Summary

Briggs of Burton led  a project to upgrade the end-to-end pressurised Metered Dose Inhaler (pMDI’s) mixing systems for a leading pMDI manufacturer. We provided a commercial mixing system for their Hydrofluoroalkane (HFA-134a) propellant, designed for use in inhalers for asthma and Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. With the market seeking advanced production solutions, our pharma engineers offer testing and validation during the trial stage, providing reassurance for scale-up.

Scope

Our customer aimed to increase its capacity to manufacture more pMDIs to support patients with respiratory-related diseases. They approached us to optimise their pMDI mixing processes to accommodate three distinct variations.

Challenges

• Tailoring a solution to meet our customer’s diverse and specific needs and specifications
• Ensuring the filling capability was reliable enough to handle complex processes

Solution 

Our team provided an engineering solution that included detailed design, bespoke manufacturing, in-house automation, installation, and commissioning.

We designed a system that precisely met our customer’s diverse mixing requirements, customising equipment to exact specifications, and developing an advanced automation system with a Programmable logic controller (PLC) and Human Machine Interface (HMI) for recipe control.

To maintain stringent hygiene standards, we equipped the system with Clean-in-Place (CIP) capabilities, allowing thorough cleaning and sterilisation.

Our scope included the design and integration of conditioning vessels, a solutions mixing vessel, a suspension mixing vessel, and multiple Drug Addition Vessels (DAVs) to support Single Stage, Two Stage, and Dual Filling processes. All equipment met ATEX (Atmosphères Explosible) rating requirements.

Impact/Result

Our Pharma Engineering team successfully delivered the project within the client’s specified timeline. We provided the customer with a versatile pMDI mixing system capable of accommodating the different formulations required for their products, all while adhering to strict cleanliness standards through CIP capabilities. This flexibility positions them well for upcoming regulatory changes aimed at reducing the environmental impact of inhaler propellants.

To gain deeper insights into the pMDI’s manufacturing process, watch our video: [Briggs of Burton pMDI’s Mixing System – YouTube]

About

Described as an ‘innovation centre’, Project Lighthouse was designed to expand Glenmorangie’s capacity to experiment and innovate their whisky production, as well as showcase their work to visiting whisky-lovers.

The challenge

Taking inspiration from the surrounding Scottish coastline, The Lighthouse is a 20 metre glass still house situated right at the centre of Glenmorangie Distillery.

The idea behind it was to create a dedicated space for the Glenmorangie team to venture into and test new whisky products, as well as providing an impressive VIP space for tours and tasting days. This meant that the facility needed to be both a tourist destination and a working distillery – which is where BRIGGS came in.

Our approach

The Lighthouse blends Glenmorangie’s rich history in scotch whisky with its forward-thinking focus on innovation and technology.

Understanding this, the BRIGGS team provided a wide range of distilling and mashing equipment for the distillery. This equipment provided the distillery with the capacity to scale up production based on the success of experimentation, as well as being an impressive feature for Glenmorangie’s guests and team.

Key highlights

• Equipment Supply and Installation: 2 Fermenters (Washbacks), a Distillery Lauter Tun, a Briggs Steeles Masher as part of the mashing plant, a Wort Cooler, a Low Wines and Feints Tank, a 7-Compartment Spirit Receiver (allowing multiple runs to be collected), plus a Spirit Blending Tank.
• Sustainability: Sustainability was woven into every aspect of this project, from energy-efficient equipment to sustainable sourcing practices.
• Showcasing expertise: This project was designed to be inspiring not just for visitors, but for Glenmorangie’s team of whisky developers, too.

The impact

With a dedicated space and market-leading process equipment, the Glenmorangie whisky development team have been able to create new expressions and garner critical acclaim thanks to the addition of The Lighthouse.

The VIP space within The Lighthouse enables the distillery’s frequent guests to enjoy their products within an impressive area that reflects Glenmorangie’s brand, as well as attracting new visitors from across the world.

Not forgetting sustainability, the distillery has also significantly reduced its environmental impact, reflecting Glenmorangie’s commitment to responsible production.

“We were delighted with the Briggs team’s commitment who went ‘above and beyond’ the scope by seeing the project through to completion.

The Glenmorangie site team followed Briggs’ leading stage-gate commissioning approach, giving us the satisfaction that our craft distillery is fully operational.”

– Hamish Fraser, Project Process Engineer at The Glenmorangie Company

Conclusion

Project Lighthouse showcases a real blend between tradition, innovation and sustainability within the whisky industry. This has enabled Glenmorangie to portray how they are not just malt whisky distillers, but experimentalists within their sector.

