The Heineken brewery in Zoutewoude, the Netherlands. Photo: Dreamstime
As Senior Maintenance Engineer at the largest Heineken brewery in Europe, Erik Smit has a deep understanding of the complexities involved in maintaining smooth operations across such an expansive site. Built in Zoeterwoude, the Netherlands, in 1975, the brewery combines decades of history with modern processes. Today, ongoing modernisation efforts are transforming the facility into a future-ready, sustainable operation designed to meet the demands of the coming decades. Valve World was granted exclusive access for a behind-the-scenes tour of the site.
By Joanne McIntyre, Valve World
At Heineken’s massive brewing site, operations are organised into two primary departments: Brewing & Utilities, and Packaging. Erik and his team of twelve are dedicated to maintaining the systems within the brewing department, ensuring consistent and reliable operation. Separate from this is the packaging facility. A series of enclosed walkways bridge the two areas, offering panoramic views of the canal’s tree-lined banks and the vibrant green parrots that have taken up residence – fittingly echoing the colour of the iconic Heineken signage displayed on the building.
“This is literally two worlds in one brewery,” Erik explains. “The beer is made on this side, while the packaging take place next door. These processes rely on completely different technologies and, accordingly, have dedicated maintenance crews.”
Since joining Heineken in 2019, Erik has progressed to the role of Senior Maintenance Engineer. Committed to continuous professional development, he recently became certified as an Inspection and Testing Engineer for pressure equipment.
“National safety regulations require that all equipment operating above 0.5 bar be inspected at regular intervals,” Erik explains. “I’m responsible for conducting these inspections on a wide range of systems across the Heineken site. However, equipment classified as high risk must be inspected by an independent third party.”
The brewing process
Malt is delivered to the brewery by barge via a canal that runs directly through the facility. Upon arrival, it is conveyed to the brewhouse, where it is introduced into kettles for the initial stages of the brewing process. Several processing steps follow—including mashing, lautering, boiling, and wort clarification—before fermentation begins. The beer is then transferred to fermentation tanks, where it is held for approximately two to three weeks. During fermentation, both heat and CO2 are generated as byproducts. While some of this thermal energy is currently lost to the environment, a heat recovery project—now nearing completion—aims to capture and repurpose this waste heat using high-efficiency heat pumps. Following fermentation, the beer is pumped to the filtration department.
Nearly all equipment in this area is fabricated from grade 304 stainless steel, selected for its excellent corrosion resistance, cleanability, and proven suitability for hygienic applications in the food and beverage industry.
After filtration, the beer is transferred via a dedicated pipeline to the packaging facility, where it is filled into bottles, cans, and kegs for distribution.
Maintenance strategy
As Erik guides us through the high-ceilinged brewing hall, he gestures to the fermentation tanks quietly working away. Inside, three renowned beer brands—Heineken, Amstel, and Brand—are in various stages of production.
The brewing department’s maintenance team is tasked with both preventive and corrective maintenance to ensure uninterrupted production.
“When an issue occurs,” Erik says, “we conduct a full root-cause analysis to understand what went wrong and why. Only after identifying the source do we implement a resolution. We then update our preventive maintenance schedule to mitigate the risk of recurrence.” This approach ensures the brewing process remains resilient and continuously optimised.
In support of this strategy, Heineken adopted Maximo, a Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS), across its global network last year. “Now that all our sites are using the same platform, we can share insights more effectively,” Erik explains. “We’re dealing with the same raw materials and processes, so it makes sense to learn from each other’s experiences.”
In recent years, Heineken has introduced the concept of brewing hubs, a strategic initiative designed to promote cross-border collaboration between production sites. Within this framework, regional breweries—such as the two in the Netherlands—now operate more cohesively with their counterparts in England and Ireland. This collaborative model allows teams to exchange technical knowledge and adopt best practices across borders.
Extensive valve inventory
As we walk through the expansive brewery, the sheer number and variety of valves are immediately apparent. “We have hundreds of butterfly and ball valves throughout the facility, used for everything from transferring raw ingredients through the production process to pumping the finished product to the packaging lines,” explains Erik.
“However, we also employ specialised technology, such as diverter valves. These are crucial for processes like steam cleaning of individual tanks or sections of process piping from a shared steam feedline. These valves can be configured in two or three positions to redirect fluids, functioning much like a dynamic maze.”
The diverter valves are incorporated into complex systems known as a matrix. “Each matrix consists of multiple valves grouped together in a single location, carefully coordinated to allow precise fluid or steam routing within the production system.” Nearly all of the valves on site are constructed from grade 316 stainless steel, chosen for its durability and resistance to the highly acidic cleaning agents used in the brewery’s cleaning protocols. The entire valve network is automated and controlled from the central control room, which oversees the operation of the entire brewery.
“Obsolescence has become a significant challenge for us due to the age of the brewery,” Erik notes. “Some of the original valves are no longer in production.
To manage this, we conduct targeted replacement projects, replacing entire valve matrices one by one. Each matrix represents a group of valves located in a specific area. We collaborate closely with trusted suppliers to develop a replacement plan that minimises downtime and disruption to the brewing operations.”
Once the outdated valves are removed, they are repurposed as spare parts to extend the life of the remaining ageing valves, providing an efficient solution for maintaining operational continuity across the plant.
Heat pump project
Sustainability and energy efficiency are priorities for the Heineken team, and a major ongoing initiative is focused on enhancing thermal energy recovery within the brewery. One of the key projects, now nearing completion, involves the installation of a large-scale heat pump system designed to capture and reuse waste heat generated during fermentation.
“Before beer can be bottled or canned, it must undergo pasteurisation,” explains Erik. “This is typically achieved using plate heat exchangers supplied with steam. However, our new system will recover low-grade waste heat from the fermentation process, upgrade it via heat pumps, and use it to heat water for the pasteurisation process.”
By integrating this heat recovery loop, the brewery will significantly reduce steam demand and overall energy consumption.
Future proof
Heineken’s Zoeterwoude brewery balances tradition with innovation, modernising its infrastructure with stainless steel, energy-efficient systems, and smart engineering. Led by experienced professionals like Erik Smit, the site is steadily evolving into a more sustainable, resilient operation—ready to meet the demands of the future while honouring its legacy.
The Heineken secret
The Zoeterwoude brewery holds a unique and strategic role within the global Heineken network—it is the only site in the world responsible for producing Heineken’s proprietary A-type yeast.
“This yeast is made according to a confidential formulation,” explains Erik. “The entire process takes place in a dedicated high-sanitation area, effectively a stainless steel cleanroom designed to maintain the highest standards of microbiological control.”
To ensure purity and process integrity, the facility uses specially treated ultra-pure water to generate clean steam, which is critical to maintaining sterility throughout the yeast production cycle. Once the yeast is cultivated and quality-checked, it is shipped under tightly controlled conditions to Heineken breweries around the world, serving as the foundational ingredient that ensures product consistency across global operations.
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