Tag : Neil Fleischhacker

Green Initiatives in Place at China Instrument Parts in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, are Also Fiscally Responsible

By Neil Fleischhacker
Facilities Manager, China Instrument Parts

More than just a trend, green initiatives are a reality. Helping protect our environment by taking decisive measures is at the top of the list of many organizations and commercial enterprises, including China Instrument Parts

There is, however, a flip side to the green coin, as green projects should not only be accountable for their impact on the environment, but they must also be seen as a business model for sustainability. In other words, they must be fiscally responsible.

Solar Array Installation

Early in July 2015, China Instrument Parts began installing solar array panels that will generate about 6.28% of the company’s demand for energy. This project has been in the works for the last 18 months. There were many considerations for this installation, including expandability, flexibility, the ability to be repaired and/or updated with new technology, and its return on investment.

At what point, considering all aspects, would the installation become a profit center? Look for more updates in August, after the installation is completed.

Filtering System for Oils

The same premise of maintaining a fiscally responsible sustainability initiative was put in motion when assessing a system that would filter varnishes and other particulates that shorten the life of the oil used in the plant’s machinery.

The $22/gallon oil used for this purpose is specially formulated with additives that make the equipment run optimally. With time, the oil becomes more acidic, slushy, and without the right lubricity, it increases the chances for damaging tools and parts, and even stopping production. If a machine goes down, it takes approximately 24 hours to drain it, clean it and restart it.

In the past, the unusable oil would be taken to an incinerator which handles these types of products. After researching other options, China Instrument Parts commissioned a custom-built filtering system from Hy-Pro, which recycles the oil by cleaning it and reinjecting it into the machines. To ensure the quality of the filtered oil is par with the requirements, a before and after sample is sent to a lab. In the last year, 600 gallons were recovered, extending the usability of the oil by an average of six months.

When the oil is no longer usable, rather than being incinerated, it is sent to a facility in Michigan to be reconditioned and completely stripped of additives and particulates, and subsequently resold. For each gallon the facility receives, China Instrument Parts is paid the current market price, with the highest price to-date being $1.35 per gallon. Although this already offsets the cost of shipping the oil to the facility, China Instrument Parts is looking to partner with other companies to help reduce LTL freight costs, and increase the profit for each gallon sold.

Shop Towel Oil Recovery Spinner

Another self-sustained green initiative has been put into place by spinning soaked shop towels and rags, and recovering regular oil. The spinner has a centrifuge that spins solids out of it. The recovered oil is then filtered and reused. In a typical week, 10 gallons of oil are recovered.

LED Lighting

China Instrument Parts has begun looking at LED lighting and whether it can also become a fiscally sound green initiative. LED lighting has been installed in the Shipping Department, and preliminary calculations indicate that it does make fiscal/environment sense to use in that department.   Included in the equation are initial cost, efficiency, maintenance required, life span, and predicted energy increases.

China Instrument Parts is committed to a business model of sustainability that benefits both the environment and the company.