Industrial Utilities

NIRAS has expertise in all areas of industrial utilities: gas, electricity, water, effluent, heating, cooling, compressed air and industrial gases. At NIRAS, we listen to your needs throughout the lifespan of the project. This ensures that utilities in your production facility receive the optimal location.

When we make utility installations, we make sure there is a close integration into the process equipment and buildings. At the same time, we advise you on how the utilities are best located to provide the most efficient working environment and assure the best possible safety.

Industrial utilities and sustainability

We acknowledge the importance of reducing compagnies consumption of energy, water, and other utilities. We therefore include a focus on sustainable use as a natural part of our services, from master planning to design projects, not only to reduce production costs but also to reduce the environmental footprint of projects.

Our experts in utilities can help your company optimise its operating expenses and improve its efforts towards more sustainable operation.

We carry out complete audits of clients’ utilities to assess capacity, condition and resilience, to identify areas of improvement, which can help your company save resources, money, and improve its sustainability record.

Close integration of utilities into production plants

For many years, NIRAS has accumulated a wealth of experience in designing utilities in relation to resource- and energy-friendly solutions for all types of food & beverage companies. We address all imaginable utility issues such as energy usage for heating, steam, cooling, refrigeration, etc., by using industry leading technologies.

When it comes to specific utilities like water [e.g. water for injection (WFI) and purified water (PW)], steam, compressed air and nitrogen, we ensure an efficient integration and focus on sustainable and energy efficient solutions.

Likewise, NIRAS’ experts can secure your company’s new innovative approaches to issues such as safe re-use of rinsed process water, and the recycling of treated effluent. In our projects we make use of the newest technologies to improve water efficiency in the global Food and Beverage industry.

Optimal interconnection existing supplies

We apply our expertise to ensure that the right equipment and installations are purchased and installed in new state-of-the-art food & beverage plants.

We design and deliver complex process industry plant, including all utility and automations systems as well as packaging and end-of-line solutions. In addition, we also design ventilation and utility systems to meet your specific requirements and present standards, and we ensure optimal interconnection with your existing supplies.

Furthermore, we design refrigeration systems that will ensure energy optimal temperature regulation of processes and plants.

Holistic approach

NIRAS’ expertise is based on our long-lasting traditions for world leading environmental and food safety standards, as well as our close cooperation with universities.

NIRAS’ holistic approach to Food & Beverage projects, as well as the fact that we have experts in all engineering areas, signify that we can deliver solutions within industrial utilities that take all factors of your company’s production facility into account.

Our industrial utilities services:  

• Process engineering
• Pipe-& vessel design
• Refrigeration and heat pumps
• Alternative fuel sources and renewable energy
• Industrial/black utilities
• Energy optimisation
• Design and optimisation of packaging plants
• Process automation

What are industrial utilities in a food production facility?

Industrial utilities are the essential systems that support food production, such as electricity, gas, water, steam, heating, cooling, refrigeration, compressed air and industrial gases. They ensure stable operations, product safety and reliable production capacity.

What is the difference between plant utilities and process utilities?

Plant utilities support the overall facility, for example power distribution, boilers, chillers, water treatment and wastewater handling. Process utilities are tied directly to production equipment and processes, such as steam for heating, compressed air for equipment and cooling for process control.

How do you integrate utilities with process equipment and buildings?

We plan utilities early in the project to ensure correct capacity, safe routing and efficient placement. This includes aligning utility layouts with production flows, hygiene requirements, access for maintenance and integration with building systems and automation.

What does a utility audit include?

A utility audit typically assesses capacity, condition and resilience of key utility systems. It identifies bottlenecks, reliability risks and improvement opportunities, which can reduce downtime, improve performance and lower operating costs.

When should a food company upgrade or expand utility systems?

Upgrades are often needed when production capacity increases, new product lines are introduced, equipment is changed or reliability issues occur. Many companies also upgrade utilities when energy use or maintenance costs rise, or when utilities no longer match current operational requirements.