IBP NEWS
PURETEC SEPARATIONS:
ENGINEERING A
SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR
BEVERAGE WATER
PROCESSING CEO VINCE PAYNE ON INNOVATION, CIRCULAR WATER USE,
AND WHY SUSTAINABILITY MAKES BUSINESS SENSE
In the drinks industry, water is both the main ingredient and one of the
biggest costs. Producers are under growing pressure to use it more
responsibly, cutting waste, energy use, and emissions while keeping
quality high.

That’s where PureTec Separations
comes in. A UK-based specialist in
process and purification technologies
for industrial and beverage
water treatment, focussing on
sustainability, modular design, and
circular water recovery.

PureTec helps manufacturers run
more efficiently and sustainably
by turning water from a cost into a
controllable asset.

CEO and founder Vince
Payne spoke to International
Bottler & Packer about
how sustainability drives
everything they do, and why
it’s good for business as well
as the planet.

6 Q How does PureTec define
sustainability within the beverage
industry? A For us, sustainability isn’t
something we add on at the end.

It’s built into how we design every
system. The goal is simple: produce the
best quality process water while using
as little energy, salt, and chemicals as
possible, and creating as little water
waste as possible.

We’ve seen the industry move away
from the old “use it once and dump
it” model towards one where water is
reused and recycled. Every litre you
can save, or reuse is money in the bank
and a step towards a cleaner operation.

That’s what we mean when we say we
help clients turn water into an asset,
something that delivers value, as well
as a cost saving.

Q What makes PureTec’s approach
different? A We always start by understanding
the problem properly. Using a Front-
End Engineering Design (FEED) process,
we look at what the customer needs,
what’s possible, and what the savings
could be in cost, water, and energy.

Automation and control systems
play a big role too. By using smart
monitoring, we can fine-tune flow,
pressure, and cleaning cycles so that
the system always runs efficiently.

That means less waste, fewer
chemicals, and consistent water quality.

The main thing is we design for the
long term. A system that performs well
for ten years is far more sustainable
than one that needs constant fixes.

In every case, we want water to work
harder for the business.

Q Can you give an example of how
this works in practice?
A We’ve helped a lot of major drinks
producers, from small water recycling
setups to full membrane and softening
systems. One good example is our EcoSoft
High-Efficiency Water Softener, which
uses far less water and salt than a
standard unit. It’s already running
at several UK sites and typically cuts
INTERNATIONAL BOTTLER & PACKER | DECEMBER 2025



NEWS
water use by up to 80% and salt by
60%, with a payback in under two
years in the majority of cases.

At Pilgrim’s Europe, we installed
a recovery system that’s saved over
26 million litres of water in three
years. And at a leading brewery, we
significantly reduced energy costs
using low-energy pumps, low energy
membranes and significant monitoring,
resulting in a combined annual
saving of over £60,000 per year.

We track the results too, so our
clients can measure the savings
and report them as part of their
environmental goals. It’s proof that
sustainability can pay its own way
and that smart water management
can add real value to a site.

Q Sustainability is often seen
as expensive. How do you challenge
that view?
A It’s really about looking at the
bigger picture. It’s easy to justify
when you can prove an upgraded
system uses less water, chemicals,
and energy, helping more than just
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the environment. It saves money
day to day. You’re paying for fewer
inputs and creating less waste
to deal with at the other end.

When we design something, we want
it to be efficient from day one and keep
saving money over its life. Sustainability
isn’t a cost. It’s an investment that
turns water treatment from a utility
into a source of long-term value.

Q What’s next for PureTec and the
beverage sector?
A The next few years will be about
getting more value from data. We’re
already seeing big steps forward
with remote monitoring, and new
ways of tracking performance in real
time. It all adds up to lower costs,
and a lowered water: product ratio
Our long-term aim is that every litre
of water going into a drinks plant either
ends up in the product or is recovered
and reused. With the right technology
and partners, that’s completely possible
today. Water can and should be treated
as a renewable, reusable asset.

Q What role does service and support
play in keeping systems running at
their best?
A Service is a huge part of what
we do. It’s no good installing a great
system if it isn’t looked after. Regular
maintenance and performance checks
help stop problems before they start
and keep everything working efficiently.

With remote monitoring, we can
now keep an eye on flow, pressure, and
performance in real time. If something
starts to drift, we can fix it before
it becomes an issue. It means less
downtime, lower running costs, and
peace of mind for the customer.

For us, sustainability doesn’t end
when the system’s switched on. It’s
about making sure it keeps performing
year after year and continues to deliver
value from every litre of water that
passes through it.

Discover more about how PureTec can help producers cut cost, carbon, and
consumption across their operations  www.puretecseparations.com
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