.jpg?n=3622 "Clayton Industries")
This is part two of a two-part piece. Part one can be found here.
Steam Generation Saves Time, Money
Seabrook opted for two Clayton Industries high-efficiency SigmaFire Steam Generators to replace its two old boilers. The choice was simple: “These steam generators could do what no boiler could — bring steam up to the right temperature so quickly that the quality of the fresh vegetables never became compromised,” he said.
According to Timothy Kevill, Clayton Sales Engineer, the Clayton steam generator guarantees fuel-to-steam efficiency, is compact in size and super-speedy. This means that:
- Fuel costs are lower
- Startups are immediate
- The needed vegetable steam temperature of 200 degrees can be achieved in two minutes
To Seabrook, the main advantage is efficiency. It takes a few minutes to get this steam generator up and running. So, start-up is a breeze. For Seabrook, there’s no longer the down-time while the boiler starts or the added expense of a weekend and after-hours boiler attendant.
“If you think about it, just by removing the need to have an attendant here on weekends — 48 hours, for 52 weeks a year for over 30 years. We’ve estimated that alone is a savings of about $1.5 million,” Seabrook said.
In addition, the Clayton steam generator can handle load shifts almost instantaneously. So, the folks at Seabrook can process a small quantity of corn and immediately follow up with a large quantity of beans, quickly and easily.
Clayton’s service team is trained and certified professionals who work only for the company. Their sole job is serving the customers who purchase and use the Clayton steam generators.
What’s more, Clayton Industries steam generators are explosion-proof, providing the highest levels of safety in the boiler industry.
So Nice, They Did it Twice
More recently, it was once again time for the Seabrook Family to take a long look at their business and decide what could be done to move ahead of the curve. The success of their freezing and packing business was continuing to move forward.
The natural step was to once again upgrade the boilers. So, Wes Seabrook consulted his Clayton representatives.
“They were great to work with. They reviewed our existing equipment and designed a plan to meet our future needs economically and efficiently,” he said. “We simply upgraded our existing steam generator controls”
The upgrade consisted of a retrofit of existing equipment, which was still in excellent condition, thanks to Clayton’s outstanding maintenance plan.
“It’s great. We’ve got all of the bells and whistles of the new ones, but we’re still using our 1978 boilers,” Seabrook said.
Looking to the Future
It’s been over a decade since Seabrook Brothers and Sons upgraded their Clayton Steam Generators and over 33 years since they made the switch from their old fire tube boilers. Like those old mule-drawn tractors, it’s once change that the Seabrook family will never regret.
Wes Seabrook says the switch from a traditional boiler to the Clayton Steam Generator was just what the company needed to stay ahead of the times, and he doesn’t see that changing for a long time to come. “Our business continues to thrive as we keep packing, not only our own high quality vegetables, but for others, too. These manufacturers know we only opt for top quality whether or not our name is stamped on the product. They know we are the best, and that has a lot to do with the equipment that we use.”
Like his father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Wes Seabrook sees a great future for his family business.
“My brother’s sons have already been working with us…not because they have to, but because they want to. There’s always been a passion in our family, and having that passion is what will keep Seabrook alive for generations,” he said.
For more information, please visit www.claytonindustries.com.
