Specialist High-Level Factory Cleaning for Machinery Auction Preparation at Volac

Project Type: Specialist high-level factory cleaning
Client: Volac
Sector: Food manufacturing and industrial production
Service: Machinery, equipment and high-level factory cleaning
Scope: Milk-powder residue removal and preparation of production equipment for auction
Team: Three specialist operatives
Timescale: Eight-day cleaning programme
Access Requirements: Mobile Elevating Work Platform — MEWP

Overview of the Volac Project

Exterius was appointed to complete a specialist high-level factory clean for Volac, focusing on production machinery and the surrounding elevated areas.

The equipment was being prepared for auction, meaning the cleaning work had to be completed against fixed deadlines and carefully coordinated with the wider auction programme.

The machinery and nearby surfaces were contaminated with milk-powder residue. Unlike ordinary airborne dust, the higher fat content of the milk powder caused the residue to adhere more firmly to equipment, finishes and surrounding surfaces.

This meant the project required more than simple vacuuming or dry dusting. Exterius developed a considered cleaning approach combining suitable cleaning products, manual agitation and carefully selected brushes to remove the bonded contamination without unnecessarily marking or damaging the machinery before auction.

The Requirement

Volac required the machinery and associated factory areas to be cleaned before the equipment entered the next stage of the auction process.

The scope included accessible surfaces across the production equipment, along with surrounding high-level areas where milk-powder residue had accumulated.

The auction schedule created fixed completion deadlines. Each item and work area therefore had to be cleaned and made ready within the agreed programme.

The project required:

• Careful sequencing of the cleaning work
• Reliable staffing throughout the programme
• Appropriate high-level access equipment
• Suitable cleaning products and tools
• Clear communication with the client
• Protection of the machinery and its surface finishes
• Completion of each area within the agreed timeframe

The Scope of Work

The cleaning programme included:

• Specialist high-level cleaning within the factory
• Cleaning machinery and production equipment being prepared for auction
• Removal of adhered milk-powder residue from accessible surfaces
• Cleaning high-level areas surrounding the equipment
• Use of specialist access equipment to reach elevated and restricted areas
• Application of suitable cleaning products to help break down contamination
• Manual agitation of bonded residue where required
• Careful selection of brush heads based on the equipment and surface finish
• Recording photographic evidence as part of the project close-out

The work was completed by a three-person Exterius team using access equipment and cleaning methods suited to the factory environment.

The Challenge

This was not a conventional industrial dust-removal project.

The milk-powder residue contained a higher level of fat, causing the contamination to adhere more firmly to surfaces. As a result, vacuum cleaning and dry dusting alone would not have been sufficient to release and remove it effectively.

The team needed to balance three important requirements:

Applying enough agitation to remove the adhered residue
Using suitable products to help break down the fatty contamination
Protecting the machinery and its finishes before auction

The cleaning approach therefore had to be effective without being unnecessarily aggressive.

Key Challenges

1. Removing Higher-Fat Milk-Powder Residue

Ordinary airborne dust can often be removed using vacuum cleaning or dry methods. The contamination at Volac behaved differently.

Because of its higher fat content, the milk-powder residue had bonded more firmly to machinery and surrounding surfaces.

The team used suitable cleaning products and manual agitation to release the contamination before removing it from the accessible surfaces.

This required a more methodical process than a standard high-level dust clean.

2. Protecting Machinery Before Auction

The machinery had to be presented for auction following completion of the cleaning programme.

Cleaning effectiveness therefore had to be balanced against the need to protect the equipment and its finishes.

The team could not simply use the most abrasive method available. Each surface had to be approached carefully so that residue could be removed without unnecessarily marking, scratching or damaging the machinery.

3. Selecting the Correct Brush Heads

Brush-head selection was an important part of the cleaning process.

The brushes needed to be sufficiently abrasive to release the bonded milk-powder residue while remaining suitable for the surfaces being cleaned.

Using a brush that was too soft could leave contamination behind, while an overly abrasive brush could affect the equipment finish.

The team therefore selected brushes based on the level of contamination, the machinery material and the condition of the surface.

4. Working to Fixed Auction Deadlines

The equipment was due to be auctioned, creating firm deadlines for the project.

The cleaning programme had to be carefully planned and sequenced so that each item of machinery was completed when required.

This made reliable staffing, equipment availability and client communication particularly important.

The Exterius team ensured that:

• The appropriate number of operatives was available
• Cleaning products and supplies were maintained throughout the project
• Access equipment remained suitable for the required tasks
• Work areas were completed in line with the agreed sequence
• The client was kept informed throughout delivery

5. Accessing High-Level and Restricted Areas

The project included elevated and restricted areas associated with the production equipment.

A Mobile Elevating Work Platform was required to reach the high-level elements safely.

The team worked from the MEWP to clean accessible machinery surfaces and surrounding overhead areas while following the agreed site-specific safety controls.

Access and Safety Planning

Exterius prepared site-specific Risk Assessment and Method Statement documentation before the work began.

The project required:

• Appropriately trained operatives
• Suitable high-level access equipment
• MEWP access for elevated areas
• Safety footwear
• High-visibility clothing
• Site-specific RAMS
• Coordination within the client’s agreed working periods
• Access to power and water throughout the project

The access equipment was confirmed as suitable for the planned work, and the team had the required equipment, products and supplies available.

No safety incidents or unexpected operational issues were reported during the project.

Our Specialist Cleaning Approach

To address the adhered milk-powder residue, Exterius implemented a tailored cleaning process.

The approach included:

• Assessment of the contamination and affected surfaces
• Selection of suitable cleaning products
• Application of products to help break down the residue
• Manual agitation where required
• Careful selection of brush-head abrasiveness
• Cleaning of accessible machinery surfaces
• High-level cleaning using suitable access equipment
• Protection of machinery finishes throughout the process
• Sequencing of work around auction deadlines
• Photographic documentation on completion

The method was adjusted according to the surface, level of contamination and access available in each area.

Planning and Delivery

The project was delivered by a three-person team over an eight-day cleaning programme.

Before work began, Exterius confirmed:

• Staffing levels for the programme
• Equipment and supply requirements
• MEWP and access arrangements
• Power and water availability
• Site-specific safety documentation
• The sequence in which machinery and work areas would be cleaned
• The deadlines associated with the auction process

The cleaning was then completed in stages, ensuring that each item and associated work area was ready within the required programme.

Clear communication with the client helped the project progress without reported communication issues or unexpected delays.

The Result

The specialist factory-cleaning programme was completed successfully within the required timeframe.

The completed work included:

• Cleaning of machinery being prepared for auction
• Removal of adhered milk-powder residue from accessible surfaces
• Cleaning of associated high-level factory areas
• Use of suitable cleaning products and manual agitation
• Careful protection of machinery and surface finishes
• Safe access to elevated and restricted areas
• Photographic documentation of the completed work

The project received a five-out-of-five rating during Exterius’ internal after-action review.

The client also provided immediate positive feedback and confirmed that they were very happy with the work completed.

No safety incidents, equipment issues or communication problems were reported.

Why Exterius Was Chosen

This project required more than general factory cleaning.

The combination of bonded food-manufacturing residue, valuable machinery, high-level access and fixed auction deadlines demanded a contractor capable of planning and delivering a specialist industrial cleaning programme.

Exterius provided:

• Experience in specialist factory and industrial cleaning
• High-level access capability
• Trained operatives and suitable MEWP equipment
• A tailored approach to bonded contamination
• Careful selection of cleaning products and brushes
• Protection of machinery and equipment finishes
• Reliable staffing and equipment planning
• Clear delivery against fixed deadlines
• Photographic close-out documentation
• A safety-led and quality-controlled approach

The Value of Specialist Machinery Cleaning

When machinery is being decommissioned, relocated, sold or placed into auction, its cleanliness and presentation can form an important part of the preparation process.

A specialist cleaning programme can help:

• Remove bonded manufacturing residue
• Improve the presentation of machinery before sale or auction
• Clean areas that routine factory cleaning may not reach
• Protect equipment finishes through considered cleaning methods
• Prepare machinery within fixed commercial deadlines
• Provide photographic evidence of completed work
• Support a controlled and organised equipment close-out process

At Volac, the project required the team to adapt its methods to contamination that behaved differently from ordinary dust.

By combining suitable cleaning products, carefully controlled agitation, specialist access equipment and detailed programme planning, Exterius completed the work safely and within the required auction schedule.

Specialist-led. Deadline-focused. Delivered around complex factory requirements.

For specialist factory cleaning, high-level industrial cleaning or machinery cleaning before sale, relocation or auction, contact Exterius to arrange a site survey and discuss your requirements.