Working in a foam plant
Special services and safe solutions are needed when handling problematic materials – and not just when regular maintenance work is being carried out but also when industrial plants are due to be closed down. An example of this could be seen just recently when BUCHEN UmweltService was called in to help following the closure of a foam plant in the Rheingau region.
REmptying the tanks
Koepp Schaum GmbH, a firm belonging to the international Vita Group, is a manufacturer of high quality foam material. The company primarily produced materials for the automobile, medical technology and packaging industries at its plant in Oestrich-Winkel. A number of strategic and business reasons had led to it deciding to shut down its factory this year and transfer its business operations to a different location owned by the Group.
Being a leading industrial service provider, BUCHEN UmweltService serves its customers from its branches all over Europe.
Being an experienced industrial cleaning specialist, BUCHEN UmweltService was commissioned to carry out the work that had to be done after the plant had been closed down. Focus here was on emptying and cleaning the tanks used for storing the chemicals needed to manufacture the PU foam. This included 29 containers used for storing polyol, each with a cap-acity varying between 4 and 30 cubic metres. In addition, the operatives dealt with six tanks for storing isocyanate (ranging from 18 to 54 cubic metres in size). Their work also involved them cleaning the pipes connected to the tanks.
Teamwork between the REMONDIS Group firms
BUCHEN worked together with its sister company, REMONDIS Industrie Service, to ensure the residual materials and substances were sent for professional treatment. Which meant a further REMONDIS Group company was also able to bring their expertise to the table. One of the main reasons why BUCHEN was awarded the contract was the solution that it had come up with to deal with the mixture of water and isocyanate generated as a result of the cleaning process. Analyses of the liquids were performed throughout by Umwelt Control Labor so that in fact three REMONDIS Group businesses were involved in the project all in all.
Image credits: AdobeStock: knee0
