Roberts Bakery, Northwich
Industrial Ventilation UpgradeA critical ventilation upgrade to Oven No. 3 at Roberts Bakery's flagship Northwich facility, delivered entirely within a live food manufacturing environment. Vital Synergy installed new external louvres, custom airflow plenums and extensive ductwork to serve nine gas burners, improving combustion efficiency and ensuring safe, compliant operation without interrupting a single shift of production.
Client Overview
A fourth-generation, family-run bread producer with a flagship production site in Northwich, Cheshire. Roberts Bakery engaged Vital Synergy following an established working relationship formed through earlier plant improvement works at the Northwich site, trusting us to deliver a technically complex upgrade with minimal impact on their operation.
Continuous-production food manufacturing imposes exceptional demands on any engineering contractor. Hygiene standards, contamination control and strict food safety protocols governed every aspect of the project. All works were carefully sequenced around Roberts Bakery's production schedule to protect output and maintain the bakery's uninterrupted service to its customers.
Installation of two large external louvres fitted with integrated insect mesh, providing the fresh air intake required by Oven No. 3's nine gas burners. Positioned and specified to prevent contamination ingress at all air intake points, in full compliance with food industry hygiene requirements.
Fabrication and installation of custom-engineered airflow plenums and extensive ductwork connecting the external louvres to the oven. Designed to deliver a stable, consistent air supply to each of the nine burners, optimising combustion performance and reducing energy waste across the baking cycle.
Working at height within an active food production setting required meticulous planning and close coordination with a specialist access equipment provider. Portable platforms were used to safely reach overhead installation points, under a formal Working at Height plan and in full compliance with the client's site safety protocols.
Full on-site commissioning including airflow measurements, safety interlock checks and verification of integrated test points installed to support future maintenance access. Comprehensive documentation produced at handover, confirming the system operates as designed and in accordance with regulatory requirements.
Key Outcomes and Benefits
Comprehensive RAMS, daily toolbox talks and strict on-site controls delivered a zero-incident project across all phases of installation within a live food production environment.
Oven No. 3's nine gas burners now receive a stable, consistent supply of fresh combustion air, improving efficiency and ensuring safe, reliable oven operation.
All works completed on schedule, sequenced around Roberts Bakery's production downtime windows with no disruption to bakery output at any stage of the project.
Battery-operated tools, dedicated cutting zones, strict cleanliness routines and mandatory hygiene PPE ensured zero food safety risk during every phase of the installation.
Airflow measurements, safety interlock checks and test point verification all completed and documented at handover, with comprehensive records issued to the client.
The upgrade was delivered entirely within an operational food manufacturing facility. Roberts Bakery continued production throughout without a single shift impacted by the works.
Project Detail
Vital Synergy was engaged by Roberts Bakery to upgrade the ventilation system serving Oven No. 3 at their Northwich production site. Working within a continuous-production food facility, every aspect of the project, from initial planning through to final commissioning, was designed to protect food safety, maintain hygiene standards, and keep the bakery running without interruption.
An existing working relationship with Roberts Bakery's site management team provided the foundation for a collaborative and well-coordinated delivery. Works were sequenced around the bakery's production schedule, with all planning decisions made in close consultation with site management and supported by formal RAMS and daily toolbox talks throughout the programme.
Compliance and Safety
Before commencing on site, Vital Synergy's team produced comprehensive Risk Assessments and Method Statements (RAMS), addressing every identified hazard, including working at height in confined plant areas, gas proximity risks, and the contamination-control requirements of a live food production environment. Dedicated cutting zones were established for all ductwork fabrication. Battery-operated tools were specified throughout to eliminate fire risk in the vicinity of gas infrastructure. Strict site cleanliness routines were maintained at all times, with all tools and materials kept tidy and accounted for to prevent any risk of contamination within the bakery.
All personnel attended site-specific inductions and adhered to Roberts Bakery's hygiene requirements, wearing appropriate clean protective clothing, including overalls and hair nets, throughout all work within the production area. Zero accidents and zero near misses were recorded across the full project. Daily toolbox talks reinforced safe working practices and quality expectations at every stage, ensuring the team remained focused and compliant from start to finish. The client's management noted the high standard of professionalism and housekeeping maintained by the Vital Synergy team throughout the programme.
Programme and Delivery
The installation was carried out in carefully planned phases, with each work area isolated before work commenced. Portable platforms were used to access high-level installation points, and the team coordinated directly with Roberts Bakery's site management and an on-site access equipment provider to sequence all activities within available production downtime windows. Clear and regular communication with site management meant that adjustments could be made swiftly without impacting the agreed programme.
On completion of the mechanical installation, Vital Synergy's engineers undertook full commissioning of the new ventilation system, including airflow measurements, safety interlock checks and verification of the integrated test points installed to support future maintenance access. The new Oven No. 3 ventilation system is fully operational, providing a reliable supply of fresh combustion air and ensuring the oven runs safely and consistently. Comprehensive handover documentation was issued to the client, confirming that the system performs as designed and in full compliance with applicable regulations.
Upgrading our ventilation while keeping production running was a real challenge, but Vital Synergy worked around our schedule without any disruption. The bespoke plenum fabrication and new ductwork have made a noticeable difference to air quality on the production floor.
Operations Manager, Roberts Bakery
