Case Study: Ceiling Paint Removal for a Beverage Manufacturer

Hard Tea & Hard Deadlines: Polar Clean Steps in Where Other Blasting Companies Take a Hard Pass

When the maker of a popular brand of hard iced tea needed a solution for a flaking ceiling that wouldn’t require a shutdown of its production line, other blasting companies said, “too hard.”

Access to the ceiling was limited by the configuration of the production line directly beneath in a compact arrangement with no walkways or space where traditional scaffolding could be erected.

Pre-Inspection Cleaning with No Time for Downtime

As a further complication, the work had to be completed in time for an upcoming inspection. Revised safety regulations meant that the drinking surface of the cans had to be protected from contact with any contaminants and the aging ceiling was shedding bits of rust and paint.

At the same time, a demanding production schedule meant the manufacturer had to keep its production lines running across all three shifts.

When the company reached out to other blasting companies for help, the response was a series of no-thank-yous.

Complex Manufacturing Cleaning: The Polar Clean Sweet Spot

But a maintenance manager knew of a company with a reputation for handling jobs other blasters couldn’t: Polar Clean.

In addition to the many advantages of dry ice blasting for sensitive settings, the Polar Clean team specializes in hard-to-access cleaning projects. From the bottom of a deep and narrow coffee silo to the inside of a petrochemical refinery reactor, our training, certifications, experience and careful processes leave us well equipped for so-called “impossible” jobs.

For the tea manufacturer, our first challenge was to design and build custom scaffolding and containment structures that would enable us to access the ceiling and prevent paint flakes, rust and other debris from falling into the conveyer belts, where thousands of cans would continue their progress down the line as we worked.

The second challenge was a tight deadline. The ceiling had to be pristine and ready for an inspection that was only a few weeks away.

Dry Ice Blasting for Fast & Effective Cleaning in Sensitive Settings

Fortunately, dry ice cleaning is also fast, with the ability to clean 6 to 8 square feet per minute on this application. It also doesn’t introduce any additional debris into the field since it uses frozen CO₂ pellets that sublimate on contact.

Other advantages of dry ice blasting in the manufacturing setting include:

• Dry ice nozzle size and blasting pressure can be adjusted for cleaning delicate machinery and electrical equipment without the risk of damage
• Dry ice blasting uses no water and requires little cleanup
• Dry ice blasting is non-conductive
• Dry ice blasting uses no chemicals and is safe for use in food and pharmaceutical production areas

For the team manufacturer, the result was a clean, no longer flaking ceiling and a stress-free inspection.

Call Us to Discuss Your Manufacturing Cleaning Challenges

If you’ve got cleaning challenges that ordinary methods and companies can’t meet, the Polar Clean team would love to meet you. We have decades of experience in hard-to-clean settings like food and beverage manufacturing facilities and specialized training and certifications for projects that require working at heights, in confined spaces or that require customized scaffolding and containment structures.

We also offer a variety of cleaning options that provide additional solutions for stubborn adherents that require more abrasive blasting, including sponge blasting and hybrid solutions that combine dry ice and abrasive blasting.

Contact our team today to learn more.

Contact Us to Learn More About Manufacturing Cleaning Solutions