Callens kicks off 2021 with a homerun at Aviko and delivers reliable process temperature with the entire group

The new year starts with a unique event for the Callens group: its three sister companies (Callens, CallensVyncke and Optimum by Callens) join forces for a turn key project at Aviko, a renowned potato processing company that is currently building a new production site in Poperinge. The Callens group will take care of all thermal energy in the production area.

This unique project reinforces Callens’ position as market leader in the potato processing industry and gives its concept of total care a new dimension. As always, the thermal expert will be taking complete project ownership from the start; from engineering to installation to after service. Yet, combining all forces of the group opens up many more boundaries.

CallensVyncke will be building a gas turbine with a generator, including all auxiliary equipment, to produce steam and electricity. Optimum by Callens is currently installing a thermal oxidizer to combat odor nuisance and to offer the gas turbine a backup in case of maintenance or production issues. Callens will be closing the loop with, first, its thermal department taking care of the entire integration and the balance of plant, and, second, with its air department setting up a climate control system and thus reaching the fourth base of the homerun.

The Aviko site in Poperinge will yield approximately 175,000 tons of frozen French fries and 11,000 tons of potato flakes each year, an amount that asks for an extra effort in terms of energy efficiency. That’s why CallensVyncke will send its excess of electricity to the public grid. Optimum by Callens, on the other hand, will extract biogas from Aviko’s water purification system to use as a fuel source for its thermal oxidizer. And, finally, Callens will be using recovered heat from Optimum’s thermal oxidizer to heat the production area.