Knowledge Hub
Case Study
ENVIE Rhône-Alpes, part of the Envie network, is an industrial company specialising in the renovation and refurbishment of large household appliances. For 35 years, it has focused on extending product lifespans, placing the circular economy and professional integration at the heart of its work.
Its reconditioning and renovation service for cooking appliances includes domestic ovens and was facing a major challenge: cleaning stainless-steel and enamelled oven trays and racks efficiently.
The teams clean an average of 25 appliances per week – five per day. Their trays and racks are often covered with baked-on grease and scale. Previously, operators cleaned them manually using rotating wire brushes attached to drills, which could scratch the parts.
Cleaning the dirtiest parts could take up to two hours per tray or rack, making the task both time-consuming and physically demanding.
After several unsuccessful trials with other technologies, the ENVIE teams turned to Safetykleen for a complete, tailored cleaning solution.
Before, cleaning took too much time and the task was physically demanding. Today, thanks to Safetykleen, we have improved productivity and ergonomics. We can train our teams for more valuable repair and renovation work and increase production.
Alban Mercier, Team Leader, Cooking Range at ENVIE, Rhône-Alpes
Following a complete on-site diagnosis and successful tests using the parts at Safetykleen’s Lyon agency, our expert recommended an automatic ultrasonic cleaning machine with a 90-minute cycle for four to five parts, depending on the level of contamination.
The tank is regularly replenished with a customised water-based cleaning solution formulated for ultrasonic cleaning in the reuse workshop.
The Sonickleen automatic machine provides precise, effective cleaning for parts of different shapes and sizes, including complex geometries. Ultrasonic waves agitate the cleaning solution to remove contamination without damaging the parts.
An automatically generated wave also helps keep the surface of the bath clean, supporting consistent cleaning performance.
Safetykleen’s All-in-One service addresses ENVIE’s cleaning requirements while providing regular replenishment of cleaning chemistry and collection and treatment of waste in full compliance at our ICPE-classified centres.
We had never used ultrasonic equipment before. With Safetykleen’s expertise, we know how to operate the machine, which product to use and when to change the bath.
Alban Mercier, Team Leader, Cooking Range at ENVIE, Rhône-Alpes
Manual scraping has been replaced by an automated process, allowing the team to focus on higher-value repair work. The automatic machine saves an average of 25 hours of working time each week by carrying out the cleaning cycle while operators work on other tasks.
This time saving has enabled ENVIE to plan for an increase in production to 35 appliances per week.
The automated process has removed the physical demands of manual parts cleaning while reducing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and chemical exposure. The closed-loop machine uses a VOC-free cleaning solution.
The tailored TACT solution (Temperature, Mechanical Action, Chemistry and Time) effectively removes baked-on grease and scale from oven trays and racks, including hard-to-reach areas such as corners, improving cleaning quality.
Water-based cleaning solutions and managed waste collection support ENVIE’s environmental objectives while helping maintain compliance.
Safetykleen service representatives collect waste during scheduled visits and transport it to our ICPE-classified centres for treatment in accordance with applicable requirements.
* All-in-One: a complete parts-cleaning service
** ICPE: Classified Facility for the Protection of the Environment
*** MSD: musculoskeletal disorders
