OIL SPILL & FACTORY MAINTENANCE CLEANING

Tata Steel (Llanwern Works) - Newport, South Wales, NP19

Client's Challenge

Tata Steel required a specialist industrial cleaning contractor to support planned maintenance shutdowns at the Zodiac Galvanising Coating Plant within Llanwern Works.

Ongoing challenges were being experienced during shutdown periods, particularly within the centrifuge tower and oil bund areas. Existing contract cleaning arrangements were causing delays due to inconsistent labour availability, reliance on hired equipment, and limited specialist industrial training.

These inefficiencies led to extended downtime, increased costs, and disruption to tightly controlled production restart schedules. Tata Steel
required a reliable, specialist contractor capable of delivering rapid oil spill clean-up and factory maintenance cleaning aligned precisely with engineering shutdown programmes.

Assessment & Planning  

APT ICC carried out a detailed site survey and consultation process with Tata Steel’s engineering and safety teams.

The assessment focused on identifying high-risk contamination areas, understanding shutdown sequencing, and pinpointing bottlenecks where cleaning delays were impacting recommissioning times. Particular attention was given to confined spaces, oil containment zones, and interfaces between cleaning and mechanical reassembly works.

Based on this assessment, APT ICC developed a planned maintenance cleaning programme designed to operate in parallel with engineering activities, ensuring efficiency, consistency, and safety throughout shutdown periods.

    Methodology

    APT ICC delivered the works using a structured, shutdown-focused industrial cleaning approach:

    1. Rapid mobilisation of trained industrial operatives using company-owned equipment.

    2. Targeted oil spill and heavy grease cleaning within centrifuge tower and bunded areas.

    3. Use of specialist industrial degreasers suited to steel manufacturing environments.

    4. Parallel working alongside engineering teams to avoid sequencing delays.

    5. Progressive inspection to ensure areas were clean, safe, and ready for reassembly.

    This approach eliminated delays associated with equipment hire and labour inconsistency, significantly improving shutdown efficiency.

    Site Access & Logistics

    Equipment
    • Company-owned industrial cleaning and recovery equipment

    Chemicals
    • Ultramax 2020 - Heavy-duty industrial degreaser
    • CitraCleanse - Citrus-based degreasing cleaner
    • Aximax - Industrial Floor Cleaner

    All products supplied by APT Commercial Chemicals.

    The Results
    • Oil spills and heavy grease contamination effectively removed
    • Cleaning standards improved across shutdown cycles
    • Reduced downtime and faster plant recommissioning
    • Lower overall contract cleaning costs
    • Improved safety for Tata Steel personnel and contractors

    Within three maintenance shutdown cycles, APT ICC delivered measurable improvements in
    efficiency, safety, and cost control, supporting Tata Steel’s production continuity.