s also been a concerning rise in firms resorting to greenwashing tactics.
In other words, some companies are leveraging marketing messages and labelling to subtly mislead customers into believing their products are environmentally friendly.
To genuinely enhance sustainability, manufacturers should consider implementing an HPS pigging system.
They significantly reduce water usage and minimise product wastage. Pigging systems for cosmetics and personal care products also reduce chemical usage during cleaning processes and decrease treatment and disposal costs.
Explore the blog to uncover further insights into improving environmental sustainability in cosmetics and personal care processing using HPS modern, high-tech pigging systems.
2. Facing Challenges in the Chocolate and Confectionery Industry
This article has been a popular one for a few years. Again, like the candy article above, it looks at some of the challenges facing chocolate and confectionery manufacturers.
This includes widespread government regulation, competitive pressures, and raw material price inflation. Notably, prices for imported raw materials like cocoa butter, sugar, almonds, and vanilla surged to unprecedented levels during this period.
While many manufacturers absorbed these cost pressures, others opted for a different tactic known as ‘shrinkflation.’ This strategy involves reducing the size of chocolate bars while keeping the price the same.
More than ever, chocolate, and confectionery manufacturers are increasingly recognising the substantial benefits that pigging offers for chocolate production.
Some of the benefits pigging offers chocolate processing include higher yields, less waste, improved quality and lot control, faster changeovers, streamlined cleaning plus much more.
1. How Paint Manufacturers Can Overcome Raw Material Price Hikes
Our most sought-after pigging article of 2023 revolves around the paint and coatings industry grappling with escalating raw material prices. This article has jumped 8 places from last year’s 9th position.
The availability and pricing of raw materials posed significant challenges for paint and coatings manufacturers in the UK and Europe, exacerbating existing pressures and causing substantial disruptions across the industry.
In this blog article, we offer valuable insights on how paint and coatings manufacturers can overcome these hurdles by harnessing industrial process pipeline pigging technology. This technology proves instrumental in enhancing efficiency, boosting productivity, increasing, profitability, and improving the competitiveness of paint processing and production operations.
Discover in our blog the challenges facing paints and coatings manufacturers, along with insights into how pigging can help solve some of these challenges.
Watch the space to see if this blog retains the top spot in 2024.
Thank You
Thank you for reading our blog articles.
If you have any specific questions or topics related to pigging, product recovery, or liquid transfer solutions that you’d like us to cover in future blog articles, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Alternatively, if you are interested in implementing a pigging system, please contact HPS.