Sierra Nevada Saves 750,000 Gallons of Water a Year

Sierra Nevada has already picked a lot of low-hanging fruit when it comes to sustainability. But with California’s water concerns at hand, they worked with System Plast^® and found a way to reduce water usage on their keg line by 750,000 gallons of water a year. After retrofitting the keg line with System Plast dry running conveyor technology, the line runs without the use of water, soap, or dry lubricants. Sierra Nevada has maintained production needs and decreased component maintenance.

Talk to a Dry Run Specialist

System Plast technology can help eliminate water on your can, bottling, or keg line. At Regal^® and System Plast, our goal is to help our customers be successful.

In 2013, Sierra Nevada’s Chico brewery was certified as a zero-waste facility, and they haven't stopped there. At Sierra Nevada, water is always on the employee’s mind. As they worked to further reduce water usage in production processes several years ago, they envisioned a lubeless system for the keg lines that would meet productivity requirements and while also reducing water usage. It was something no one else was doing on keg lines. With System Plast® technology, we've helped customers create true, run dry conveyors with no lubrication on bottles, cans, or PEP lines while still meeting productivity goals. But this would be a first for a keg line.

Finding the return on investment was a challenge for System Plast and Sierra Nevada, but the team made a commitment to justify the project. Running a dry keg line meant saving approximately 750,000 gallons of water a year. To support California's need to reduce water and achieve productivity improvements, Sierra Nevada worked with System Plast to turn their vision into a reality. The System Plast team worked with Sierra Nevada from design through installation, tearing down and rebuilding the line and remaining on site during startup to help ensure the keg line ran smoothly.

Today, the dry running keg line is cleaner, allowing Sierra Nevada to reduce its CIP frequency. This has also saved them more water and valuable time. Replacing stainless steel chain and plastic belting has also reduced noise level from the line. The keg line operations team is happier as they have easier access to conveyors for maintenance since the drip pans have been removed. A dry running keg line also means less nuisance maintenance as soap and water aren't corroding other components, such as bearing or a gearbox. The floor is also dry, so corrosive damage there is reduced as well. Plus, dry floors can help reduce slip and fall hazard.

The time and water savings from this project have created a return on investment for Sierra Nevada. Sierra Nevada’s focus on sustainability is part of who they are and we thank the entire team for their leadership throughout this important project.

The following are believed to be the trademarks and/or trade names of their respective owners and are not owned or controlled by Regal Rexnord Corporation. Sierra Nevada: Sierra Nevada.

Brand