A global soft drinks bottler cuts water use by 4 million litres

CHALLENGE

Reducing water use where every drop counts

The plant had already done the obvious work. They'd optimised where they could, cut waste where they knew it existed, and built a reputation for efficiency. But they suspected there was more to find. Hidden in rinse phases that ran a little too long. In cleaning cycles that followed the clock rather than the process.

The problem? Their existing conductivity sensors couldn't see it. They provided basic readings, but lacked the precision to detect exactly when a rinse was complete or when chemicals had fully cleared. Without that visibility, the team had no safe way to shorten cycles.

They needed technology that could show them what conductivity couldn't. And give them the confidence to act on it.

SOLUTION

RF technology delivered the precision conductivity couldn't

Collo's CIP Optimisation solution provided the breakthrough.  Radio Frequency analysers installed in CIP return lines measured liquid properties in real time with a level of accuracy that conductivity simply can't match. The difference was immediately clear: where conductivity signals were noisy and inconsistent, Collo signal stayed smooth and stable through every phase transition.

This precision made all the difference. Collo's p latform combined the analyser data with process information, identifying exactly where cycles could be shortened safely. No guesswork. No compromises on cleaning quality.

The technology also revealed issues that had gone unnoticed: contamination in pre-rinse water from the recovery tank, air bubbles during caustic circulation. These insights gave the team the information they needed to address root causes, not just symptoms.

RESULTS

Measurable savings across water, energy, and time

For a plant that was already outperforming the network average, these results validated what the team had long suspected: there was significant waste hiding in plain sight. The 300 hours of potencial freed-up cleaning time could give operations more room to breathe. Maintenance windows that used to feel rushed could became manageable. Production planning could gain flexibility that simply wasn't there before.

The calculated potential savings:

Based on the six-week trial and analysis of 200 CIP cycles, Collo quantified the following potential annual savings if the optimisations are rolled out at scale:

• 17% reduction in total CIP water consumption

• 4 million litres saved annually

• 10% reduction in CIP energy consumption

• 300 hours of cleaning time saved annually
• 10% reduction in total cleaning time

• Increased production capacity
• Better visibility for predictive maintenance
• More flexibility in production planning

WHAT'S NEXT

From time-based to state-based cleaning

With results validated, the bottler is now expanding to optimise CIP cycles at other plants across the network. First plant becomes the reference site, proving what's possible before replicating the model elsewhere.

The end goal is a shift from time-based cleaning to fully state-based cleaning. Using Signals, Collo's real-time process optimisation signals connect directly to the plant's automation. Instead of running cycles for a fixed duration, the system responds to actual conditions. When the rinse is clean, it stops

Calculate your CIP savings potential

How much water, energy, and time could your plant save? Use our CIP Savings Calculator to calculate how much time, water and money your plant could save with Collo.