Case Studies

Below are examples of some of our more recent experiences.  Get in touch if you want to know more about the roles we took on any of these projects.

PureMalt Products Ltd

OTECSA have been working with PureMalt Products in Haddington since 2019 when we carried out our first HAZOP studies for the site.  As part of major site upgrade projects since then we have been engaged to carry out:

benRiach Distilleries (Brown Forman)

In 2022 we started working with Brown Forman, who own the BenRiach Distillery, Glenglassaugh Distillery and GlenDronach Distillery as well as a bottling facility at Newbridge, Edinburgh where the world famous Jack Daniels brand is bottled for the UK market.

Our scope of supply to the Brown Forman sites has included:



Inchdairnie malt Distillery, Glenrothes

We have facilitated various process safety assessments including leading HazOp and LOPA studies for the Inchdairnie Distillery site in Glenrothes Fife on their beautiful distillery which started up in 2015.   We have been recently further engaged to carry out DSEAR Risk Assessments, Occupied Buildings Risk Assessments (OBRA) and Hazardous Area Classification Studies for the site.

The Inchdairnie site includes a malt whisky distillation system from malted barley to cask, cask operations, blending operations and cask maturation warehouses.

glenfiddich and balvenie malt distilleries, speyside

We have facilitated multiple process safety assessments on the William Grant and Sons Glenfiddich and Balvenie distilleries.  This has included HazOp leading, facilitation of LOPA assessments, DSEAR and Hazardous Area Classification studies.  We are proud to have been part of some huge projects at the Glenfiddich and Balvenie distilleries through our strong relationships at one of Scotland's biggest distilled spirit companies.

Tullamore Grain Distillery, ireland

As part of the design and installation of the stunning new build Tullamore grain distillery, we were responsible for facilitating a HazOp and LOPA programme spanning around six weeks of assessments.  The studies covered the full grain distillation system and built on our experience of other grain systems at the William Grant's Girvan site.

More recently we have been engaged to provide HAZOP reviews and COMAH/ Seveso awareness training for the site operational and leadership teams.

The royal mint, cardiff

We have been responsible for carrying out various projects at The Royal Mint facility in Cardiff, assisting them with DSEAR compliance .  This has included co-ordination of site wide hazardous area classification activities and carrying out DSEAR risk assessments.  We have also provided project assurance studies such as HAZID and HAZOP for major projects on site.

Glen Turner Distillery, Bathgate

We have been involved in various aspects of the Glen Turner distillery operations at their site in Bathgate.  This has included:

We have also provided support to the related Glen Moray distillery site.

Hendrick's gin palace, girvan

Based on our extensive experience on the William Grant and Sons Girvan site we were proud to be asked to facilitate several of the safety studies for the recently opened expansion of the Hendrick's Gin Palace at Girvan.  This included leading HazOp and LOPA studies, DSEAR Risk Assessment and Hazardous Area Classification.

Photos used under CC license from mynewsdesk.com

grant's, Girvan

Having carried out many project HazOp and LOPA studies in recent times for the Girvan site, we were also engaged to carry out a full site DSEAR Risk Assessment update including Hazardous Area Classification to the latest industry standards.  This involved many different types of processes and storage situations, covering combustible solids and dusts from the malt and grain handling processes and flammable liquids and gases from the distilled spirit operations and distilleries on site.

Angus Dundee Distillers

Angus Dundee Distillers are a distillery company based in Scotland, with several malt distilling operations and a central operation in Coatbridge.  OTECSA have provided compliance support to Angus Dundee in the form of hazard studies and LOPA on some of their malt distillery operations.

Whyte & Mackay

We have been supporting the Whyte & MacKay site in Invergordon with studies such as HAZOP, LOPA and hazardous area classification as part of major site upgrade projects.  Our work has recently expanded with W&M to provide further compliance support in relation go CoMAH regulations and process safety management.

Grissan

Grissan are a large biogas and biomethane manufacturer, turning distillery and other by products into renewable energy.  The Grissan portfolio includes biogas sites across Scotland, aligned with some of the biggest names in distilling.  Our work with Grissan has included compliance support in areas such as HAZID studies and ALARP demonstrations.

Bio Captial (Biogas Plants)

We have assisted Bio Capital Ltd. who are owners of several biogas facilities in Scotland with updates to their DSEAR and HAC updates for their sites at:

Following studies on other AD (anaerobic digestion) plants such as Viridor, Glasgow, we expanded our expertise with the Bio Capital sites, and have gone on to carry out further DSEAR assessements for other biogas production sites in Scotland.

Arcane Distillery, Brooklyn New York

We were delighted to get the call to help some friends in the craft spirits industry with various risk assessments of their completely unique craft American Whiskey production facility in Brooklyn, New York.

As part of our role we assisted the distillers with documenting and managing their operating risks for their vacuum distillation process.  As a one of a kind distillery, our approach needed to consider the differing hazards of operating at vacuum conditions, and handling the delicate whiskey without significant heat input.

Brewdog Distilling and Brewing

We first worked with Brewdog Distilling in 2020, as part of their distillery expansion plans.  Our first work with Brewdog was to carry out HAZID, HAZOP and DSEAR Risk Assessment for new distillation equipment being installed in the distillery.

Following this as part of a larger design project being undertaken with IDEA (www.idea-ltd.co.uk), we carried out process design and risk assessment activities including HAZOP and LOPA, and DSEAR and HAC updates for their distillery move project.

We have subsequently been engaged on site to carry out site wide risk assessments as the Brewdog site (brewing and distilling) in Ellon continues to grow and develop.

Atlantic Biogas

OTECSA have worked with Atlantic Biogas across all three of their Scottish sites, providing support on DSEAR compliance, and general process safety advice.

The three sites include operations in Ellon, Stracathro and Inchdairnie, with biogas anaerobic digestion plants.

Our work with Atlantic follows various other project successes on anaerobic digestion facilities in Scotland in the past few years.

Disclaimers: unfortunately sometimes the details that can be shared are limited by confidentiality agreements with clients.  Photo credits are given where not owned by Owen Llanwarne or under free license.