Lakeland Laboratories continues investment programme with cooling system upgrade

Following a comprehensive Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) study, Lakeland Laboratories has commissioned the design, engineering and installation of a high-efficiency process cooling system at our manufacturing site in Greater Manchester to support the existing and future growth of Lakeland's on-site production capabilities. 

Working with Vistech Cooling Systems, Lakeland's FEED study evaluated our site's existing cooling infrastructure before Vistech and Lakeland teams collaborated to develop a new system designed to accommodate both existing and future production demands. The study identified opportunities for energy savings, reliability and scalability, producing technical data that will support the upcoming engineering and installation works.

Cooling system design to build capacity for the future 

Our upgraded process cooling system will support up to 14 production vessels simultaneously, maintaining precise temperature controls during chemical reaction processes. 

It is expected that the new system will improve process stability, energy efficiency and reliability during the lifetime of the installation, offering substantial capacity that will support the growth and automation of Lakeland's surfactant manufacturing operations in Greater Manchester in the coming years. Features of the system include: 

• Heat rejection capacity of approx. 3.2MW
• Advanced PLC-based (Programmable Logic Controller) automation and control systems
• Variable-speed circulation pumps for energy-efficient performance
• High-efficiency glass-reinforced plastic cooling tower, a steel alternative that's corrosion-resistant, lightweight and hardwearing 
• Stainless steel ring main cooling network

In Vistech's press release, Managing Director Richard Crunden says: 

“This project demonstrates the value of a thorough FEED study in shaping the right cooling solution. By carefully assessing the operational requirements and future growth plans for the Lakeland Laboratories site, we’re delivering a system that ensures reliability, efficiency, and flexibility for years to come.”

Lakeland's Engineering Director, Jamie Clark, adds: 

"The new plant will enable us to operate much more efficiently, saving both electricity and water consumption. The cooling processes for products are improved, not only in the speed of cooling but in its consistency, enhancing the quality of our products, and with the ability to cool more vessels simultaneously, we will gain significant capacity. We're looking forward to the installation of the system and benefiting from the opportunities this presents."

Lakeland Laboratories: Quality surfactant chemical manufacturing for over 50 years

Lakeland Laboratories is a specialist independent surfactants and chemicals manufacturer, serving sectors worldwide, ranging from automotive and agriculture to industrial cleaning, oil and gas and metal working, for over 60 years, with products and services including amphoterics, anionic phosphate esters, wax emulsions and contract manufacture.

Since 1963, we’ve maintained our focus on product development backed by hands-on laboratory skills and strong customer relationships which enable us to create products perfectly tailored to their purpose.

Versatile and incredibly consistent products are researched, developed and manufactured using the best raw materials on the market by our ISO 9001-certified team which is committed to excellent customer service, enabling our customers to produce dependable product ranges enjoyed by consumers and end users across the globe.

Lakeland is privately-owned, operating all manufacturing, laboratory and administration functions from our plant in Astley, Greater Manchester.