A fajita kit maker has reduced carbon emissions at its Milton Keynes production facility by approximately 12 tonnes of CO₂ per year after replacing bulk liquid nitrogen deliveries with an on-site nitrogen generation system.
Santa Maria UK, part of the Paulig Group, worked with Atlas Copco and compressor specialist T&G Compressors to install a new nitrogen generation and compressed air system used in the production of fajita kits, tortillas, seasonings and salsas.
Nitrogen plays a critical role in food manufacturing at the site, where it is used in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and for blanketing bulk ingredient silos to protect against oxidation and maintain shelf life.
Previously, the gas was supplied in liquid form and transported to the factory throughout the year. By moving to on-site generation, Santa Maria UK estimates it will reduce emissions linked to nitrogen production and transportation by around 49%.
According to the company, emissions associated with the previous liquid nitrogen supply model totalled more than 25,000kg of CO₂ annually. The new system is expected to reduce that figure to around 12,700kg per year.
“We were looking at ways to make a genuine environmental improvement.
“When you consider the emissions linked to producing and transporting liquid nitrogen, moving to on-site generation made clear sense.
“Just as importantly, the system delivers the purity we require for food production, comfortably above the 99 per cent threshold, without producing gas to a higher specification than the process demands.”
– Paul Godfrey, Project Engineer, Paulig Group.
The installation centres around an NGP12+ PSA nitrogen generator supplied by Atlas Copco, capable of delivering up to 17 Nm³/h at 99.5% purity. The system was designed specifically around the site’s operational requirements, avoiding the higher energy consumption associated with ultra-high purity nitrogen production.
Supporting equipment includes a variable speed rotary screw compressor, desiccant dryer and filtration package designed to maintain ISO 8573-1 compressed air quality standards.
Alongside the environmental gains, Santa Maria UK expects the project to deliver annual cost savings of more than £56,000, with a projected payback period of around one year.
Installation was completed without disruption to factory operations.
“Nobody has noticed any difference on the factory floor,” Godfrey added. “That was the key indicator for me that everything was working exactly as it should.”
For Atlas Copco, the project demonstrates how manufacturers can improve both sustainability and operational resilience through on-site gas generation.
Oliver Ford said: “By moving from bulk liquid supply to on-site nitrogen generation, Santa Maria UK has removed the emissions associated with production and transport while gaining full control over its gas supply.
“The outcome is a measurable carbon reduction of more than 12 tonnes per year alongside a rapid financial payback.”
Santa Maria UK is the first site within the wider Paulig Group to adopt on-site nitrogen generation, with performance data from the Milton Keynes facility expected to help inform similar investments at other sites in future.
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