- Best Practices
PPC Flexible Packaging Case Study
- The CleanPlanet Team
Table of Contents
How CleanPlanet helped PPC Flexible Packaging eliminate solvent waste hassles, reduce costs, and simplify operations.
An advanced flexible packaging manufacturer with its headquarters in the Chicago metropolitan area, PPC Flexible Packaging provides innovative packaging solutions to a variety of customers.
West Region Continuous Improvement Leader for the organization, John Rogers has worked at PPC for over 26 years and shared a bit about his initial experience with solvent recycling.
“We had to switch over to solvent distillation and we had no experience with it,” said Rogers.
Like many industrial manufacturers, PPC faced increasing pressure to manage solvent waste more efficiently, meet environmental standards, and control rising operational costs.
Solvent Management Challenges
Initially, PPC installed six batch solvent distillation units in-house to reclaim solvent instead of sending it out as hazardous waste. While the intent was to save money and reduce disposal volumes, the outcome was far from ideal.
“We loved it in the beginning,” Rogers admitted. “But for those six batch units, we literally had one guy on day shift, his full-time job was swapping out those batches.”
The process became labor-intensive and costly.
“We were probably spending $100 a day on just consumables,” he noted.
Worse yet, the reclaimed solvent quality was low, and PPC still had to manage large volumes of liquid hazardous waste.
“You’d run the batch, open it up, and 30 gallons is like you’re sending out just as much liquid hazardous waste, if not more than our solid hazardous waste.”
From equipment downtime and odor issues to employee complaints and safety risks, it became clear to Rogers and his team that this wasn’t a sustainable model.
“I mean, it was a nightmare,” he said.
Today, the team is happy to put the experience of managing their own solvent recycling in the past.
The Solution to Better Solvent Recycling
Everything changed when PPC explored CleanPlanet’s continuous flow, on-site solvent recycling units.
“The concept of continuous reclaiming was something that we had explored a little bit,” said Rogers. “We looked into CleanPlanet Chemical. You run the numbers on it and there’s so much solvent that could be reclaimed.”
CleanPlanet’s technology simplified the entire process and dramatically increased operational efficiency.
“With these continuous flow units, we don’t even have dirty solvent anymore. Oftentimes, we run completely out and have to wait until more is created,” Rogers said, highlighting the impressive throughput and reclaim rate of CleanPlanet’s system.
PPC even began blending reclaimed solvent.
“We started mixing it like 10 percent,” he explained. “Now we actually do 50/50 blending. That translated into a huge savings for us.”
The system was not only efficient, but also user-friendly.
“It’s a 20-minute thing in the morning,” Rogers shared. “You pull the drum, you put an empty drum in place, and it’s just such a simple thing. And then you leave it alone for 24 hours.”
Even maintenance and troubleshooting became stress-free thanks to CleanPlanet’s proactive service model.
“When there’s an issue, the team at CleanPlanet emails us and says, ‘Hey, what’s going on here?’ he said, explaining the process. “That’s a beautiful thing.”
Most importantly, the environmental and safety issues that once plagued PPC are now a thing of the past.
“It was a constant battle,” Rogers said. “Employees were struggling because the smell is too much. What do we do about it? You just don’t deal with any of that anymore.”
Rogers summed up the transformation clearly.
“Every pound that we reclaim is a huge savings for us. It takes a big load off,” he said. “The reality is that those things we don’t have to worry about anymore. That’s the beauty of it.”
By switching to CleanPlanet’s closed-loop, continuous system, PPC not only reduced hazardous waste and labor costs but also achieved a safer, cleaner, and more productive workplace.
Learn More About CleanPlanet Chemical
Whether you’re drowning in solvent waste, battling high disposal costs, or seeking a smarter way to meet sustainability goals, CleanPlanet’s Recycling-as-a-Service model can help. With no up-front investment, high yield recovery, and real-time system monitoring, it’s never been easier to reclaim your solvent and your peace of mind.
Contact CleanPlanet Chemical today to learn how you can simplify solvent management and boost your bottom line.
Revolutionize your cleaning with onsite recycling!
Revolutionize your cleaning with onsite recycling!
