Fully automatic salt dissolver increases Omrin spreading capacity

Fully automatic salt solution increases winter capacity at Omrin: From spreading salt to smart sustainability

At Omrin in Leeuwarden, everything revolves around sustainability. As a waste and environmental service provider, the company constantly seeks ways to work smarter, cleaner, and more efficiently. The approach to ice prevention during winter months proved to be a bottleneck. Spreading loose salt was not only ineffective in certain weather conditions, but also environmentally harmful. Together with Polem, a solution was found: a fully automatic salt mixing installation with horizontal tank.

Challenges and analysis

Previously, Omrin had limited capacity to produce and store brine water. This meant only part of the road network could be treated preventively, often only after ice had already formed. Traditional salt spreading also caused high salt waste and environmental burden. There was urgent need for a more robust, sustainable, and better scalable solution.

Solution and implementation

Through a specialized dealer, Polem delivered an innovative salt mixing installation with horizontal tank, specifically tailored to Omrin's infrastructure. The system automatically mixes salt and water into a standardized brine solution of 21%, with consistent quality. Thanks to the horizontal tank design, the installation is space-efficient and easy to maintain. The complete system became operational within a short time, without disrupting existing operations.

Results

Omrin's capacity has increased significantly: now a larger area can be treated faster and more sustainably against ice formation. Thanks to brine spraying, the main roads in and around Leeuwarden can also be kept preventively ice-free. This reduces traffic risks and salt consumption. The automatic mixing function also ensures consistency and reliability with every tank filling.

Lessons learned

The switch to brine water has clearly shown that sustainability and efficiency can go hand in hand. Where previously time-intensive and environmentally harmful methods were used, the new installation now provides control over both ice prevention and the process. An important learning moment was how essential it is to tailor installations to location and usage intensity—something Polem's modular approach perfectly addresses.

Conclusion

By choosing Polem's salt mixing installation, Omrin has taken a smart step toward sustainable ice prevention. The impact? More roads ice-free, less environmental burden, and a future-proof solution for winters that are becoming increasingly unpredictable. The collaboration with Polem proved that innovation also starts on the road.

FAQ

What is the advantage of brine water over road salt? Brine water works preventively and adheres better to the road surface, making it faster and more effective at preventing ice formation. Moreover, less salt is consumed, which is better for the environment and infrastructure.
How much brine water can Omrin now store with the new system?The exact storage capacity depends on the specific tank system, but the volume has increased significantly compared to the old situation. This allows larger areas to be treated faster without intermediate refilling.
Is the installation difficult to operate? On the contrary: the system is fully automated and easy to operate via a user-friendly panel. This reduces the margin of error and ensures consistent brine quality.
Why was a horizontal tank chosen? A horizontal tank takes up less height and therefore fits better within existing buildings or sites. Moreover, maintenance is easier to perform due to the accessible construction.
What makes this solution sustainable?Salt consumption is optimized and minimized, while the effect of ice prevention increases. This significantly reduces the ecological footprint of winter services.