Friday, January 22, 2021

Protecting Food Processing Plants With Polyurea

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With news of more food processing facilities pulling items off the shelves and being momentarily shuttered due to possible contamination from Listeria Monocytogenes, the issue of plant sanitation, along with design and building, are at the forefront.
At issue are food and meat processing plants in aging industrial structures with numerous nooks and crannies, along with right-angled construction. In these plants, walls and ceilings are often developed with angled steel, i-beams, concrete block, interlocking metal and fiberglass panels, double-t ceilings, and tiles, including concrete grout.
This provides a virtual breeding ground for standing water, dirt, dust, mold, and pathogens such as Listeria, E. Coli, and Salmonella. With so many cracks, pits, and seams, plants are at danger, notwithstanding aggressive power washing and chemical sanitation methods.
Plant Recalls from Listeria
The fallout from a public recall due to Listeria extends well beyond the lost income from a prolonged shutdown and inventory loss. Litigation, due to customer disease and even death, and the devastating influence on the brand name's name can put a food processor out of business.
On April 20th, 2015, Blue Bell Creameries had all of its products on the marketplace made at all of its facilities, including ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbet, and frozen snacks taken off the shelves due to possible contamination from Listeria. According to the CDC web site's info, 10 individuals with Listeriosis related to this outbreak were confirmed from 4 states, with three deaths reported.


The problem with Listeria is that it is proficient at averting detection. It can aerosolize or attach to equipment and individuals and will flourish in cold temperature levels. As a result, it isn't easy to control in the processing environment. Numerous facilities rely on a robust sanitation program to prevent Listeria from going into or polluting the environment to combat this pathogen. Also, many processors engage in continuous environmental tasting programs to keep an eye on the effectiveness of those efforts.


If any bacteria or contamination is spotted, called "testing hot," it can lead to an instant shutdown. Shutting down a food processing plant running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week can cost the processor millions in lost revenues. There is also the danger of fines by the USDA for recurring offenses.
In the majority of circumstances, companies respond to a positive test by performing heightened cleaning and sanitization. Once the business's follow-up sampling of the impacted sites is unfavorable, the problem is normally resolved.
In addition to concerns about bacteria, contamination likewise originates from center upkeep concerns, such as chipping paint, spalled and cracked concrete, and locations in the walls and ceilings that can gather dust, dirt, mold, and other impurities.




Perpetual Cleaning, Painting
Till now, the expensive and heavy labor option was to clean up regularly and reduce the issues using FRP panels or layer upon layer of paint to attempt to produce a cleanable surface area.
However, the aggressive cleaning agents like bleach and cleaning agents and heavy high-pressure power washing cycles take a heavy toll on the paints, epoxies, concrete, fiberglass, and metal surfaces ultimately use them away till they need a complete replacement, or even worse, they threaten a plant shutdown and or fines.
This is an extremely costly, labor-intensive program that repeats itself in perpetuity at practically every food processing plant across the country.
To resolve this issue, newly patented methods are being used to deliver a complete rehabilitation of the walls and ceilings, often throughout planned upkeep weekends.


At the leading edge is ArmorThane, a Springfield MO based company that performs this kind of work for a wide range of companies. ArmorThane delivers a monolithic liner that eliminates all existing chips, seams, and spaces.
Additionally, area is "improved" through this process, so only smooth, curved lines remain to get rid of locations where water, dirt, grime, or pathogens can collect.

Among ArmorThanes process's crucial elements is the application of an extremely quick treating, pure polyurea coating created for usage in food processing plants. The material is spray applied; it can be used rapidly by qualified applicators and built up to any required thickness, and shaped into the customized wall and ceiling design. According to Froese, polyurea is the only coating system offered to create a monolithic surface area in the short time frame required to decrease plant downtime.
"Most other finishes take 1-4 days to cure, which is too long when you need to get the plant back online. Polyurea cures within minutes."
-- Garry Froese, CEO, of ArmorThane USA Inc.


Before any coatings are used, there are several actions to restore an aging food facility., No amount of cleansing will properly prepare a surface that requires repair. So the initial step is to address any locations with spalled or split concrete, cracking and peeling paint, or heavy deterioration.
The next action is an intensive cleaning procedure to remove grease and grime and other surface pollutants that build-up due to meat processing, cooking, and general facility upkeep. This includes using specifically approved wash down solutions and self-contained high powered water blasting techniques. Then all holes, voids, joints, and penetrations are filled, in addition to extra reshaping modifications. For instance, a mix of concrete and molded foam materials are used to shift any flat surfaces from 90 degrees to 45 degrees to prevent standing water from collecting.
These locations typically include the cove joint from wall to floor, steel I beam bases, welded and frame bolted angle iron and spaces in the existing building, and construction or wall/ceiling fascia. Standing water is among the many contributing factors for Listeria and other pathogens, in addition to mold and rust. Finally, every tool, pipe, flooring, and other exposed locations need to be covered in plastic or covered before spraying starts.




ArmorThane also pays special attention to ensure the best monolithic liner is used, so the result is cosmetically enticing.
In many applications, such as the within big tanks, sprayed polyurea is not needed to be cosmetically appealing," describes Froese., "With a processing plant, everything must be trimmed out, and the polyurea used very evenly, so the plant has a great, clean look."
For food processors in aging facilities, this kind of complete interior wall and ceiling rehab-- regardless of the surface or substrate and level of disrepair-- might be the quickest way to break the cycle of continuous deterioration and ongoing repair while decreasing the threat of pathogen-based product remembers.

Call ArmorThane today to find out more about their coating products.

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Reshaping Processing Plants Using Polyurea

With news of more food processing facilities pulling product off the market and having to shut down due to possible contamination from Listeria Monocytogenes, the concern of plant sanitation, as well as style and building structures, are at the forefront of the agenda for those in the industry.

At issue are food and meat processing plants located in aging industrial buildings with extensive ware and tear, in addition to ideal angled building. In these plants, walls and ceilings are typically built with angled steel, i-beams, concrete block, interlocking metal and fiberglass panels, double-t ceilings and tiles with concrete grout.

This supplies a virtual breeding ground for standing water, dirt, dust, mold, and pathogens such as Listeria, E. Coli, and Salmonella. With many fractures, pits, and seams, plants are at danger in spite of aggressive power cleaning and chemical sanitation strategies.

Plant Recalls from Listeria
The fallout from a public recall due to Listeria extends well beyond lost earnings and extended plant shutdown as well as a decrease in overall business value. Lawsuits, due to customer health problem and even death, along with the disastrous impact to the brand name's credibility, can put a processor out of service.

The difficulty with Listeria is that it is proficient at evading detection. It can aerosolize or connect to equipment and individuals, and will prosper in cold temperatures. As an outcome, it is difficult to control in the processing environment. To fight this pathogen, lots of centers depend on a robust sanitation program to avoid Listeria from getting in or polluting the environment. In addition, many processors participate in continuous environmental sampling programs to keep track of the efficacy of those efforts.

If any bacteria or contamination is discovered, called "testing hot," it can lead to an instant shutdown. Closing down a food processing plant that is running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, can cost the processor millions in lost profits. There is also the danger of fines by the USDA for recurring violations.

In the majority of instances, business just react to a positive test by performing magnified cleaning and sanitization. Once the company's follow-up tasting of the affected websites is negative, the problem is normally thought about to be dealt with.

In addition to issues about bacteria, contamination likewise comes from facility maintenance concerns, such as breaking paint, spalled and broken concrete, and areas in the walls and ceilings that can gather dust, dirt, mold and other contaminants.

Perpetual Cleansing, Painting
Until now, the expensive and labor heavy solution was merely to clean up more frequently and mitigate the issues utilizing FRP panels or layer upon layer of paint to try to create a cleanable surface.

The aggressive cleaning agents like bleach and cleaning agents and heavy high pressure power cleaning cycles take a heavy toll on the paints, epoxies, concrete, fiberglass and metal surfaces eventually use them away until they need a total replacement, or even worse, they jeopardize a plant shutdown and or fines.

This is an extremely costly, labor-intensive program that duplicates itself in perpetuity at practically every food processing plant throughout the nation.

To resolve this issue, new patented techniques are being used to deliver a complete rehabilitation of the walls and ceilings, typically throughout planned maintenance weekends.

Many other coatings take 1-4 days just to treat, which is too long when you require to get the plant back online. Polyurea cures within minutes. Additionally, the space is "reshaped" through this procedure so just smooth, curved lines stay to remove areas where water, dirt, grime or pathogens can collect.


Among the key elements of the industrial process is application of an incredibly fast curing, pure polyurea coating designed for usage in food processing plants. Given that the material is spray used, it can be applied quickly by qualified applicators and constructed up to any required thickness and formed into the modified wall and ceiling design. Polyurea is the only coating system readily available that can create a monolithic surface area in the brief time frame needed to minimize plant downtime.

The majority of other coatings take 1-4 days simply to cure, which is too long when you need to get the plant back online.


Companies makes use of a special, private label formulation of pure polyurea for food contact facilities from ArmorThane, a worldwide provider of high-performance polyurea coatings, liners and joint sealants for a wide variety of industrial environments. The company uses two systems that are third-party ranked for FDA Direct Food contact.

Due to the aggressive nature of plant wash downs, a custom-made polyurea topcoat is required to finish the process., The final topcoat creates a very slick surface, making it difficult for standing water, dust, dirt, or bacteria to take hold. To finish all this work, Companies deal with the food centers to strategize and optimally time rehabilitation operations.

Before any coatings are used, there are several actions to restore an aging food facility., No quantity of cleansing will effectively prepare a surface that needs repair. So the initial step is to resolve any areas with spalled or split concrete, chipping and peeling paint, or heavy corrosion.

The next action is an intensive cleaning process to remove grease and gunk and other surface area contaminants that build-up as an outcome of meat processing, cooking, and basic facility maintenance. This involves using specially authorized wash down options and self-contained high powered water blasting techniques. All holes, voids, joints, and penetrations are filled, along with additional adjustments for the reshaping. A combination of concrete and molded foam products are utilized to transition any flat surface areas from 90 degrees to 45 degrees to avoid standing water from accumulating.

These areas usually consist of the cove joint from wall to floor, steel I beam bases, welded and frame bolted angle iron, and gaps in the existing construction or wall/ceiling fascia. Standing water is one of the numerous contributing aspects for Listeria and other pathogens, in addition to mold and corrosion. Finally, every piece of devices, pipe, flooring, and other exposed locations must be wrapped in plastic or covered prior to spraying starts.

In numerous applications, such as the within of big tanks, sprayed polyurea is not required to be cosmetically appealing.

For food processors in aging centers this type of total interior wall and ceiling rehabilitation-- regardless of the surface or substrate and level of disrepair-- might be the quickest method to break the cycle of constant degeneration and ongoing repair, while decreasing danger of pathogen-based item recalls.