The holiday season is a time to reflect, celebrate, and give back. At Wickens Dry Ice Blasting, we’re proud to support our clients, team, and community during this special time of year. With the spirit of gratitude in mind, we want to share important updates about our holiday schedule, ongoing charitable efforts, and our outlook for 2025.

Supporting Our Community Through the Holidays

Giving back has always been an integral part of who we are at Wickens. This year, we continue our tradition of donating to the Salvation Army, an organization that plays a vital role in helping individuals and families in need. Their work, from offering shelter to distributing meals, supports over 2.1 million Canadians annually. We encourage everyone to consider contributing to support their impactful programs during this season of giving. Together, we can create positive change and bring joy to those who need it most.

Holiday Closure Dates for Wickens Dry Ice Blasting

Our team will be onsite for confirmed projects, but our office will remain closed on:

• December 25
• December 26
• January 1

We’ll resume our regular operations January 2nd, 2025.

Plan Your Facility Maintenance for 2025

The holiday season is the perfect time to set your plans in motion for a productive and efficient year ahead. At Wickens Dry Ice Blasting, we’re here to support your operations with services that address critical maintenance, cleaning, and restoration needs across industries. Whether you’re preparing for routine equipment upkeep, tackling large-scale restoration projects, or implementing preventive maintenance strategies, our team has you covered.

Our dry ice blasting services provide a non-abrasive, eco-friendly solution to clean industrial machinery, remove contaminants, and extend the lifespan of your equipment. Need to restore fire-damaged properties? Our fire restoration services remove soot, char, and odors without causing further damage, helping you meet deadlines with confidence. For industrial facilities, our painting and blasting services protect and preserve your assets against wear, corrosion, and environmental challenges.

If your 2025 goals include reducing downtime, improving operational efficiency, or enhancing the safety and appearance of your facilities, now is the time to schedule your services. Wickens offers tailored solutions, dependable expertise, and the tools you need to ensure your projects are completed seamlessly.

Start the year on the right foot. Contact us today to discuss your specific needs and secure your spot on our 2025 schedule. Let’s work together to make this your most successful year yet.

Updated: November 18, 2024

Make the Most of the Holiday Shutdown for a Cleaner, Safer, and More Efficient Workspace

As the year draws to a close, many industrial businesses, including factories, manufacturers, and production facilities, are gearing up for a well-deserved break. The holiday season, particularly the period between Christmas and New Year’s, is an optimal time for businesses to conduct thorough cleaning and maintenance. This is where Wickens Dry Ice Blasting offers a unique and effective solution.

The Challenge of Year-Round Cleanliness in Industrial Environments

Throughout the year, industrial environments accumulate various kinds of residues like dust, grease, and other by-products of production. These residues often settle in hard-to-reach places and on sensitive equipment, creating not only a cleanliness issue but also potential safety hazards and efficiency loss. Regular cleaning methods may tackle surface-level dirt but often fall short in dealing with these intricate and delicate areas.

Why Factory Shutdowns are Ideal for Thorough Cleaning

Shutdown periods, especially during the holidays, present an excellent opportunity for deep cleaning. With reduced operations and fewer personnel on-site, professional cleaning services can efficiently tackle areas that are otherwise bustling with activity or are inaccessible during regular operations, like conveyors, production equipment, and electronics.

Introducing Dry Ice Blasting: A Superior Cleaning Technique

Dry Ice Blasting, a technique mastered by Wickens, stands out as a highly effective solution for industrial cleaning. This method involves propelling dry ice pellets at high speed to clean surfaces. The unique properties of dry ice make it an ideal cleaning medium for several reasons:

1. No Secondary Waste: Dry ice sublimates upon contact, meaning it directly transitions from a solid to a gas without leaving any residual waste. This property significantly reduces cleanup time and environmental impact.
2. Effective and Efficient: The process effectively removes contaminants, including grease, oil, and production residues, even from hard-to-reach areas. It’s faster than traditional cleaning methods, ensuring minimal downtime.
3. Non-Abrasive and Safe for Delicate Equipment: Unlike traditional cleaning methods, dry ice blasting is non-abrasive. It safely cleans sensitive equipment without the risk of damage, making it suitable for electronics, conveyor belts, and other precision machinery.
4. Non-Conductive: As dry ice blasting doesn’t use additional chemicals or liquids to clean, it is safe to use on electronics without powering them down.
5. Eco-Friendly and Chemical-Free: Dry ice blasting is environmentally friendly. It doesn’t involve harmful chemicals or solvents, making it a safer choice for workers and the environment.

Start the New Year with a Clean Slate

Wickens Dry Ice Blasting offers a unique opportunity for industrial businesses to start the new year afresh. By scheduling a thorough clean-up during the year-end shutdown, businesses enhance their operational efficiency, ensure the safety of their work environment, and maintain their equipment reliability.

Contact Us Today!

The holiday shutdown period is an ideal time for businesses to invest in deep cleaning and maintenance. With Wickens Dry Ice Blasting, industries can achieve a higher level of cleanliness and efficiency, setting a strong foundation for the year ahead.

