At a Glance:
- Cross-contamination during material transport can compromise product quality and safety, leading to costly losses.
- Non-stick liners, especially UHMWPE-based, prevent residue build-up and reduce the risk of contamination between loads.
- These liners improve operational efficiency by reducing cleaning time, lowering tipping angles, and minimising equipment wear.
- Installing non-stick liners is a strategic investment for industries such as agriculture and food transport, seeking cleaner and safer operations.
When you’re moving tonnes of material from one site to another, the last thing you want is the load from the previous trip sticking around. Material mix-ups can be a significant issue in a transportation business, especially when handling materials of different types. These materials can range from grains and gravel to mining waste.
The delivery of materials and their quality may be compromised if any residue from previous loads is left behind. Regardless of whether you transition between wet and dry materials or between agricultural and industrial materials, there is a risk of cross-contamination.
In such a situation, installing non-stick liners in your vehicles is a logical way to protect goods. In this guide, we will learn how non-stick liners help reduce contamination risks.
Why Cross-Contamination Is a Major Concern?
Different types of industries have various problems and consequences for cross-contamination. For instance, if harvested grain and animal feedstocks come into contact during transport, it can compromise product purity, trigger allergen risks, and ultimately lead to a breach of food safety standards in agricultural applications. So, it is important to understand the risk of cross-contamination.
Here are some reasons why cross-contamination can be a huge problem:
- Residue from previous loads can contaminate fresh materials, reducing the purity and usability of the product. This is more relevant in critical industries like agriculture and food transport.
- Mixing incompatible materials, such as chemicals and grains or coal and limestone, can cause chemical reactions, unexpected spoilage, or operational safety risks for operators.
- Contaminated loads may require reprocessing or disposal, resulting in wasted time, product, and financial losses.
- Failing to prevent cross-contamination in food-grade or industrial materials may breach safety and quality standards, risking fines or reputational damage.
- Sticky or corrosive residues from mixed materials can cause corrosion and chemical damage to truck beds, reducing the equipment’s lifespan.
How Non-Stick Liners Help Prevent Cross-Contamination
UHMWPE-based non-stick liners demonstrate maximum resistance to material sticking. Their slick surface, due to their low-friction properties, improves cleanouts between loads by reducing carryback. This means that the vehicles can be emptied and cleaned easily, with minimal cost for labour or equipment. As a result, there’s no accumulation of materials even from wet or sticky loads. When the bed is free from material build-up, there is a much lower chance of contamination.
UHMWPE plastic bed liners provide a smooth, low-friction surface that is also abrasion-resistant and lasts for a long time, while metal liners deteriorate, causing material to become trapped due to corrosion and pitting. The non-stick surface of UHMWPE liners helps minimise contamination threats while guaranteeing hygiene during the extended service period.
Operational Benefits Beyond Cross-Contamination
Cross-contamination can be one of the key problems that non-stick liners solve for your business. However, there are more reasons to install non-stick liners in your fleet. For instance, other factors, such as safety, efficiency and durability that non-stick liners provide can make a positive difference in the operation of various industries.
So, here are some of the biggest operational benefits of non-stick liners that go beyond preventing cross-contamination.
- Less material buildup shortens turnaround times, as the drivers don’t need to go and scrape or wash down the tray repeatedly.
- The tipping angle is significantly reduced as the materials slide off easily from the non-stick surface. This makes the process much safer.
- UHMWPE liners’ abrasion and corrosion-resistant properties prolong the truck body’s lifespan. This can help businesses save big bucks in the long run.
The non-stick liners play a vital role and are unappreciated heroes in bulk transportation operations. The installation of non-stick liners simultaneously reduces contamination while boosting operational efficiency and safety. A high-quality liner will transform the transportation of materials in critical industries, such as food and agriculture, among others.
Companies that focus on safer transportation, along with cleaner and contamination-free operations, should consider high-quality truck body liner systems as a smart and strategic business move.
