At a Glance

Stainless Steel Fabrication Projects · Hygienic Process Piping · Food Grade Engineering · Energy Efficient Manufacturing

We recently partnered with a legend of Australian food manufacturing, a company with deep roots in New South Wales,, Victoria, and New Zealand.
If you know chocolate production, you know the pipelines are usually massive and clunky because of the jacketing needed to keep the liquid chocolate warm. Our brief was to keep things looking tidy and functional in a confined space. We achieved this by tucking the pipework out of the eyeline and into the ceiling spaces, dropping the pipes down through bulkheads right onto the processing lines. It was a labour-intensive process, but we ensured the entire installation met world-class standards.

Whether it’s food safety inspections or regular pigging and maintenance, the system is built to perform perfectly, even when it’s out of sight.

The Challenge

  • Managing bulky, double-jacketed chocolate pipelines within confined factory spaces while maintaining a clean, aesthetic and professional appearance.
  • Installing over 200 metres of heavy pipework through ceiling cavities and roof bulkheads without disrupting existing plant.
  • Ensuring hidden pipework met exacting food safety standards for maintenance, fault finding, cleaning access and regular pigging.
  • Preventing significant heat loss across long distances to ensure liquid chocolate mass flows easily without any blockages.

The Solution

  • Hand-building over 200 metres of food-grade stainless steel pipework on-site to navigate complex ceiling voids and bulkheads.
  • Utilising double-sleeved pipes with hygienic couplings and protective food-grade glanding techniques to ensure a completely sanitary installation.
  • Performing comprehensive pressure testing and sanitisation on all sections prior to installation to guarantee a leak-free system.
  • Applying high-quality thermal lagging to all pipework to reduce heat loss and boost the facility’s overall energy efficiency.

The Outcome

  • The project delivered a clean, hygienic design with linear pipe runs and minimal bends to ensure unrestricted flow.
  • The streamlined layout features accessible joints and couplings, making routine cleaning and maintenance inspections a much simpler process.
  • This design achieved annual energy savings of 5 to 10% by significantly reducing pump pressure drop losses.
  • Improved thermal efficiency was achieved through quality lagging and fewer joints, reducing heat loss in the water systems.