McEwen’s designed and installed a containerised steam boiler plant for a manufacturer of drug delivery devices and pharmaceutical components supplying global markets. The project increased steam capacity to support new production equipment, while addressing restricted space and a complex pipework route through the existing factory.
The factory manufactures metal cartridges for inhalers. Oils used during forming help the metal move through the tooling without damage, but must subsequently be removed from the finished components. Specialist cleaning machines remove these residues and recover the cleaning solvent for reuse. Steam supports this process, making sufficient boiler capacity essential to the operation of the new machine alongside the existing equipment.
The manufacturer’s two steam boilers were already operating close to their combined capacity. Adding another component-cleaning machine would exceed the available steam output, requiring a larger boiler and new distribution pipework. With limited room within the buildings and no practical scope to expand the site, the installation had to make use of a small internal yard.
Designing the Boiler Plant
An internal yard, previously occupied by a maintenance shed, was identified as the available location for the new boiler plant. Following clearance, this provided space for a permanent containerised installation without requiring additional room within the factory.
McEwen’s assembled the boiler and associated plant within the container. Housing the equipment in this format also provided defined lifting points, allowing the complete assembly to be handled and positioned as a single unit.
The new boiler was sized to supply the whole site, including the additional cleaning machine. Connections to the existing steam network and new distribution pipework allowed it to serve both established equipment and the expanded production capacity.
Fabricating & Installing the Steam Pipework
The main engineering challenge was the approximately 180-metre pipework route between the boiler plant and the equipment it would supply. The route passed around several buildings, following pathways, staircases, walkways and rooftop sections. Frequent changes in direction and elevation required detailed measurement and design to accommodate the existing site layout.
McEwen’s designed the pipework in advance, then spent approximately a month fabricating and testing it at the workshop. Installation was completed by a two-person team across three separate week-long site visits, using the available programme before the boiler arrived.
The pipework was installed and tested ahead of the container’s placement, ensuring the distribution system was ready for the new steam supply. Valve arrangements enabled the boiler to connect into the existing network and direct steam to the required areas.
Outcomes
The containerised boiler now supplies steam across the factory, providing the capacity needed to operate the additional cleaning machine alongside the existing production equipment. The two previous boilers are no longer required for normal operation.
The installation also provides a basis for a proposed future upgrade: replacing the original boilers with a second suitably sized unit within the existing boiler house. This would allow either boiler to support site demand during maintenance or repairs and provide capacity for further production machinery.
By combining a containerised plant with carefully planned distribution pipework, we increased the factory’s steam capacity within the constraints of an established manufacturing site.
