Nestlé - Working together to drive efficiency savings
Challenge
Solution
Results
Overview
In July 2025, members of the Spirax Sarco team visited the Nestlé Cereal Partners site to observe the results of an ambitious steam system upgrade. This visit marked a key milestone in a close, collaborative partnership that has delivered measurable improvements across several critical areas:
- Water savings through efficient reuse and reduced waste
- Enhanced energy efficiency via targeted heat recovery
- Improved system insight with better monitoring and control
Beyond the technical achievements, the project has reshaped perceptions of what steam system optimisation can deliver — proving that sustainability and performance can go hand-in-hand.
Challenge
Prior to the upgrade, the energy centre at Nestlé Cereal Partners faced several persistent challenges that hindered efficiency and sustainability progress:
- High and historically stable water consumption, with limited opportunities for reduction
- Restricted real-time system monitoring, making performance tracking reactive rather than proactive
- Manual fault-finding processes, consuming significant time and resources
- Limited visibility into individual steam trap performance, obscuring cost and efficiency impacts
With a large site footprint and a lean operations team, maintaining system health and driving efficiency gains was becoming increasingly difficult — especially under growing pressure to meet sustainability targets and control operational costs.
Solution
As part of the project, Spirax Sarco conducted a comprehensive steam system assessment, focusing on:
- Health and safety compliance, ensuring the system met operational and regulatory standards
- Energy reduction and optimisation, identifying opportunities to minimise waste and improve efficiency
- Best practice implementation, aligning system performance with industry-leading standards
This assessment provided the foundation for targeted improvements and helped build a clear roadmap for sustainable steam system optimisation.
- One of the key deliverables was a comprehensive design proposal for a bespoke heat recovery solution. The primary objective was to eliminate flash steam losses by capturing and reusing the energy that would otherwise be wasted. These losses were not only a financial burden for the customer but also posed environmental concerns, particularly for neighbouring communities around the site
- By recovering this energy and redirecting it into the process, the solution not only improves operational efficiency but also aligns with sustainability goals and community expectations
- Effective collaboration and Knowledge-sharing between Spirax Sarco engineers and Nestlé’s on-site teams
- Spirax Sarco were able to support the customer from the initial assessment through to design, installation support and project management
Throughout the process, Spirax Sarco’s design engineers engaged with site personnel to ensure clarity, alignment, and a genuine sense of partnership.
How
The heat recovery package is the cornerstone of our proposed solution, designed to maximise energy efficiency by capturing thermal energy from flash steam. The flash steam is utilised in both the hotwell and pressurised deaerator to elevate temperature in place of the steam sparge, the recovered heat is also transferred into ambient temperature reverse osmosis (RO) water, which is then used to feed the hot well.
By elevating the inlet temperature of the hot well, the energy required to raise the water to its operating temperature (approximately 85°C) is significantly reduced. This not only improves overall system efficiency but also contributes to lower operational costs and reduced environmental impact.
Click on the image above to view the Heat Recovery Solution Model & Wider Infrastructure.
“Your design guys came to site – really knowledgeable. They showed us how to use things and got our guys involved so everyone was speaking the same language. It did feel like a partnership.”Jonathan Turton, Site Services Manager, Nestlé
Water Savings
One of the most striking results has been in water usage. Prior to the project, the site averaged around 3,700 cubic metres of water per month. Since implementing the changes
• Site water usage dropped by 900m³
• June fell to 1,992 m³ — the first time it had dropped below 2,000 m³ during a normal production month
The team can now track production against water consumption, creating a robust data set to prove and maintain performance.
We’ve smashed our water savings target for the year. I was sceptical at first, but this has proved me wrong.”Jonathan Turton, Site Services Manager, Nestlé
Gas Savings and Environmental Benefits
Gas and carbon savings are also being delivered through reduced parasitic steam load onto hot well and pressurised deaerator. By optimising the heat recovery process, less steam is required to maintain system temperatures, resulting in:
• Lower gas consumption
• Reduced carbon emissions
• Improved system efficiency
These savings contribute directly to the site's sustainability targets while also enhancing long-term cost-effectiveness.
Driving improved efficiencies through the deployment of digital sensors and actionable insights.
🔍 Enhanced Condensate Monitoring & Efficiency Savings
Previously, site operators needed 2–3 hours to manually test the system and trace faults. With Spirax Sarco’s digital controls:
• Full site review now takes just 10 minutes
• System faults can be diagnosed remotely
• Heat exchanger issues can be pinpointed and acted upon quickly
• Data snapshots can be shared and discussed in real time
“I can now diagnose and fault-find without even leaving my chair. This saves us an inordinate amount of time.”
💨 Steam trap insights from continuous online monitoring
By monitoring trap performance and cost data:
• Failed traps are easily identified
• The team can assess and understand CO₂ and energy savings
• Comparisons with internal cost tools confirm real-time ROI
“It’s really easy now. I just see the trap, see the cost, compare with our tool, and it’s done. We can prove a reduction in CO₂.”
Impact & Reflections
What began with a degree of scepticism evolved into a trusted and collaborative partnership. The project not only delivered measurable technical and environmental benefits but also reshaped the working relationship between Spirax Sarco and the Nestlé team:
• Perceptions of Spirax Sarco shifted dramatically, from a traditional supplier to a strategic partner
• Trust, knowledge-sharing, and service emerged as key success factors throughout the engagement
• Empowered decision-making: The Nestlé team now feels confident making independent, data-driven decisions using live system insights
“Trust is key, and having that service is important. Even if I’m not here, the team can use the tool and take action.”
Flash Losses Before and After
Looking Ahead
The Nestlé team now has a deeper understanding of how to leverage data and digital tools to:
• Maintain system performance proactively
• Reduce emissions and energy waste
• Support long-term sustainability goals with confidence
This shift from reactive maintenance to data-driven decision-making marks a significant step forward in operational maturity and environmental stewardship.
“This is the only thing we’ve done in the energy centre to save water — and it’s worked.”
Conclusion
This collaboration between Nestlé and Spirax Sarco demonstrates the power of practical engineering, smart data, and a true service partnership. The results speak for themselves:
• Visible savings in water, energy, CO₂ emissions, and operational time
• A site that is now more resilient, more efficient, and more empowered than ever
• A team equipped with the tools and insights to drive ongoing performance and sustainability
This project sets a benchmark for what’s possible when technical expertise, digital innovation, and collaborative spirit come together.
Misuratori di conducibilità
Indicano il grado di purezza di un liquido misurandone la conducibilità elettrica in funzione della sua concentrazione salina. lI livello di conducibilità misurato fornisce, infatti, una stima attendibile della quantità di solidi disciolti nell'acqua di caldaia.
Air Comprimé
La qualité de l'air comprimé est primordiale pour l'efficacité de vos installations.
Mess- und Regeltechnik
Im Bereich der Mess- und Regeltechnik bietet Spirax Sarco ein breites Produktspektrum für jeden Anwendungszweck in der Dampftechnik.
Temperatur-Regelsysteme ohne Hilfsenergie
Ein kostengünstiges, breites Produktspektrum – wartungsfrei und zuverlässig.
Wärmeübertrager und Systeme
Wir bieten flexible und effiziente Lösung, unter anderem im Bereich Wärmeübertragung, Reindampferzeugung, Druckminderung, Kondensatrückführung etc.
Alimenti e bevande
Le soluzioni di ingegneria del vapore di Spirax Sarco sono specifiche per i processi alimentari: dalla scottatura, pelatura e cottura all'estrusione, pastorizzazione e confezionamento termoretraibile.