Keeping it crisp and clean for Walkers
December 1st 2006

A flame retardant and dust resistant screen from Galebreaker, has enabled Walkers Snack Foods to begin food production in one part of a new facility while construction work continued in the remainder.

Walkers opened its new plant in Skelmersdale in March 2006 and was able to begin production there six months earlier than the due date for completion.

To achieve this construction consultants on the project, Summers-Inman had to put in place a system to allow ongoing civil works immediately adjacent to an open food production area, which adhered to Walkers' strict food manufacturing hygiene and safety rules.

Time constraints also meant that construction work had to be carried out while food manufacture was in process.

The answer was to install a temporary partition wall with a full seal to create a dust free, clean and hygienic production zone. The partition also had to satisfy class '0' fire regulations and provide rapid access to fire door exits, located within the construction area.

Summers-Inman also required an additional, permanent, partition to shield the food manufacturing area from the pallet store and despatch area.

Galebreaker supplied the solution using flexible, flame retardant partitioning screens.

The installation of the 1500m2 temporary screen was made further complicated by the large number of services traversing from the construction side into the manufacturing side.

Galebreaker designed bespoke aluminium and stainless steel frames and clamps for suspending and fixing the screens with all of the fixings for the partition located on the construction side to guard against any loose items entering the food process.

The fabric used is coated on each side and, in accordance with British standard tests, achieves 113 minutes fire protection.

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