Ecologically against germs, bacteria and viruses - Beam's devices use dry steam and UVC for cleaning.

Save water and nevertheless dispense with chemical cleaning agents? For Beam's managing directors Robert Wiedemann and Marco Wiedemann, this is a challenge that can be met sus-tainably with the HACCP-certified steam suction systems of the Blue Evolution series. Manu-facturers of bakery, meat and sausage products, dairies and confectionery producers use the devices for their conveyor belts and machines.

Beam has been developing steam suction systems for industrial applications for over 30 years. The Evolution series, introduced in 2013, is an example of this. The devices also work with UVC light and are therefore effective against germs, bacteria and viruses. And they save water. Compared to conventional cleaning methods, water consumption is significantly re-duced. "If you take sustainability seriously as an entrepreneur, you can no longer ignore eco-nomical and especially environmentally friendly cleaning with dry steam. Of course, you can also improve your eco-balance with reforestation projects or donations to environmental or-ganisations, but you can also make a really active contribution to environmental protection with green cleaning. And that every day," says Marco Wiedemann, and: "Green cleaning is better than green washing."

The specialist sees a great savings potential for chemicals in cleaning processes: "Depending on the industry, thousands of litres of chemicals can be saved every year. That's a reduction of thousands of litres of surfactants that pollute our environment and, of course, thousands of tonnes of CO2 that would be needed for production and transport," says Wiedemann. In doing so, he not only takes aim at the sustainability officers in companies, but also at the controllers: "The cost of chemical cleaning agents and their disposal is enormous. Here, switching to a sustainable cleaning process also offers a great potential for monetary savings."

Hygienic cleaning with dry steam not only eliminates the need for chemical cleaning agents, but likewise disinfectants that are harmful to the environment and in some cases even to health. They often contain chlorine compounds that can be irritating to the respiratory tract. Other ingredients such as isopropanol, formaldehyde, ammonium compounds or fragrances are also considered a health hazard. For Robert and Marco Wiedemann, one thing is certain: Water is the most sustainable cleaning agent of all. And the most efficient. Provided it is used correctly.

"Despite growing awareness of climate and environmental issues, global water consumption is steadily increasing. The UNESCO forecasts paint a clear picture: Water will become an increasingly hotly contested commodity in the coming decades. It's our number one basis for existence, and yet we take it too much for granted," says Robert Wiedemann, who runs Beam together with his son.

In the models of the Blue Evolution series, the water is converted into dry steam at a tem-perature of up to 180 degrees Celsius and a steam pressure of ten bar is generated. This min-imizes consumption by over 90 percent. The steam suction systems consume two litres for an area of just under 80 square meters. At the same time, the devices have enough power to loosen even the most stubborn incrustations. For example, the Blue Evolution XL+ is used for large areas and hard-to-reach places. This is also the case at Rau in the county of Neu-Ulm. The confectionery specialises in the production of organic and gluten and lactose-free choco-late-coated fruits and cereals. The company is certified according to the IFS Food Standard in the highest category "Higher Level" and processes up to 400 tonnes of chocolate annually. "We are a certified organic food producer and have to protect our gluten and lactose-free products from allergen contamination. This means that after processing conventional cereals and chocolate, we have to clean the conveyor belts and machines of all residues every time. With the Blue Evolution XL+, this works perfectly," says Managing Director Christopher Rau.

Alexander Keck, production manager at the Göschle truffle manufactory in Offingen, also focuses on sustainability in the cleaning process. "We only work with companies that stand for the same values as we do. That's why we made a conscious decision to use Beam's Green Cleaning concept for cleaning. Not only is the ecological approach the right one here, the performance and service are also top notch," explains Keck. With the power of dry steam alone, Trüffelmanufaktur Göschle can thoroughly remove dirt, germs and bacteria from a wide variety of surfaces. This includes, for example, sensitive working equipment and con-veyor belts. "By changing the cleaning process, companies can show that sustainability is really important to them," says Robert Wiedemann, who is pleased that the Green Cleaning approach has been so well received.