HLA Group, based in Boldon, has completed a £1.2 million project for the UK’s largest high street bakery chain.
The project, which included £1.1 million of work at its Newcastle production facility, and £100,000 at a production facility in Leeds, involved the design, build and installation of an advanced dust extraction system.
Adhering to Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH), complying with regulation 9 of COSHH 2022, the systems are designed to protect the health of bakery operatives by capturing airborne particles, including flour dust, to ensure exceptional air quality. Additionally, they have reduced operational cost, including man-hours spent on tasks such as cleaning floors, and increased energy efficiency across the bakery chain.
The project, managed by Michael Oliver and Lee Kirby, lead local exhaust ventilation (LEV) designers at HLA Group, provides a full turnkey solution for the bakery chain. Serving as principal contractors, the team, which consisted of 26 operatives, including designers, builders, fabricators, installers, pipe fitters, electricians and a commissioning team, managed every aspect of the project from concept to completion.
HLA Group is a leading North East provider of full mechanical, air conditioning, climate control and temperature control solutions. It employs 130 staff and has satellite offices in Cumbria and a manufacturing hub in Seaham. The firm operates across several sectors including construction, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, education and four of the North East’s five universities.
It specialises in delivering high-quality LEV solutions to ensure clean and safe working environments across a wide range of industries, including welding, grinding, pharmaceuticals, food production, aerospace, waste recycling and more.
The company is committed to collaborating with clients to enhance workplace safety and air quality. From design and installation to testing and compliance, it provides comprehensive, end-to-end solutions tailored to meet specific requirements
Michael, said: “The client has expressed a very clear satisfaction with the improvements made. Our system not only meets COSHH regulations but also reduces energy costs by recycling both air and heat, eliminating the requirement for an additional heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. The positive feedback is a testament to the quality and effectiveness of the solution. We’re now in talks to extend this work to additional sites, which really highlights how valuable our client views our product and service.”
The project took approximately one year to complete, with HLA Group’s team working closely with the client to ensure minimal disruption to operations. As part of the installation, the dust extraction system employs a P602-certified design, ensuring compliance with the highest health and safety standards. The system removes a variety of dust from the atmosphere and channels it into a dust collector, where it is filtered through a main filter and then a HEPA filter. The air is then returned to the bakery, 99.97% filtered, and heat is recycled back into the room, increasing air quality and also providing cost-saving benefits.
Lee, said: “The system we’ve installed can benefit a wide range of industries, from processing to manufacturing and beyond. Not only does it protect the health of operatives, especially those working within industrial environments, it also helps employers create a cleaner environment for their employees.
“For any LEV needs, whether it’s a new system, maintenance, or compliance checks, HLA Group is able to assist.”