Shampoo manufacturer doubles capacity with cost-effective new mixing technology

By using an existing ingredient mixing vessel and upgrading the agitator assembly, Herb UK says it will see a return on its investment in under eight months, reduce energy consumption and solve product aeration issues. Since its foundation 20 years ago, Herb UK has manufactured a range of products that are safer for hairdressers to use than traditional ammonia-based colours. Growing demand meant the firm needed to increase its capacity cost effectively. It was using a two tonne vessel to manufacture shampoos and cream peroxides. "Our shampoo was taking three days to mix and is the most challenging product to produce," says Mark D'Arcy, Herb UK's operations manager. "Our existing mixing equipment with large blade impellers was also leaving too much air in the product, causing delays at the bottling stage." Herb experimented with recirculation pumps but the increased power consumption, product aeration and inconsistent results led it to look at improving the agitator. The answer proved to be the purchase of a new 'Viscoprop' agitator from the mixing technology specialist Ekato that its UK company managing director John Smith says are frequently the answer in demanding process conditions. "They can make it possible to combine previously separate process steps in a single vessel, reducing cost," he says. The solution offered Herb a variable speed solution with the opportunity to also reverse direction, 'pulling' liquids off the floor of the vessel and distributing them evenly through the batch. "Variable speed gives the operator better control," suggests Smith. "And for smaller batch sizes it helps minimise splashing." The results achieved provided an immediate benefit. "We have been able to reduce process time by 50%," says factory manager Brian Crouch. "We can achieve 100,000 tonnes per manufacturing year. In addition the new process is removing much of the air, reducing bottling time and the need for a recirculation pump." The impellers also helped to solve another specific issue Herb UK had been facing. Correcting the pH value is normally done by adding an adjuster at the end of the process but being thinner and lighter, this tended to float on the liquid surface. Typically, more would be added to ensure consistent values through the batch. The new impellers distribute the adjuster through the entire batch resulting in better consistency from the top to the bottom of the vessel. Anbd Crouch says: "The new impellers are much smaller. This makes the tank more accessible for removing the product and a shorter cleaning process reduces changeover times when we switch from shampoo to activators." Herb UK is now considering bringing the new technology to a second mixing tank.