So, when one US company started to look at how best to future-proof capacity, water quality and efficiency at its water reclamation facility in Wisconsin, the opportunity to achieve ‘like new’ performance by upgrading its 23 belt filter presses at 75% of the cost of total replacement was a winning formula. 

The belt-press upgrade project, which will take place over the next two and a half years will be carried out by Alfa Laval subsidiary, Ashbrook Simon-Hartley, and in order to make sure that plant performance is unaffected, two machines at a time will be reconstructed until all the work is complete.  

The AS-H service team will strip out all components from each of the AS-H Winklepresses until just the framework remains and the presses will then be totally rebuilt so that, once complete, they will perform like new without the need to reengineer a solution that has already proven successful. 

One of the benefits of the rebuild programme is the ability to reuse a significant amount of steel,” explains Ken Medlin, Managing Director of Ashbrook Simon-Hartley. “Had the facility bought entirely new equipment, the foundry work, energy demands, and transport costs would have been considerable. Utilizing existing frameworks is incredibly sustainable and is one of the exciting reasons to rebuild belt filter presses.”

Project discussions began three years ago as the two companies nailed down the precise details to ensure delivery on all customer requirements. 

Relationships are crucial and building trust is critical,” says Ken. “This is how opportunities like this come to fruition. Partnering with your customers, understanding their needs and developing solutions together is rewarding for all involved. This customer trusted us with the initial install of the equipment years ago and it is always rewarding when they demonstrate their belief in us by allowing us the opportunity to serve them again.”  

In an industry that is always eager to embrace state-of-the-art technology, the latest innovation or newest solution, rebuilding existing equipment may not initially sound particularly revolutionary but it is important for a number of reasons, these include:

• Wastewater treatment plant operations and maintenance personnel already understand the technology, so it is very much plug and play.
• Rebuilds are highly sustainable and cost roughly 75 cents on the dollar compared to new equipment so sites with CAPEX demands can responsibly spread around their resources by addressing multiple concerns.
• Engineering costs are eliminated because the footprint remains the same and the frames are retained.

There is tremendous value in the dependability, stability, and reliability of proven technology such as our Winklepresses and in a world where huge store is set on innovation and the next exciting gadget, rebuilding projects such as this one have sustainability at their core,” Ken concludes.