Strong co-operation with Thai starch producer paves the way to a ground-breaking service agreement with connected services

The Chok Yuen Yong (CYY) group has been producing and exporting premium-quality tapioca/cassava starch for more than 30 years, and their thriving, long-standing relationship with Alfa Laval ensures that they are continuing to lead the way in this competitive sector.  

Now that relationship has been further boosted with the introduction of a service agreement with connected services on 10 of Alfa Laval’s NX944 decanters at their production sites across the country, as well as an order for six more of their newer NX6450 (Foodec 65) decanters. 

This fleet of machines are the beating heart of the tapioca/cassava production process – when they stop, production can be adversely affected – so the peace of mind that the ground-breaking agreement brings will help keep CYY at the top of their game. 

Pravin Sonawane, Global Sales, Connected Services, BU Decanters Service, says: “Adding the connected services element to the agreement brings huge benefits for CYY, both in terms of profitability and sustainability.  

“It means that the decanters are continually monitored, providing proactive support and a complete framework for the entire 12-month cycle, with the customer closely engaged through the different service levels.” says Kantinan Thawenuch.  

The monitoring takes the form of sensors mounted on different parts of the decanter that allow Alfa Laval experts to monitor remotely and employ proactive maintenance, stepping in to prevent any operational issues before they happen; optimizing uptime and maximizing equipment reliability. 

Remote support and monitoring also means that there are fewer site visits and, therefore, a lower carbon footprint. For CYY, who power their operations through a biogas generator fed by its own processing waste, sustainability is always an important factor. 

This is the latest milestone in a long and productive relationship between Alfa Laval and CYY, involving a fleet of decanters that have been fundamental to the success of their operations. It began with the supply of NX944 decanters – some of which have been in operation for more than a decade – and is now focusing on the latest NX6540 (Foodec 65) decanters, six of which have been installed at various sites as equipment upgrades and at new installations. 

“The 944 has been a very robust machine – and you need robust machines in these industries – and CYY really rate them,” says Kim O Hansen, Global Sales Starch BU Decanters. “From an Alfa Laval perspective, the credit for this service agreement goes to the local sales team who have worked hard with CYY and sold the fantastic benefits of adding connected services to give them extra certainty in their operations.” 

These operations are huge, Kim explains, as CYY is one of the biggest starch producers in Thailand, processing around 200,000 tonnes of cassava roots per year into the form of native starch known as tapioca or cassava. CYY production constitutes a significant contribution to Thailand’s overall annual production of 1.5 million tonnes of native starch from a total of around 80 starch producers. 

Quality and sustainability are absolutely key for CYY, and Alfa Laval’s decanters have been delivering that quality for more than 20 years. They come into play near the start of the process, where removing as many impurities as possible – between 80 to 85% – makes all the subsequent steps easier and more cost-effective and results in a measurably better-quality starch. 

The waste stream containing fibre and solubles is used for animal feed and fertilizer respectively or alternatively it is fed into a biogas plant, which creates all the plant’s energy needs. Meanwhile, the starch produced is used in a variety of sectors – from food and beverage to industrial, textiles, and more. 

“We have a significant installed base in Thailand and we have a close working relationship with CYY,” Kim says. “They still rate our 944 decanters, and when we introduced the NX 6540 (Foodec 65), we supplied it to them on the basis that if it didn’t do the job, they could send it back. It did the job, and now they really rate them, too!  So today, they operate both decanters across their sites with great success. This, together with the new service agreement, is cementing their position as a leading player in this sector.”