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Pipe relining saves deteriorated pipes for Sunshine Coast food processing plant

When aging pipes begin to deteriorate, they can start to crack and break down – even collapsing completely if the problem is left unresolved.

At a Sunshine Coast food processing plant, aging pipes were starting to become problematic. The factory’s processing floor had been in operation for nearly 30 years, and recently they noticed a strong odour resonating from the factory floor. They suspected their pipes were the cause, and when they investigated found that after many years of exposure to extremely hot water and cleaning chemicals, nearly 100 metres of existing clay pipe drainage had become brittle and damaged.

The food processing plant needed a no-dig solution

Replacing the pipes would have been a major project, requiring significant excavation to completely dig up the affected drainage system before installing new pipes. This would have meant completely shutting down the food processing plant for many weeks to excavate the slab, which wasn’t an option for them.

The management team at the food processing plant wanted to find an alternative solution to repair their deteriorated pipes without stopping production. They searched online and found that Nuflow could offer a no-dig solution, and reached out to our Sunshine Coast team.

CCTV technology helped us see the full extent of the issue

To start the repair process at the food processing plant, we visited the site to investigate the extent of the problem using our high definition CCTV drain camera. This allowed us to assess the drains and get a more accurate diagnosis of the issues, before we commenced any work.

From our investigation, we could see the existing trade waste pipes had become brittle from decades of exposure to extreme hot water and cleaning chemicals, and needed to be repaired to prevent further issues. We used the camera to survey the entire trade waste system and identified the affected lines to plan our pipe relining installation.

The relined pipes needed to withstand the high heat and corrosive materials

After cleaning out the affected pipes with high-pressure jetting and pneumatic tools to prepare them for relining, our team designed a custom solution for this project, using Nuflow’s unique High Temp Acid Resistant (HT/AR) resin. This hardy resin not only improves pipe effectiveness by increasing the fluid flow rate, it also ensures the pipes will remain strong and efficient for many decades to come.

We installed the custom relining solution using the factory’s existing access points to pull the pipe liners into place. This process allows us to create a new pipe within the existing pipe, without having to dig up surfaces or excavate the factory’s floor, meaning that the business didn’t have to shut down for weeks to complete the work.

Image 1: The damaged and brittle pipes

Image 2: The pipe relining process

Image 3: The team inspecting the pipes

Old pipes as good as new again

Following the relining, we sent the CCTV drain camera back through again to confirm everything was in working order. The management team at the food processing plant were especially glad that not only were their pipe problems resolved, but that the entire process caused minimal impact on the facility’s ongoing operations.

Expert commercial plumbing coordination meant minimal disruption

Overall, we relined 96 metres of 100mm trade waste pipes. We worked closely with the processing plant’s manager to coordinate the work at times that didn’t disrupt the factory’s operations. This meant we staggered the project over eight weeks, working during nights in order to keep operations up and running.

Commercial plumbing services at the Sunshine Coast

If you suspect your business requires drain repair or have commercial plumbing problems and wish to avoid major excavation to get your pipes fixed, get in touch with the team at Nuflow Sunshine Coast today, and find out how we can find an innovative plumbing solution for your business.

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