Scapa Healthcare specialize in providing wound dressings at their site in Gargrave, UK. The viscous mixture produced at this site is one of the key components in the manufacture of one of their wound dressing products. Briggs of Burton have a long standing relationship with the client previously providing mixing systems. Briggs were appointed to design and build a facility to improve and increase their production capacity and inhouse capability.

The Briggs Pharma Engineering team led the creation of a User Requirement Specification (URS) in the early stages of the project, developed P&ID drawings and 3D models for the client to visualize their new facility. During the detailed design, Briggs conducted a HAZOP with the client to mitigate any process risks. With process support from Briggs the client converted an existing storage and packaging area into a clean room which houses the Briggs 2 vessel sanitary mixing solution with a fully compliant control system and HMI operator interface.

The Briggs team supported the client with their IQ, OQ and PQ validation processes which also included product trials and operator training. The project was delivered within the time scale set by the client and Briggs look forward to developing future systems with Scapa Healthcare globally.

Pharma Equipment

• An aseptic vessel for the manufacture of a highly viscous ointment complete with.
  • Lid lift
  • Contra-rotating agitation with anchor scraper
  • Homogenizer
  • Thermal regulation jacket for both cooling and heating
  • Pressure and Temperature control
  • Level monitoring
• A Phase vessel complete with
  • Agitator
  • Heating jacket
  • Pressure and Temperature monitoring
  • Level monitoring
• A variety of mobile product addition/ recirculation pumps
• Mobile access platforms
• Vacuum transfer system
• Fully compliant control system and HMI operator interface

Pharma Engineering

• Detailed mechanical and electrical design
• P&ID Development
• URS Development
• Equipment specification
• Equipment layouts
• 3D modelling
• Project Engineering
• HAZOP
• Equipment procurement
• Project planning
• Specialist skid manufacture
• Site management of mechanical and electrical installation
• Commissioning
• Preparation of all documentation and operation and maintenance manuals
• Site Acceptance Testing (SAT)
• Validation Support (IQ, OQ and PQ)
• Training
• After Sales Support

US company with a UK manufacturing operation. Producing flavours for Red Bull

Overall Scope

• Sugar dissolving systems
• Stainless steel distillation system including bespoke vapour condenser.
• Vacuum, steam, water, cooling and chilling systems
• Flavour Preparation Vessels
• Scrubber system receiving vapour/vent from still and tanks.
• High Integrity CIP system – ‘dump to drain‘ to prevent cross-over and taint issues for product quality
• ATEX-rated SCADA/PLC control system

Offering the Hard Seltzer Industry

• Concept Studies / Front-End Loading (FEL 1-3)
• Detailed Design
• Specialist Equipment Design and Manufacture
• Leading Hard Seltzer Technologies
• Process Engineering
• Project Management
• Functional Safety and Hazardous Area Design
• Automation and Control

Briggs of Burton have supported a major pharmaceutical company in designing, building, and commissioning a complete mixing suite capable of producing sterile aluminium salts. Aluminium salts are recognised to enhance the human body’s response to immunisation. 11 New skids and CIP system were manufactured at Burton on Trent for the new pharmaceutical production facility located in Scotland.

Project Scope

• 11 Pre-assembled vessel skid assemblies including solution preparation, precipitation, mixing, sterilisation, and cooling processes
• Vessel design and manufacture
• Integration of filters, mixers, and associated equipment into vessel skid assemblies
• Pipework to services in the ceiling void, to downstream processes and interconnection between skids
• Interface with Water for Injectables (WFI) supply
• ATEX rated for ammonia use
• Local panelling and remote IO for interface with Delta-V system (provided by others)

Engineering Services

• Design works including 3D modelling
• Mechanical design and manufacture
• Project management
• Construction management
• Supervision of mechanical and electrical installation
• Factory Acceptance Testing including riboflavin testing
• Site Acceptance Testing and commissioning
• Training

Briggs of Burton worked with TMO Renewables to design and build their Process Development Unit (PDU) to scale-up from current laboratory operations and also optimise a bioethanol process for the commercialisation of the technology. The PDU was designed to be capable of accepting a wide variety of raw material feed stocks to generate ethanol from fermentable sugars, and also included a smaller scale pilot “Scale-through” plant.

Project Scope

• Raw material handling including storage, weighing and batching of raw material
• Pre-treatment to adjust moisture content, pH and high temperature thermal hydrolysis of raw material plus Flash Vessel
• 2 Stage high solids loading enzyme hydrolysis of pre-treated material to degrade biomass and release fermentable sugars with external heat exchangers – 1 x 12,000 L & 2 x 6,000 L
• 3 Stage bacterial culture growth system
• Batch & Continuous Fermentation of enzyme hydrolysed material to convert sugars to Bioethanol with external heat exchangers – 2 x 6,000 L & 1 x 1,000 L.
• Product handling including receipt, treatment and storage / disposal of fermented product and other waste materials – 2 x 27,500 L.
• 1/10 size Scale-through plant comprising; Reactor, Flash Vessel, 160 L2 x 60 L enzyme hydrolysis vessel and fermentation vessels.
• Scrubber system
• 3 tank recovery CIP system, plus SIP facilities.
• Dedicated enzyme & chemical dosing systems
• Utilities generation and distribution required to operate the process areas detailed above; steam, electricity, water, chilled water, compressed air.

