Cleaning

The washing bay was built for company vehicles as well as those of our customers, especially for tank cars, silo tankers, tank wagons and containers. We also provide exterior washing services for these vehicles.

When providing these cleaning services, we attach great importance to cleanliness and to meeting our customers€™ demands. The wastewater thus created is expertly processed and then drained to a sewage treatment plant. The separated sludge is disposed of at regular intervals in accordance with statutory provisions. Any residue from the vehicles is collected in appropriate containers, temporarily stored in the chemical depot and, when necessary, duly disposed of.

We are at our customers€™ disposal from Monday to Friday from 7.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. All trucks arriving for cleaning by 7.00 p.m. are accepted and dealt with the same day. Night cleaning services are also provided if notice is given before 5.00 p.m. On Saturdays, cleaning services are also available provided prior notice is given.

To ensure that the internal cleaning process runs smoothly, we have three washing bays for trucks and two for tank wagons. The various kinds of vehicles are washed as follows:

silotankers:

Cleaning is done automatically by means of tank washing heads with 45 bar pressure. The residue of all the products transported in silo tankers (granules, plastics, artificial fertilizers, building materials, etc.) is cleaned off . Depending on the primary product, cold water, warm water and the suitable detergent can be controlled from the cleaning station. If contamination is severe, the tank can also be treated manually with an acid. The air pipes are either rinsed with water or steam. The average time for such an automatic washing cycle amounts to 15 minutes.

road tank cars

for chemicals and foodstuffs

Food tanks:

Cleaning is also effected automatically (see silo tankers). We accept for washing tanks transporting all categories of food products. We use only detergents which are harmless for foodstuffs.

chemical tanks:

Here we distinguish between three kinds of cleaning processes:

automatic cleaning as in food tanks (e.g. acids, lyes, dispersions, latex, etc.).
in-process cleaning with solvents and subsequent automatic cleaning (e.g. resins).
in-process cleaning with diesel and subsequent automatic cleaning (e.g. additives)

If necessary, the final cleaning of the tanks is done manually. Should discolouration occur, the stainless-steel tank may be pickled.

containers:

IContainers are basically cleaned like road tank cars for chemicals and foodstuffs.

IBCs and drums:

Plastic or stainless-steel containers used for transporting products such as acids, lyes, road-marking colours, etc., are accepted for cleaning. In-process cleaning is also an option. If necessary, the containers are also dried after being washed. We can be depended on to carry out minor repair work, such as changing seals or supplying missing parts.

tank wagons:

After the introduction of cleaning services of this kind in 1995, these services have been continuously expanded. Since 1999, our customers have also been able to have containers repaired and tanks tested. As repairs are effected at the place where cleaning is done, the time the wagons stand idle can be significantly reduced. We are thorough in attending to repair work on valves, insulations, containers, dome covers, etc. We accept wagons transporting almost all products, whether in a liquid, powder or gaseous state.

liquid state:

We have two washing bays with high-pressure facilities (400 and 650 bar pressure). Through inserting two automatic washing heads that reach down to the front bottoms, we achieve excellent cleaning results. The washing heads are progressively adjustable during the cleaning process up to the entry of the dome. The combination of hot water, steam and detergents considerably enhances the cleaning results. Clear and dark mineral oils, such as diesel, petrol, heavy fuel, crude oil, bitumen, etc. are cleaned off in accordance with the VPI percentage purity. After automatic cleaning is finished, the container is cleaned manually, if necessary, and subsequently dried. When dealing with hazardous goods, we first determine the oxygen demand and the TLV. In-process cleaning is also an option. Should discolouration of a stainless-steel tank occur, the surface may be pickled, which is cheaper than sandblasting and results in less abrasion.

powder state:

The pressure of the high-pressure facility is progressively adjustable. In order to avoid damage to any coating that there may be inside the wagon, we use a pressure of approximately 50 bar. Full pressure is only used in uncoated wagons which are severely contaminated. If necessary, discharge pipes and valves are dismantled in the cleaning process, and after reinstallation, their leaktightness is checked.

gaseous state: