Peter Elgar is the Executive Chairman of HPS Product Recovery Solutions, a leading company specialising in advanced pigging technology. With decades of experience in the industry, Peter has been at the forefront of helping manufacturers streamline their liquid production processes. His company’s innovative pigging systems are designed to recover residual product from pipelines, reducing waste and boosting efficiency.
Under Peter’s leadership, awareness of the company’s technology has grown steadily over the past few years, and HPS has become a trusted partner for businesses looking to enhance their operations, improve sustainability, and achieve significant cost savings in industries ranging from food and beverages to paints and coatings.
This week, Peter received a straightforward yet thought-provoking question.
It came from a company that manufactures sauces. The question was simple: “We would prefer a manual pigging system because the price is going to be cheaper. Why do you recommend an automatic system?”
Peter was impressed by the honesty of the question and took the opportunity to address a common misconception in the manufacturing industry: the perceived cost-effectiveness of manual systems over automated ones.
“For those who might not be familiar,” Peter begins, “pigging, or more accurately, liquid product recovery technology, is used by companies that manufacture and transfer liquid products through pipelines.
It’s a highly effective way to recover product that would otherwise go to waste, saving manufacturers tens, often hundreds of thousands of pounds each year.”
Peter then draws an analogy that anyone can relate to: “Imagine you go to your local store to buy a lemon juicer. You have two options: spend £9 on a hand-juicer, which will get you about £50 of juice over the next 12 months, or spend £20 on a motorised juicer, which could produce maybe £150 of juice from the same amount of lemons in a fraction of the time.”
Peter continues, “With the hand-juicer, you not only get lower yields but also increase the risk of accidents. It’s hard work and, frankly, it might end up unused in the back of a cupboard.
On the other hand, the motorised juicer with its higher yields, offers a far better return on your investment. Plus, you’ll probably sleep better at night.”
Peter uses this analogy to highlight the long-term benefits of automated pigging systems. He concludes: “While manual systems may seem cheaper initially, automated systems, require a bit more investment upfront, but they will deliver higher gains, increased safety, and greater efficiency over time.“ In most liquid manufacturing batch processes, automated product recovery systems are by far the best investment.”
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