In Giconmes we have carried out different projects of cleaning and disinfection (L&D) of conveyor belts: from a conveyor of an industry dedicated to the manufacture of detergent capsules to conveyors of the food industry, among many other successful cases of cleaning and disinfection of conveyors. But what is the return on investment of conveyor L&D automation?
In this article we have set out to answer this question. With clear numbers, so that anyone can quantify the savings that a Brushless conveyor cleaning system means for an installation (with examples and figures in detail).
It is obvious that the implementation of automated systems not only optimizes the conveyor cleaning and disinfection process, but also frees up production capacity, reduces operating costs and ensures a quick economic return. Let’s take a closer look at the return on this investment in different real-life scenarios.
The return on investment with conveyor cleaning and disinfection automations
When it comes to automating the cleaning and disinfection of conveyors on a production line, the economic savings (and therefore the return on investment) are evident in factors such as labor, water and detergent consumption or the additional revenue that this productivity improvement brings to the company.
To perform this ROI calculation, we have taken into account the following factors in each of the scenarios:
Labor savings
Based on a 50% reduction in cleaning time:
- Scenario 1: 2 workers x 15 €/hour x 8 hours x 52 weeks = 12,480 €(50% reduction = 6,240 €).
- The other scenarios are calculated proportionally to time and frequency.
Savings in water and detergents
- Scenario 1: Maximum of €12,000 per year for a weekly stop.
- Scenario 2: Double scenario 1(€24,000).
- Scenario 3: Proportionally higher (7 stops/week, adjusted to 84,000 €).
Additional revenues (10% EBITDA)
- Scenario 1: 4 hours released x €2,000/hour x 52 weeks = €416,000 (10% EBITDA = €41,600).
- Calculated for each scenario based on the hours released.
Payback (months)
Calculated by dividing the initial investment (€50,000) by the total annual savings and converting to months.
Let’s look at several real-life scenarios to measure the impact of automating the cleaning and disinfection of conveyor belts:
| Scenario | Stops per week | Hours x stop | Annual labor savings | Water and detergent savings | Additional revenues (10% EBITDA) | Total savings | Payback |
| 1. Weekly shutdown of 8 hours each | 1 | 8h | 6.240€ | 12.000€ | 20.800€ | 39.040€ | 15.4 months |
| 2. 2 weekly stoppages of 8 hours each. | 2 | 8h | 12.480€ | 24.000€ | 41.600€ | 78.080€ | 7.7 months |
| 3. Daily stops of 6 hours each | 7 | 6h | 37.440€ | 84.000€ | 152.880€ | 274.320€ | 2.2 months |
Key benefits of conveyor belt cleaning and disinfection automation
The numbers leave no doubt about the profitability of investing in the automation of conveyor cleaning and disinfection mechanisms. The key points that make this return on investment possible are as follows:
- Labor reduction: automated systems allow cleaning to be performed during production or significantly reduce the time required for scheduled shutdowns.
- Savings in water and detergents: by using superheated dry steam, consumption is reduced by up to 95%, with annual savings of up to €12,000 in less intensive scenarios.
- Increased production capacity: minimizing downtime frees up production hours, giving the possibility of generating additional income.
Conclusion on the investment in automating conveyor cleaning
With cleaning automations, even in conservative scenarios, remarkable economic returns are achieved, with a payback in less than 16 months for a weekly shutdown.
In intensive scenarios, where current shutdowns are daily, recovery is practically immediate, demonstrating the effectiveness of these systems in freeing up production capacity, reducing operating costs and improving sustainability – a key step towards greater competitiveness!
From Giconmes we want to invite you to know our steam generators for industrial use, which will allow you to achieve greater cost savings and better energy efficiency, using a renewable and natural source such as steam and electricity for the generation and transfer of heat for different industrial uses and at different pressures.