ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Cryoservice, a family business near Belfort in France, has increased its turnover two-fold in the past six years. It uses a technology which responds to the environmental requirements of a number of industrial companies. Christian Bouzols reports.

When Béatrice Cuenin launched Cryoservice in eastern  France in 2005, there was virtually no market in the country. There was just one cleaning company in France that made use of cryogenics.

“I was sure the moment had come. I had observed a serious and increasing concern for the environment among many company owners.” And she therefore set up her activity in the former premises of the family business at Eloie, near Belfort.

The advantage of cryogenic cleaning is that doesn’t produce any waste other than the material that is cleaned off the parts and tools to be cleaned. In particular, no soiled water is generated.

The soil which is extracted is therefore dry and easier to handle subsequently. The method consists in projecting CO2 pellets on the items that need to be cleaned at a temperature of minus 80 degrees centigrade. The thermal shock thus produced weakens the particles to be cleaned off, makes them
brittle, and then transforms them into a gas.

The method is ideal for complying with environment standards. Additionally, the process doesn’t deteriorate the surfaces for treatment, which can happen with sanding. The CO2 itself is recovered and used by the chemical industry, which is an important consumer of the gas.

Many applications

Cryogenic or freeze cleaning can be applied to all the tools of industrial production, such as those used in the automotive, food and aeronautical industries, to clean off various residues and deposits (cement, tar, paints, oils, bitumen, inks, varnishes, rubber, etc).

During its first year of business, Cryoservice registered a turnover of about €200,000. This turnover has doubled today, reaching over €400,000, with a net profit of about €20 000.

The company employs four people at full time equivalent, involving several youth who work part time, and serves some 25 to 30 loyal clients in the east of France and also in other parts of the country.

Since its launch, Cryoservice has invested some €195,000 in equipment. Banks haven’t always been helpful, says its founder. This  induced her to attempt crowd funding at the end of 2015, making use of an online platform that allows individuals to help SMEs. Her funding requirements of €15,000 were met by 126 financers who have offered rates going up to nine per cent.

Béatrice Cuenin now hopes to expand her business by adding two or three further clients, which will enable her to offer more work to her part time employees. Her adventure has only just started!