INDUSTRIAL STEAM CLEANING & MACHINERY DEGREASING
Forged Solutions - Blaeanvon, South Wales, NP4
Client's Challenge
Blaenavon Forgings required specialist industrial steam cleaning services for a critical 125-tonne ring mill and associated basement plant areas within their forging facility.
Over time, the machinery had accumulated heavy grease, oil contamination and ingrained industrial dirt across both high-level and below-ground areas. This contamination created challenges for maintenance access, increased safety risks for operatives, and posed a long-term threat to equipment reliability and service life.
The client required a controlled deep clean capable of removing surplus grease while protecting sensitive components such as motors, gearboxes and electrical systems. All works needed to be carried out within a live manufacturing environment, with minimal disruption to ongoing production and maintenance schedules.
Assessment & Planning
APT ICC carried out a detailed site survey and confined-space risk assessment prior to works commencing, focusing on:
• Levels and distribution of grease and oil contamination
• Above-ground and basement access constraints
• Confined-space working requirements beneath the ring mill
• Identification and isolation of sensitive machinery components
• Selection of cleaning methods to minimise moisture ingress
• Safe sequencing within a live forging environment
Method statements and safety controls were agreed with site management to ensure all works could be completed safely, efficiently and in line with site operational requirements.
Methodology
The machinery cleaning programme was delivered using a controlled, steam-led approach:
1. Preparation and isolation of sensitive components including motors, gearboxes and electrical equipment.
2. Industrial super-heated steam cleaning applied to the 125-tonne ring mill to break down heavy grease and oil contamination while limiting water usage.
3. Manual degreasing support using scrapers, hand tools and cloths to remove stubborn build-up from machine frames, guarding and structural elements.
4. Basement and pit cleaning, including plant equipment and floor areas delivered using confined-space compliant methods.
5. Floor degreasing and contamination removal to restore safe access and working conditions.
6. Ongoing inspection throughout the process to ensure cleanliness was achieved without compromising equipment integrity.
This approach ensured effective grease removal while protecting critical
machinery components.
Site Access & Logistics
Equipment
• Industrial super-heated steam cleaning systems
• Manual degreasing tools, scrapers and rags
• Gin mill for confined-space access and handling
Chemicals
• Ultramax 2020 – heavy-duty industrial degreaser
• Citracleanse - powerful citrus based degreaser
• Barrier Cream – operative skin protection
All products manufactured by APT Commercial Chemicals and approved for industrial use.
The Results
• Heavy grease and oil contamination fully removed
• 125-tonne ring mill restored to a clean, maintainable condition
• Basement and pit areas cleaned safely using confined-space methods
• Sensitive components protected throughout the process
• Improved safety, access and maintenance efficiency
Following the successful completion of the works, Blaenavon Forgings engaged APT ICC on a scheduled quarterly cleaning programme for the ring mill, establishing a long-term maintenance partnership focused on reliability, safety and equipment longevity.
