Author
Neil Tominey, Area Sales Manager Scotland at Zehnder Clean Air Solutions
5 minute read
How Witzenmann UK Ltd Transformed Its Factory Environment with Zehnder Clean Air Solutions
In Scottish manufacturing, few names carry as much weight as Witzenmann. Known worldwide as a specialist in flexible metallic elements – expansion joints, metal hoses, and precision components – their facility in Scotland plays a crucial role in delivering quality to demanding sectors such as automotive, energy, and engineering. In early 2025, Witzenmann UK Ltd recognised an invisible but increasingly significant opportunity to improve both product cleanliness and the environment their employees work in.
Dust in a factory is rarely “just dust.” It can affect everything – from product quality to customer perception, from the health and wellbeing of employees to the confidence of clients during audits. For Witzenmann, the build-up of fine particles was beginning to raise concerns, not just operationally but morally: if the air could be cleaner, why shouldn’t it be?
That’s where Zehnder Clean Air Solutions entered the picture. By March 2025, we had completed the installation of our customised air cleaning solution. Within weeks, the difference was visible, tangible, and, according to the team at Witzenmann, deeply appreciated by their workforce.
This is the story of why Witzenmann UK Ltd chose to act, what we implemented, and the impact clean air is now having on their business, their products, and their people.
The Challenge: Dust That Nobody Wanted
Before our installation, Witzenmann UK Ltd was seeing the familiar problems that many fabrication facilities face:
- Dust accumulation on the factory floor and equipment. Flat surfaces, machine housings, material in storage could quickly gather a visible layer of dust.
- Product cleanliness. Increased expectations of customers with regards to technical cleanliness requirements, and its impact on subsequent product performance.
- Customer audits. Clients were asking about controls in place to manage cleanliness and air quality.
- Health and safety. While Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) and masks were in use as required in appropriate localised areas it was clear that airborne particles were generally present throughout the wider production area.
As Kevin East of Witzenmann explained during our post-installation interview:
“If you’d spent prolonged periods in the production area, you’d notice it. This was clear to all. It just didn’t feel as clean as it could be.”
Importantly, Witzenmann weren’t facing a regulatory/compliance issue. Their facility wasn’t “too dirty.” They had no legal compulsion to act. But for them, it was never about ticking boxes. It was about going further: protecting their people, enhancing their workplace, and ensuring customers always received products of the highest quality produced in a clean, controlled environment.
The Solution: Tailored Clean Air from Zehnder
Following discussions with Witzenmann’s leadership team, we proposed and installed a fleet of six Zehnder industrial air cleaning units, strategically positioned across the production hall.
These systems work continuously in the background, capturing airborne dust at source before it settles on machinery, products, or finds its way into workers’ lungs. Unlike localised extraction systems, Zehnder’s solution treats the entire volume of factory air, ensuring consistent air quality improvement throughout the space.
Each system is supported by our ongoing service package: scheduled filter changes, performance monitoring, and post-installation testing to ensure results are measurable and sustainable.
From the very beginning, this was framed not as a one-off project but as a long-term partnership, with the goal of embedding cleaner air into Witzenmann’s operational culture.
The Results: Cleaner Air, Happier People
The difference has been dramatic.
Kevin East shared several telling observations only weeks after the installation went live:
1. Visible Reduction in Dust
“I was shown a flat surface that had been cleaned just as the units went in. Weeks later, it was still basically dust-free. Before, you’d expect the presence of dust within days. The contrast is remarkable.”
2. Improved Worker Experience
“Our employees are saying it themselves – the air just feels cleaner. They’re no longer going home and noticing the effects of a dusty environment. It makes a big difference when you’re on the shop floor all day.”
3. Reduced Cleaning Burden
Although Witzenmann hasn’t yet quantified cleaning cost reductions, they are confident that less dust settling on equipment and products means less time and money spent cleaning. Over time, this will extend to less frequent deep cleans and reduced dust ingress into hard-to-reach spaces.
4. Better Customer Perception
Witzenmann’s customers, especially those with strict cleanliness standards, are reassured to see the company investing proactively in air quality improvements.
“When we explain to key customers that we’ve installed these units to improve cleanliness, everyone sees the benefit and agrees it’s the right thing to do.”
5. Employee Morale and Retention
Perhaps the most powerful impact has been cultural.
“At the end of the day, we’ve got as many people in production as we have in the offices. If we want to attract and retain good people then creating a clean, pleasant environment is crucial. Clean air helps us show we care about our people.”
The Human Factor: A Moral Obligation
What stood out most in our discussions with Kevin East wasn’t just the technical benefits, but the human ones.