Ready to plan your year-end industrial cleanup? Contact Wickens Dry Ice Blasting today to schedule your service and learn more about how we can help your facility start the new year on the right foot.

In the realm of dry ice blasting, the efficiency and longevity of your equipment are directly influenced by the quality of compressed air used in the process. An air preparation unit (APU) is more than just an accessory; it’s a critical investment that ensures your operations are not only effective but also economically viable over time.

Understanding the mechanics, benefits, and proper implementation of an air preparation unit can significantly transform operational efficiency and outcomes.

What is an air preparation unit?

An air preparation unit, often integral to operations like dry ice blasting and media blasting, is a system designed to treat and condition compressed air before it is used in pneumatic tools and processes. This unit typically includes filters, regulators, and lubricators (often referred to collectively as FRLs). These components collaborate to ensure that the air is clean, dry, and delivered at the correct pressure, crucial for optimal performance and the longevity of pneumatic tools.

An APU improves air quality through several stages:

• Filters remove particulates, moisture, and other contaminants from the air, preventing damage to equipment and ensuring efficient operation.
• Regulators control the air pressure, ensuring that it remains consistent regardless of fluctuations in the supply line. This helps to maintain the blasting process’s effectiveness and safety.
• Dryers remove any remaining moisture from the air provided to the unit. Moisture in dry ice blasting can cause the pellets to stick together or to surfaces, disrupting the cleaning process, so it’s critical to remove as much as possible.

The air preparation unit connects to a dry ice blaster through a series of hoses. Compressed air flows from the unit into the blaster, where it is used to accelerate dry ice pellets out of the blasting gun at high speeds. Proper connections and seals are critical to maintaining air quality and pressure throughout the process.

How Air Preparation Units Help in Dry Ice Blasting

In dry ice blasting, the quality of compressed air is paramount. Here are several ways an air preparation unit enhances the process:

1. Prevents Moisture Problems: Moisture is a significant concern in dry ice blasting because any moisture in the compressed air can cause the dry ice pellets to clump together, clog the blasting equipment, or reduce the effectiveness of cleaning. By using filters and dryers to eliminate moisture from the air, air preparation units help maintain the integrity of the dry ice pellets throughout the operation.
2. Maintains Consistent Pressure: Dry ice blasting requires precise control over the air pressure to ensure effective cleaning without damaging the surface being cleaned. Regulators in the air preparation unit ensure that the air pressure is stable and consistent, providing reliable and safe blasting performance.
3. Extends Equipment Life: By filtering out contaminants, air preparation units protect the internal components of the blasting equipment from wear and damage, extending the equipment’s lifespan and reducing maintenance costs.

When to Use Air Prep Units

Air preparation units are essential for ensuring high-quality compressed air, which is crucial for various industrial applications. However, their utility varies significantly depending on the industry, existing infrastructures, and the operational scale.

Industries Benefiting from Air Preparation Units

• Small Scale Facilities and Mobile Operations: Smaller facilities or mobile setups that do not have extensive built-in air treatment systems benefit greatly from portable air preparation units. These units can provide the necessary air quality for effective dry ice blasting and media blasting on-site, where built-in systems are absent.
• Temporary or Field Operations: In situations where operations are conducted outside traditional facilities, such as during field maintenance or in temporary setups, air preparation units are essential. They ensure that the compressed air remains clean and dry, crucial for maintaining the effectiveness of blasting in varying environmental conditions.
• Specialized Cleaning Areas: Locations within larger facilities dedicated to precision cleaning, such as specific maintenance areas or sections handling sensitive components, may require standalone air preparation units to meet stricter air quality standards than what general facility systems provide.

Industries Where Air Preparation Units May Not Be Necessary

• Factories and Manufacturing Plants: Large manufacturing plants and factories often have comprehensive, centralized air management systems designed to provide clean, dry air throughout the facility. These systems make additional air preparation units redundant for dry ice blasting within these environments.
• Well-Equipped Industrial Facilities: Industrial locations equipped with advanced and extensive compressed air systems that already include stages of air treatment typically do not require separate air preparation units. These systems are usually designed to handle the demands of various tools and processes, including dry ice blasting, by ensuring optimal air quality facility-wide.

How to Get an Air Prep Unit for Your Business

If you’re looking to enhance the effectiveness of your dry ice blasting operations with high-quality air preparation, Wickens Dry Ice Blasting offers versatile solutions that cater to a range of business needs. We provide air preparation units for purchase or rental, available in two sizes to suit different requirements. The APU-450 model is perfect for single blaster setups, while the APU-600 model can efficiently support two blasters simultaneously.

Whether you choose to buy or rent, we offer comprehensive training and guidance on how to integrate these units seamlessly with our dry ice blasters, or with any other dry ice blasters you may already have. This ensures that you maximize the performance and safety of your operations.

For those not ready to commit to purchasing equipment, Wickens also offers professional dry ice blasting services, providing all the benefits of this technology without the need for investment in the hardware.

Please contact our team for more information about air preparation units or to inquire about buying or renting one.

