Restoring Operations After Severe Flooding at Industrial Facility

In June 2012, severe flash flooding struck the North-East of England, with some areas receiving a month’s worth of rain in just a few hours. One river burst its banks and caused significant flood damage to a precision machining facility and warehouse just 50 metres away. Water mixed with drain overflow and oil-based contaminants swept through 70,000 ft² of the site, submerging industrial machinery, stock, critical x-rays, and documents in up to 60cm of water.

Challenges

The flood affected all areas of the facility, including shop floors, ground-floor offices, and staff amenities. A thick layer of sediment covered the premises. Key business assets, such as 29 specialised machines, many of which were purpose-built and irreplaceable, were submerged. Business-critical documentation and X-rays of welds, vital for quality assurance in high-risk industries, were also at risk. The insurer flagged the potential for significant business interruption loss, warranting a large technical reserve.

Solution

Polygon’s Project Manager arrived within 30 minutes of notification to assess the situation with the client and Loss Adjuster. Restoration began immediately, including climate control and mitigation measures such as encapsulation, drying, and oiling of all machinery.

Services included technical reconditioning of machinery, document and film restoration, and full decontamination of the facility. Sediment was removed from all affected areas before machinery restoration commenced.

A team of technical specialists used advanced equipment such as ultrasonic baths, drying ovens, and a custom-built drying room to restore motors, pumps, and electronics. An independent specialist engineer reviewed and approved each stage of reconditioning. One CNC lathe under warranty was repaired in coordination with the original manufacturer.

For document recovery, over 140 crates of water-damaged files were removed, assessed, and restored.

Result

All 29 critical machines were successfully restored, allowing the client to resume production within three weeks of the incident. All documents and x-rays were fully recovered. The restoration was completed within budget and on schedule, preventing the need for large-scale replacements.

Benefits

Immediate protection and restoration of irreplaceable equipment reduced overall downtime and business interruption. Comprehensive document recovery ensured regulatory and operational continuity. The insurer benefited from major cost savings, with the loss ultimately contained within the policy excess thanks to restoration over replacement.