Partnership forges breakthrough dispense solution

Since designing their first beverage flowmeter in the early 1990s, Titan Enterprises, a leading UK manufacturer of liquid flow measurement solutions, has had a long-standing supplier relationship with John Guest, part of the RWC’s family of brands.

Starting out in 1949 as Reliance Manufacturing Company Pty Ltd (RMC) with a drive to transform industry, RWC was later born from the desire to challenge convention. A major landmark for the company came in 2018 with the acquisition of John Guest and its globally renowned push-fit brands.

Titan’s NSF-Approved beverage meter, 800-series turbine flowmeters, and the Atrato® ultrasonic flowmeter range all incorporate John Guest connectors, which are extensively used in the food and beverage industry for their specialised ‘push-to-connect’ solutions.

In 2023, following years of evolving innovation since the launch of JG PolarClean by John Guest in 2010, RWC teamed up with Titan Enterprises to deliver an exciting solution for the beverage industry. A mutual customer discussion sparked the R&D collaboration, as users were already pairing RWC’s PolarClean push-fit connectors alongside Titan’s Beverage meters in beer dispensing systems. However, integrating the two products required additional modifications - introducing cost and complexity to a customer’s installation. Together, RWC and Titan set out to change that. To simplify installation and enhance efficiency, RWC and Titan began a partnership that led Titan to leverage its expertise in turbine technology and design, while RWC contributed its innovative tooling capabilities. The aim of the collaborative project was to provide a streamlined, state-of-the-art single unit for beer dispensing systems by fully integrating Titan’s turbine flow technology  within RWC’s pioneering PolarClean connector..

Phil Lacey, RWC’s Global Fluid Tech Business Development Director, stated: “When we knew we needed a flowmeter for our PolarClean system, Titan made absolute sense as they are the market leader in the space. They have been an absolute pleasure to develop this product with, and we look forward to seeing how the wider market receives this innovation.”

The primary challenge was fitting the turbine into the PolarClean tube/connector without compromising either system. Through workshops, prototyping and design, the teams developed a modified version of RWC’s straight PolarClean union. SLA (stereolithography apparatus) 3D-printed models were used to create prototypes, which were then tested and calibrated by Titan before customer trials.

Neil Hannay, Senior R&D Engineer at Titan Enterprises, reflected: “Working with RWC was refreshing. Their expertise in toolmaking made the development and prototyping process a smooth journey. Open, frank, and realistic discussions, along with regular meetings, kept the project on track.”

Josh Smith, Project Manager at RWC, explained: “By combining Titan’s expertise in flowmeters and our own expertise in push-fit technology, this new product has represented a shared commitment to quality, innovation and delivering value to our customers.”

Once the final design was validated, RWC developed the injection moulding tool for the PolarClean body, while Titan managed the sensor and turbine technology. After minor modifications, the first units were shipped to customers for final performance validation.

The partnership resulted in a fully integrated innovative solution for the beverage industry: the JG PolarClean system uses ‘tube-in-tube’ technology to ensure beer is kept extra cold and conditioned from the keg to the beer font, even without the need for a cellar. Featuring a standard 3-wire connector, this state-of-the-art product simplifies beer dispense system installations. The  JG PolarClean Coaxial Flow Meter accurately measures liquid flow enabling system users to monitor demand or supply usage in coaxial cooling systems.

This successful partnership continues into product commercialisation, where RWC manages key aspects of the base PolarClean product, packaging, and labelling, while Titan oversees critical flow measurement components, assembly, and testing. RWC assembles the connector, and Titan completes the build and testing before shipping the finished flowmeter unit to the end-user customer under the JG PolarClean banner.

As a truly combined product, the technical data and installation instructions are co-branded, bringing together the technology and expertise of two highly respected international brands. This successful partnership demonstrates how collaboration can drive innovation, streamline installation, and enhance product reliability in the beverage industry.