If you’re a technician battling with ineffective airflow, complex operations, or machines that don’t adapt to your cleaning needs, it’s time to look for a dry ice blaster that will work with you. The new Viking 4000 dry ice blasting machine has been designed by engineers for technicians to ensure that you have the best cleaning performance possible.

Dig into the new features of our latest machine, learn the value of dry ice blasting, and explore the benefits of buying with Wickens today. We can’t wait to show you everything that the Viking 4000 has to offer.

Viking 4000: A Closer Look at the Features

Engineers and field experts designed the Viking 4000 to be the best possible dry ice blasting machine for technicians on the market. Viking and Wickens worked together to understand what values are most important to create a durable tool that performs the best clean with easy operation.

Robust and Tough Design

The Viking 4000 is built to last. Our engineers and field experts have worked closely with operators to design a machine that is strong, reliable, and able to handle tough conditions.

It’s ideal for rough terrain, and up for the challenge every time. Plus, its pneumatic power is perfect for remote locations where electric power is not readily available. With the Viking 4000, you can take on any cleaning job, anywhere.

Improved Versatile Air Flow

The Viking 4000 is all about giving you control. It’s designed to deliver the best dry ice blasting results with smoother, more effective airflow.

Its robust airflow tears through grime and dirt for difficult tasks, making challenging projects easier. And when you need a gentler touch? Lower settings allow you to reduce power for more delicate surfaces.

This level of control makes the Viking 4000 a versatile addition to any cleaning fleet, ready to handle whatever you throw its way.

Constructed of Stainless Steel

We’ve chosen stainless steel to build the Viking 4000 for its unbeatable durability and longevity. This top-quality material stands up to the test of time, resisting rust and oxidation from difficult conditions during operation.

Ease of Operation

The Viking 4000 is built with simplicity in mind. Its user-friendly design means it’s easy to operate for most levels of expertise. This machine is reliable, reducing the risk of complications or failures and ensuring you can focus on the task at hand. The Viking 4000 is all about making your work easier, efficient, and effective.

Experience the Wickens Difference

When you choose Wickens for your Viking 4000, you’re making a wise investment. We provide the products for you and ensure that you’re educated in the use of dry ice blasting equipment.

With every purchase, you’re covered by a 12-month warranty, demonstrating our commitment to quality and your peace of mind. Our dedicated team is highly trained to handle maintenance and repairs, and provide the right accessories to elevate your cleaning services.

For those who need a complete package to get started, we offer Contractor and Factory & Manufacturer packages, both including the Viking 4000 and the tools you need to perform quality dry ice blasting at your business.

We also offer on-site training to help those who are just starting out. Our expert-trained technicians ensure your team understands how to use your equipment safely and effectively, with user guides and training workbooks to refer to after completing our program.

Revolutionize Cleaning with Dry Ice Blasting

Are you on the fence about choosing dry ice blasting for your business? Let us help you understand why it’s an absolute game-changer. Beyond being just a cleaning solution, dry ice blasting represents a leap forward in cleaning technology, offering a host of advantages that are hard to match.

Dry ice blasting is an innovative, gentle, yet powerful cleaning method, providing the perfect balance for your varying cleaning needs. It’s non-abrasive, so it cleans without causing damage to delicate areas like electrical panels, wiring, and belts.

The real game-changer? It eliminates the need for chemicals and manual scraping, replacing these methods with the superior blasting power of dry ice. Not only does this save you time, but it also gets into tight spaces with ease, reducing downtime, increasing productivity, and improving efficiency.

Dry ice blasting is non-conductive, making it safe around electrical components, and requires no drying time or disassembly, making your cleaning process smoother. With adjustable blasting power, it’s the versatile cleaning solution you’ve been looking for.

With all these benefits, are you ready to try out the Viking 4000 yourself? Contact our team for a free quote and see how the newest Viking Blast machine can help your business thrive.

Happy Holidays from the team at Wickens! We’re grateful for our customers and look forward to creating customized cleaning solutions with existing and new clients in the future!

As we head into this busy time, we hope that you can take some time to enjoy good food, cheer, and time with your loved ones. We wish you a joyous holiday season and a happy New Year – we can’t wait to see what new projects 2023 holds!

Happy Holidays, we’ll see you in the new year!

Holiday Hours

Our offices will be observing the holidays, but our fleet is available for contract work throughout the holiday season. If you have any cleaning, abatement, or remediation requests, please contact us to arrange an appointment.

Holiday Donation

This year, Wickens will be making a holiday donation to Mission Services and the Salvation Army.

Service Shutdown Cleanings

Many factories and other businesses shut down for the week between Christmas and New Year’s. At Wickens, we recommend this as an optimal time for an annual shutdown and turnaround cleaning service. Our team is happy to come in and perform cleaning while your workers are away.

For more information on our service shutdown cleanings, or to book an appointment, please contact us!

Wickens Dry Ice Blasting tackles the toughest jobs across Ontario, offering fire restoration, mould remediation, asbestos abatement, lead paint abatement, and more. Contact us today for a consultation or emergency service!