He described the decision to act not as a cost-driven calculation, but as one driven by a need to deliver products of the highest quality and of course and a duty of care to safeguard the company’s employees: “We could have taken the view that we didn’t have a legislative issue, so we didn’t need to do anything. But that’s not the point. If we can make the environment cleaner, better for our people whilst producing products with improved cleanliness, then why wouldn’t we?”
This philosophy is one we at Zehnder hear more and more from forward-looking manufacturers. Beyond productivity and compliance, air quality is about responsibility: to workers, to customers, and to the wider community.
Costs and Returns: A Small Price for a Big Difference
Another theme that came through clearly in our conversations was just how cost-effective the investment has been.
Kevin reflected:
“When you break it down, it’s maybe £1,200 to £1,500 per person per year. For the improvement in product cleanliness, in the working atmosphere, in looking after your people – it’s not tens of thousands per head. It’s actually a very small price to pay in relation to the significant benefit.”
For manufacturers facing rising costs across energy, materials, and labour, clean air might seem like a “nice to have.” But as Witzenmann’s experience shows, it can be achieved at a fraction of the cost of other workplace improvements – and it delivers benefits across quality, customer confidence, staff wellbeing, and long-term retention.
Beyond Dust: Long-Term Benefits for Processes and Products
While the immediate improvements have been obvious, Witzenmann expect further advantages to emerge over time:
- Cleaner products in process. Less airborne dust settling on work-in-progress means parts remain cleaner before final inspection or assembly.
- Reduced equipment wear. Airborne dust can infiltrate seals, bearings, and cylinders. With less particulate in the air, equipment life and reliability will improve.
- Cross-area benefits. Because production areas connect to offices and canteens, cleaner air in the workshop has already reduced dust travelling into non-production spaces.
Even intangible benefits – such as presenting a modern, clean environment to visitors and auditors – are important. In today’s competitive markets, every signal of professionalism and care counts.
Measuring Success: Science Behind the Perception
One of the strengths of Zehnder’s service model is that it goes beyond perceptions. While staff feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, we also provide post-installation air quality testing to quantify improvements.
As part of this, Zehnder carried out a week’s worth of static air quality measurements in two representative locations in Witzenmann’s production area before they installed their solution. Zehnder then returned after the installation and repeated the same study in the same location using the same reliable TSI Dustrak II equipment.
The differences between the measurements were illuminating;
The first area saw a reduction in airborne particulate (PM10 and below in size) of 86% between the before and after measurements.
The second area saw an even higher reduction of 91%.
So in summary, the data backed the impact the team at Witzenmann had reported on a day-to-day basis.
Lessons for Scottish Engineering Members
So, what can other Scottish manufacturers learn from Witzenmann’s journey?
- Don’t wait for legislation. Clean air isn’t just about compliance. Acting before you “have to” gives you control, goodwill, a safer workplace and a competitive advantage.
- Small investments, big impacts. For relatively low cost per head, you can achieve significant improvements across multiple aspects of business.
- People notice. Workers feel the difference, and that translates into appreciation, retention, and productivity.
- Customers notice. In an era of increasingly stringent audits, demonstrating proactive investment in air quality strengthens trust and reputation.
- Sustainability matters. Clean air isn’t just a health issue – it’s a sustainability issue. Reducing dust improves efficiency, reduces waste cleaning, and supports broader ESG goals.
Conclusion: Clean Air is Smart Business
At Zehnder Clean Air Solutions, we believe that clean air is as fundamental to a factory as good lighting, safe machinery, or robust processes. The experience of Witzenmann UK Ltd underlines this.
By addressing dust proactively, they’ve not only improved product cleanliness and reduced operational concerns but also enhanced the daily experience of their employees.
For Kevin East, the final word was simple:
“The biggest compliment is from the people on the floor and our customers. They really appreciate that they’re working in a cleaner environment. And at the end of the day, both customer and employee satisfaction have improved and that’s what it’s all about.”
In Scottish engineering, we pride ourselves on innovation, responsibility, and care for our people. Clean air delivers on all three.
Image sources:
Zehnder Group International AG, Gränichen
Image may be printed free of charge if image source is stated.
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About Zehnder Clean Air Solutions
Zehnder Clean Air Solutions provides industrial air cleaning solutions for manufacturing and other industrial environments. We help companies reduce airborne particulate, improve workplace air quality and create cleaner working environments for their people and processes.
Our approach combines industrial air cleaners with a fully serviced model, including installation, ongoing monitoring, maintenance and filter replacement. By working closely with our customers, we develop solutions tailored to the specific conditions and challenges of each facility.
With Zehnder Clean Air Solutions, companies can take a proactive approach to managing airborne contamination – helping to protect people, products and processes while creating cleaner, more pleasant working environments.
Clean air protects.
