Dry Conveyor Lubricants Save Water for Food & Beverage Companies

Posted

Ecolab's DryExx, a silicon-based lubricant used for moving bottles, cans and other containers down plastic conveyor lines, is cutting water use and saving money for food and beverage businesses that in the past have relied on wet lubricants, StarTribune reports. The product, used by Pepsi Inc., Coca-Cola Co. and Campbell Soup Co. to name a few, can cost up to 20 percent more than wet lubricants but can reduce water use on conveyor lines by as much as 97 percent.

Citrus Systems Inc., which operates a 72,000 square foot plant, says it has cut its water bill by about $3,500 a year since it started using the original formula about two years ago. Using less water also has extended the life of the conveyor lines' chains, an additional $3,500 savings per year. Using less water also means spending less to treat waste water.

Now, Ecolab has released a new formulation for stainless steel lines used for glass containers.

Ecolab does business in more than 70 countries. Foreign sales accounted for about 48 percent of the company's $7.2 billion in revenue last year.

Environment + Energy Leader