Customer type

Location

Sector

Manufacturing & Industrial

Project Overview

Contract Delivery: Complete Mechanical Installation Package

P C Kelly was appointed to deliver the installation of a large-scale renewable heating system at the headquarters of Charles Thompson Ltd, a global manufacturer of process plant equipment based in Rotherham.

The client was seeking a sustainable, carbon-neutral heating solution capable of serving both office and factory accommodation while significantly reducing energy costs and supporting the company's environmental objectives.

Working in partnership with biomass heating specialist Windhager UK, P C Kelly successfully installed a 720kW biomass heating system, providing a reliable and environmentally responsible heating solution for the site.

Customer Requirements

As part of the initial consultation, the client outlined a number of operational, financial and environmental objectives that the new heating installation needed to achieve.

The manufacturing facility required a dependable heating solution capable of providing consistent heat across both production and office areas throughout the year, while reducing reliance on ageing fossil fuel equipment. Energy efficiency, long-term reliability and sustainability were all key drivers behind the investment.

The customer's requirements included:

• Replacement of the existing ageing commercial heating plant with a renewable biomass solution. 
• A heating system capable of delivering approximately 720kW of reliable output to meet the site's peak heating demand. 
• Reduced annual energy consumption and lower long-term operating costs. 
• Significant reductions in carbon emissions to support the company's environmental commitments. 
• Improved resilience through a multi-boiler cascade arrangement, ensuring continued operation during servicing or maintenance. 
• Integration with the existing heating distribution network where practical to minimise unnecessary disruption and additional costs. 
• Installation within a live manufacturing environment while maintaining production activities and ensuring the safety of employees, contractors and visitors. 
• A fully coordinated mechanical installation delivered by one contractor, including plant room construction, commercial pipework, controls, testing, commissioning and final handover. 
• Comprehensive documentation, commissioning records and operator training to enable the client's maintenance team to confidently manage the new heating system. 

From the outset, the client was looking for more than simply a boiler replacement. They required a trusted mechanical contractor capable of managing the entire project from initial planning through to successful completion while delivering a heating solution that would continue to provide value for many years.

Our Solution

Major Plant Installed:

• 3 x Windhager BioCABIN Units
• 3 x 240kW BioWIN Excel Kaskade Biomass Boilers
• Combined Output: 720kW

Key Benefits:

• Reduced Carbon Footprint
• Lower Energy Costs
• Renewable Heating Solution
• Sustainable Long-Term Operation

Scope Of Works

Installation / Delivery Details

Key Features

720kW Renewable Heating Capacity

The installation comprised three separate Windhager BioCABIN units, each housing a 240kW BioWIN Excel Kaskade biomass heating system, providing a combined output of 720kW.

This substantial heating capacity enables the system to effectively serve both office accommodation and manufacturing facilities across the site. 

Modular Biomass Technology

The BioCABIN solution provided a fully integrated off-site manufactured plant room, incorporating:

• Biomass boiler systems
• Fuel storage facilities
• Control systems
• Heating infrastructure

This approach reduced installation times and allowed efficient integration into the client's existing infrastructure.

Sustainable Energy Solution

The new biomass heating system allows Charles Thompson Ltd to significantly reduce its carbon footprint while providing a dependable and cost-effective heating solution.

The installation supports the company's commitment to environmental responsibility while helping reduce long-term energy expenditure.

Project Challenges

The installation required careful planning and coordination due to the scale of the biomass plant and the operational requirements of a busy manufacturing facility.

Working within an active industrial environment required close collaboration between the client, Windhager UK and the P C Kelly installation team to ensure the project was delivered safely, efficiently and with minimal disruption to ongoing operations.

The successful integration of the biomass plant into the existing site infrastructure demonstrated P C Kelly's capability in delivering complex commercial and industrial mechanical projects.

Testing & Commissioning

Testing and commissioning formed one of the most important stages of the project, ensuring every component of the biomass heating installation operated safely, efficiently and exactly as designed before being handed over to the customer.

Throughout the commissioning phase, P C Kelly Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning worked closely with the biomass equipment manufacturer and specialist controls engineers to verify that all mechanical, hydraulic and control systems performed as a fully integrated installation.

The commissioning programme included:

• Full hydraulic pressure testing of all newly installed commercial heating pipework. 
• System flushing and cleaning to remove installation debris before final filling. 
• Water quality testing and chemical dosing to protect the heating system from corrosion and scale. 
• Balancing of the heating distribution circuits to achieve consistent flow rates throughout the building. 
• Expansion vessel pre-charge verification and system pressure checks. 
• Functional testing of all circulation pumps, motorised valves and associated mechanical equipment. 
• Verification of cascade sequencing to ensure each biomass boiler responded correctly to varying heating demands. 
• Calibration and testing of temperature sensors, pressure sensors and control devices. 
• Operational testing of the Building Management System (BMS) interface and control strategies. 
• Safety interlock testing, emergency shutdown verification and fault condition simulations. 
• Verification of combustion performance in accordance with the manufacturer's commissioning procedures. 
• Inspection of insulation, valve identification, flow direction labelling and plant room signage. 
• Monitoring of the complete heating system under varying load conditions to confirm stable operation and optimum efficiency. 

Once all testing had been successfully completed, the installation underwent a final witnessed commissioning process. Comprehensive commissioning records, operating manuals and maintenance documentation were prepared and presented to the client.

A full site handover was then carried out, during which the client's facilities team received practical training covering:

• Biomass boiler operation. 
• Cascade control philosophy. 
• Daily operational checks. 
• Routine maintenance requirements. 
• Fault identification procedures. 
• Emergency shutdown processes. 
• Seasonal operating recommendations. 

The completed installation was successfully commissioned to the manufacturer's specifications and current industry standards, providing the client with confidence that the new 720kW renewable heating system would deliver safe, reliable and energy-efficient performance for many years to come.

Project Outcome

The completed installation provides Charles Thompson Ltd with a highly efficient, renewable heating solution capable of serving its offices and manufacturing facilities while substantially reducing reliance on traditional fossil fuels.

The project demonstrates P C Kelly's expertise in large-scale commercial heating installations and renewable energy systems, reinforcing our ability to deliver complex mechanical services projects across industrial, commercial and manufacturing sectors.

Services Delivered

• Commercial Heating Installation
• Renewable Energy Installation
• Biomass Boiler Installation
• Mechanical Services
• Testing & Commissioning