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Cereal Efficiency: Crunching the numbers to cut costs and carbon
Sometimes, energy savings can be found in the most unexpected corners of a customer’s facility. And while lowering energy bills is often the immediate priority, the ripple effects can be even more valuable – boosting safety, improving system performance, and advancing sustainability goals. All it takes is the right knowledge and the right partner to help see the bigger picture.
That’s exactly what happened when an ERIKS Application Engineer visited the site of a major cereal manufacturer. The customer, like so many in the food and beverage industry, was under pressure from rising energy costs and was actively searching for areas to improve efficiency. With a wide array of energy-hungry assets across the site – including motors, pumps, drives, and fans – it wasn’t immediately obvious where the best opportunity lay.
Identifying hidden opportunities
Working closely with the ERIKS Value Delivery Team, the engineer embarked on a full-site review. The objective was clear: find the quickest win to deliver the best return on investment.
Several promising options were identified, but one in particular stood out – an area of the site that hadn’t received attention in some time: the steam system.
Although steam is a critical component in many manufacturing processes, its infrastructure is often overlooked. ERIKS recommended a Steam Trap Survey, to be conducted by Spirax Sarco, an ERIKS Preferred Partner. With their expertise and specialised equipment, they could diagnose inefficiencies and potential failures that were likely costing the business far more than it realised.
Full steam ahead
Standard best practice is to carry out a Steam Trap Survey every 12 months – more frequently if system pressure exceeds 30psi.
But at this site, a much longer interval had passed since the last inspection. The ERIKS and Spirax Sarco team anticipated issues, and they weren’t wrong.
The survey took six days and covered the site’s entire steam system – 271 steam traps in total. Using heat measurement guns, engineers assessed each trap and its surrounding pipework. Any unusual temperature readings were a red flag that steam wasn’t flowing properly, or that condensate wasn’t being efficiently removed. Either issue meant wasted energy – and potentially serious safety and operational risks.
When steam traps fail, they can do so in a few different ways. A trap that fails open leaks steam continuously, wasting energy. One that fails closed can block the release of condensate, causing dangerous buildup. In worst-case scenarios, this can lead to water hammer (violent pressure surges that damage equipment) or even water contamination, threatening product quality.
The numbers tell the story
Out of the 271 traps surveyed:
- 147 (54%) were operating correctly
- 71 were found to be redundant or not in use
- 53 traps – nearly 20% – were either failed open, failed closed, or cold
The implications were significant. Annual energy losses due to leaking traps were calculated at over £84,000. In environmental terms, the failed open traps alone were responsible for an estimated 335 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.
The cost to replace the faulty traps? Just £13,487. With that investment, the payback period was a mere two months. The cereal manufacturer didn’t hesitate. Repairs and replacements were swiftly carried out.
Real savings, lasting impact
Twelve months later, the results were in. The company had saved £56,282 on energy bills and was well on track to meet its sustainability objectives. Importantly, it had also improved the safety and reliability of its steam system – minimising risk while maximising performance.
By committing to an annual Steam Trap Survey, the manufacturer is now positioned to repeat these savings year after year, turning what was once an overlooked area into a consistent source of efficiency and environmental gain.
Energy saving isn’t always about checking the obvious high-consumption assets. Sometimes, it’s the small components – hidden deep in a complex system – that offer the biggest wins.
With the right expertise and the right partner, manufacturers can uncover hidden inefficiencies, make smart investments, and reap benefits that go far beyond the bottom line. In this case, a few days of inspection led to thousands in savings, hundreds of tonnes of CO2 avoided, and a safer, more reliable production environment.
For more information on Flow Control, contact your local ERIKS Service Centre, who will be happy to discuss your options.
#ERIKS #LetsMakeIndustryWorkBetter #CostSavings #EnergySavings #SteamTraps #SpiraxSarco
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