Close-up of oats growing in agricultural field

Enhancing production efficiency at Solina

Engineering solutions for a cleaner and more reliable production environment

As production volumes increased at Solina’s food ingredient facility, existing systems for dust extraction and drying began to limit operational efficiency. AFRY supported the site with engineering upgrades to improve production reliability and reduce downtime.

The project focused on two areas that had become bottlenecks in daily operations: the aspiration system used to handle dust from powder processing, and the drying process in the mixing rooms after cleaning.

Over time, the aspiration system that was originally designed for lower production volumes struggled to handle the increased dust load. Dust accumulated in the ductwork, leading to frequent blockages and repeated manual cleaning. At the same time, long drying times after cleaning in the mixing rooms delayed production restarts. The rooms previously required up to five hours to dry before production could safely continue, reducing operational flexibility and increasing downtime. Together, these challenges affected production reliability and overall efficiency.

Clear objectives for long-term impact

AFRY’s assignment focused on improving the reliability and performance of both the aspiration system and the drying process, ensuring that the facility could support higher production volumes while maintaining safe and efficient working conditions. The objectives were to:

Improve dust extraction and airflow in the aspiration system
Reduce downtime caused by cleaning and maintenance

Engineering improvements across aspiration and drying

To address the challenges, the aspiration system was upgraded with new filters and redesigned ductwork to improve airflow and dust extraction capacity. Additional extraction points were installed to better capture airborne dust in areas where powders are handled. These improvements significantly reduced dust accumulation in the system and reduced the need for manual cleaning.

In parallel, the drying process in the mixing rooms was optimized through the installation of dehumidifiers and drying fans. By removing moisture more efficiently after cleaning, the rooms can now dry much faster, allowing production to resume sooner.

The project was carried out as an EPCM (Engineering, Procurement, Construction Management) project, covering process engineering, project management, installation, and commissioning.

By addressing both dust handling and drying efficiency within the same project, the improvements created a more balanced and reliable production environment.

The upgrades have already delivered clear operational benefits:

Cleaning frequency reduced from weekly to twice a year
Drying time reduced from five hours to one
Improved reliability of the aspiration system

A practical upgrade for future production

Beyond solving immediate operational challenges, the upgraded systems are designed to support Solina’s continued production growth. With improved airflow, more efficient drying, and reduced maintenance interruptions, the facility is now better equipped to operate at higher capacity while maintaining consistent production conditions.