Latest News
Delivering a New Process Chilled Water System for Signature Flatbreads in Dunstable
We are pleased to have successfully delivered a new process chilled water system at the Signature Flatbreads production facility in Dunstable, Bedfordshire.
The project was commissioned to upgrade and stabilise the site’s existing cooling infrastructure, which plays a critical role in maintaining consistent dough preparation and supporting production line performance. The previous arrangement had become unreliable and increasingly inefficient, and our brief was to design and install a fully integrated system that would improve capacity, resilience and energy control while maintaining continuous production.
From the outset, our focus was on delivering a chilled water system capable of maintaining tightly controlled process temperatures. In food manufacturing, particularly in dough-based production, precise thermal regulation is essential. Variations in chilled water temperature can affect dough consistency, fermentation control and overall product quality. Our solution was therefore engineered to provide a stable and uniform chilled water supply across all key production areas.
Following a detailed site survey and cooling load assessment, we designed a system centred on high-efficiency chiller plant, variable-speed pumping and optimised distribution pipework. The new configuration ensures balanced flow and accurate temperature delivery throughout the process network. Control logic was developed to allow smooth load sharing between chillers, enabling the system to respond dynamically to changes in production demand without causing temperature fluctuation or instability during peak operating periods.
Energy efficiency formed a central part of the design strategy. By incorporating variable-speed primary and secondary pumps, we were able to optimise flow rates in line with actual process requirements rather than fixed-speed operation. This approach reduces unnecessary energy consumption and improves long-term operating efficiency. The upgraded plant also included enhanced filtration and monitoring systems to protect downstream equipment and maintain water quality within the chilled water circuit.
Installation was carried out within a live production environment, requiring careful coordination with the client’s engineering and operational teams. Maintaining continuous cooling capability throughout the changeover was a priority. Our team planned the works in stages to ensure that production downtime was kept to an absolute minimum.
The scope of works included the removal of the ageing chiller plant and the installation of new energy-efficient units. A new control panel was introduced to provide full automation, monitoring and data logging across the chilled water system. Once installed, the entire circuit was commissioned and performance-tested under live production conditions to validate temperature stability, flow accuracy and system responsiveness.
The project was delivered in line with the agreed programme, and commissioning confirmed that the system was operating within the specified performance parameters.
Since completion, Signature Flatbreads has benefited from a significantly more stable and resilient process cooling solution. The new chilled water system provides improved temperature accuracy, reduced risk of downtime and greater energy efficiency. The additional redundancy built into the system also provides protection against disruption and supports future expansion plans.
This installation highlights our capability in delivering turnkey process cooling systems for the food manufacturing sector. By combining detailed engineering design, energy-efficient plant selection and careful on-site execution, we provided a solution that enhances operational stability while supporting long-term performance.
If your facility relies on precise chilled water control for food production or other temperature-sensitive processes, our engineering team is ready to support your next project.