Part of the Spadel Group, Brecon Beacons Natural Waters has experienced significant growth, transforming from a cottage industry to a major commercial entity supplying high-quality mineral waters to UK national retail chains. As part of this expansion, the company needed to create a dedicated bottle blowing area within their existing warehouse facility. The challenge was to design a space that could prevent contamination from the main warehouse operations, while maintaining high standards of cleanliness as the bottles are automatically fed into the bottling process.

The Challenge

The new bottle blowing area needed to meet several critical requirements:

1. Protection from dust and contamination
2. Flexibility for future expansion
3. A quick and dust-free installation process
4. An aesthetically pleasing and functional partition

Brecon Beacons’ Engineering Maintenance Manager, Colin Edwards, emphasised the importance of meeting these specifications. “We had four specific requirements – good value, flexibility, quick and dust-free installation. Flexipart met them all, no one else could come anywhere near,” he said.

Solution

After evaluating options, Brecon Beacons selected the Flexipart system from Galebreaker, a versatile and efficient solution for creating clean, partitioned areas within warehouses. The system was chosen for its translucency, light transmission, fire retardant properties, and ease of installation.

The Flexipart system was used to create a partition that was:

• Eight meters high and forty meters long
• Fixed to an existing wall, forming a three-sided enclosure
• Tensioned in four directions, ensuring the material remained tight, wrinkle-free, and visually appealing

The installation included several key features:

• Flexipart ‘v’ jointing system: This allows for easy addition or removal of sections, providing flexibility as the area evolves.
• Remote control roller doors: Made from the same Flexipart material, these doors allow for frequent access while maintaining the integrity of the clean area.
• Clear PVC vision windows: These windows enhance visibility, ensuring a safe working environment.
• Crash barriers: Positioned at floor level to protect against forklift collisions.

The entire installation process took only three days and was completed in February of the year it was implemented.

Benefits

The Flexipart system offered several key advantages for Brecon Beacons Natural Waters:

1. Dust-free installation: Unlike traditional construction materials such as plasterboard or brick, no dust was generated during the build, helping maintain the clean environment required for the bottling process.
2. Noise reduction: The system effectively contained the noise from the bottle blowing machines, ensuring a safer and more comfortable workspace.
3. Flexibility for future expansion: As the company continued to grow, the bottle blowing area could be easily extended by simply lengthening the Flexipart wall, ensuring that it could accommodate higher production volumes.
4. Rapid installation: The installation of the Flexipart system was completed quickly, minimising downtime and disruption to operations.

Brecon Beacons now operates two bottle blowing machines, with the latest producing an impressive 16,000 bottles per hour. With the Flexipart system in place, the company can continue to scale its operations with ease, ensuring the highest standards of quality and cleanliness.

Conclusion

The successful installation of the Flexipart system at Brecon Beacons Natural Waters demonstrates the value of flexible, efficient, and dust-free partitioning solutions for industrial facilities. The system has not only improved operational efficiency but also helped the company meet stringent cleanliness requirements, paving the way for continued growth and success in the highly competitive bottled water industry.