Engineering Services

• Innovative process design of novel processes including Steam Explosion Thermal Pre-treatment, High solids hydrolysis and fermentation.
• Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs)
• User Requirement Specification (URS)
• Capacity planning including utility and effluent loading
• Overall Plant configuration and equipment sizing
• Piping and instrumentation diagram (P&IDs)
• 3D Model and 2D Layouts including major equipment and piping
• Electrical design and implementation
• Functional Design Specification (FDS)
• Automation Control system and software writing
• HAZOP review

Briggs of Burton has recently worked with a global pharmaceutical company that ranks among the leading generic and specialty pharmaceutical companies in the world. The company maintains one of the industry’s broadest and highest quality product portfolios supported by a robust product pipeline; operates one of the world’s largest active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturers and runs a specialty business focused on respiratory, allergy and psychiatric therapies.

Pharmaceutical Equipment

Briggs of Burton designed, engineering and built a range of sanitary vessels. All of the vessels manufactured were capable of a 5 bar pressure rating and featured a high standard of internal finish (<0.5 microRa internal finish after electro-polishing). Vessels were also fitted with agitators and in-line equipment including: sprayballs, valves, sight glasses and bursting discs.

• 300 Litre mobile vessel
• 1,500 Litre fixing compounding vessel
• 300 Litre CIP vessel
• Pipework and skid frames
• Local panels and instrumentation

Pharmaceutical Engineering Services

Detailed mechanical and electrical design.

• Equipment layouts
• 3D modelling
• Project engineering
• Equipment procurement
• Project planning
• Supervision of mechanical and electrical installation
• Commissioning
• Preparation of documentation and operation and maintenance manuals
• Design Qualification (DQ)
• Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT)
• Installation Qualification (IQ)
• Site Acceptance Testing (SAT)
• Training

Briggs of Burton has helped the UK manufacturing site of a world leader in embedded applications to install a chemical handling system. The site is primarily involved in the research and development of hardware and software solutions for low-power wireless networks and Internet of Things (IoT). The chemical handling system supports the overall production process and required specialist pipework to handle the potentially hazardous chemicals.

Project Scope

• PFA pipework
• Fittings
• Valves
• Flow coding
• Electrical equipment
• Field wiring
• Instrumentation
• External trace heating

Capable of handling a wide range of chemicals including:

• Sulphuric Acid
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Hydrochloric Acid
• Ammonia
• Hydrogen Fluoride

Engineering Services

• Project Management
• Process Engineering
• CAD / Draughting
• Electrical, PLC and SCADA Engineering

Purolite Life Sciences’ have invested in a multimillion pound production facility in Wales capable of producing 30% of the world’s agarose demand. The state-of-the-art manufacturing facility designed and built by Briggs of Burton will be located at Purolite’s R&D Centre of Excellence in South Wales. It will be capable of producing 100,000L of high flow agarose resin for their Praesto® range of ion-exchange and Protein A affinity resins, designed for the purification of monoclonal antibodies.

Bespoke Production System

Briggs of Burton supported Purolite in scaling up their process that is capable of handling a range of liquids and powders to produce their product range. Process and Tank Farm/Utility Vessel Package including:

• Wide range of heating and cooling vessels with agitators
• Several mobile vessels fitted with agitators
• A number of wash columns

Integration of Utilities:

• Design and integration of compressed air and nitrogen systems
• Chiller system and purified water system
• Segregated effluent system design to storage tanks
• Bulk chemical and waste distribution design and storage
• IBC/drum & dry goods transfer/pumping stations & distribution design

Automation and Control:

• Complete electrical design and installation
• Complete Siemens platform SCADA
• Control room

Engineering Services

Briggs of Burton were successful in completing the Front End Engineering Design (FEED) and the subsequent Detailed Design, which included the following deliverables.

• Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs)
• Basis of Design
• User Requirement Specification (URS)
• Capacity planning including utility and effluent loading
• Support on emissions modelling during planning
• Overall plant configuration and equipment sizing
• Piping and Instrumentation Diagram (P&IDs)
• 3D Model and 2D layouts including major equipment and piping
• Electrical design and implementation
• Automation control system and software writing
• HAZOP review
• DSEAR/ATEX risk assessment, zone specification & explosion protection document