A new year is the perfect time to ensure your hygienic flow equipment is functioning as it should. Regular servicing and preventative maintenance help protect product quality, reduce unplanned downtime and keep you audit-ready.

Valves, pumps, seals and connections all experience wear over time. Left unchecked, this can lead to leaks, contamination risks and reduced process efficiency –  often at the worst possible moment.

Starting the year with a planned equipment check allows you to...

Global demographics, rising life expectancy and the increase in non-communicable diseases are driving strong, long-term growth in the pharmaceutical sector. As highlighted by Alfa Laval, manufacturers worldwide are responding with investments in new facilities, capacity expansions and efficiency upgrades – all while balancing sustainability targets around water, energy and carbon reduction.

At Industrial Trading Solutions (ITS), we’re proud to support pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturers on this journey through our partnership with Alfa Laval.

From UltraPure diaphragm valves that deliver robustness and reliable control, to...

Well-maintained pipework doesn’t just support hygiene and performance, it saves money by reducing failures, downtime and premature replacement. A few smart habits can make a big difference.

1. Correct cleaning
Use CIP regimes that are effective without being excessive. Over-cleaning or incorrect parameters can accelerate wear just as much as under-cleaning.

2. Avoid chemical incompatibility
Ensure cleaning chemicals, concentrations and temperatures are compatible with your pipework material and seals to prevent corrosion and degradation.

3. Early leak detection
Small leaks often signal seal wear or joint issues. Catching them early prevents product loss, contamination risk and costly repairs.

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As hygiene regulations continue to tighten across food, beverage, and pharmaceutical manufacturing, compliance is no longer just about passing audits but about demonstrating long-term control of hygiene risks.

In our latest article, we explore why good practice is no longer enough and how rising expectations from standards such as ISO 22000, FSSC 2200, IFS Food, EHEDG and the FDA are reshaping the way manufacturers design their production systems. From cleanability and drain-ability to material selection and system layout, hygiene is increasingly being engineered into processes from the very start.

In high-throughput production, everything moves fast — and that leaves very little margin for error. When lines are running hard, even minor maintenance issues can quickly turn into costly downtime, quality risks, or compliance headaches. That’s why maintenance planning isn’t just a technical task; it’s a key part of keeping production reliable, hygienic and efficient.

In this article, we look at how to build a maintenance schedule that actually works in high-throughput environments. From identifying your most critical equipment and understanding real operating conditions, to planning maintenance around downtime and focusing on wear- and hygiene-critical components, we break down the practical steps that help protect uptime without slowing production.

Did you know that choosing the right filtration solution starts with your particles?

Selecting a filter isn’t just a hardware choice – it’s a process decision.

Hard, soft, gel-like, fibrous and abrasive particles all behave differently under flow, pressure and shear.

Misread that behaviour, and the results are familiar:

• Clogging

• Premature wear

• Unstable or inefficient operation

Understanding what’s actually moving through your system is the first step to getting filtration right.

When it comes to pasteurisation, meeting food safety standards isn’t optional – it’s critical. A wide range of legal and normative requirements apply across food and beverage production, including:

• PMO (Pasteurised Milk Ordinance)

• HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point)

• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

• EU food safety regulations

• DIN EN ISO 22000

• FSSC 2200

• IFS Food 8

• 3-A / EHEDG hygiene standards

💡That’s where Anderson-Negele instrumentation makes the difference.

Designed specifically for hygienic applications, Anderson-Negele solutions support compliance with global food safety regulations and are supplied with the relevant certifications, including M-b, 3-A, EHEDG, DIN ISO 9001, CE and CRN – giving you confidence in both performance and audit readiness.

If you’re looking to strengthen your pasteurisation control, monitoring and recording processes, we’ve got something worth reading.

From Principle to Practice: On-Site LKH Pump Training by ITS Service & Maintenance

Towards the end of last year, our Service & Maintenance Manager, Dan Hinton, delivered an on-site Alfa Laval LKH Pump training session for a major manufacturing customer.

The session covered pump operating principles, servicing requirements, and routine maintenance to support reliable operation. An ITS in-house training pump was used to support the technical discussion and demonstrate key components and service procedures.

As we welcome the new year, we want to express our gratitude for your continued trust and partnership. We wish you a year filled with success, happiness, and good health.

We’re excited for what lies ahead and look forward to delivering even more innovative, hygienic processing solutions in the year to come.

Here’s to a prosperous 2026!

Boost uptime. Cut waste. Transform your dairy operations.

At Industrial Trading Solutions Ltd. (ITS), as the UK Master Distributor for Alfa Laval, we’re excited to introduce Alfa Laval Extend™ – a revolutionary, plug-and-play accessory for plate heat exchangers.

🔹What is it?
Alfa Laval Extend™ is designed specifically for the dairy industry to tackle one of the biggest challenges in pasteurisation – biofilm build-up.

This innovative electrical pod connects to the inlet and outlet pipes of the heat exchanger, sending a weak current through the plate pack. The result? Bacteria can’t attach to the plates. No chemicals. No coatings. No product contact.

Got an IBC that’s seen better days?

Stained, sticky, grimy or downright shocking?

📸Attach a photo of your dirtiest IBC pics via email 👇

“We’ll show how ITSClean IBC Cleaning Kits could help tackle even the toughest build-up and improve hygiene.” – Take a look: Watch video here

🔹Clean starts here with Industrial Trading Solutions. View our ITSClean packages here: Browse ITSClean

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