Case
Study
WOOD PRODUCTS/FURNITURE MANUFACTURING
Wood Products & Furniture:
Switch to a More Efficient Paint Dispensing System
and Purchase Raw Materials in Bulk
| Company | Phelps-Tointon MillWork 1001 Buckingham Street Fort Collins, CO 80524 |
|---|---|
| Person to Contact | Fred Galley, Operations Manager Telephone: (303) 484-9668 |
| Product or Service | Custom Woodworking |
| Number of Employees | 35 |
| Waste Stream Targeted | Paint-related Waste |
| Original System | Coatings/thinners are purchased in 1 or 5-gallon containers for use in a 2-gallon spray paint pot. This process requires manually opening the containers, and manually pouring and mixing the coatings/thinners. Paint pots must be refilled multiple times. This process involves potential for spills and exposure to paint-related waste. |
| New System (with P2 Modifications) |
Coatings and thinners used most are purchased in 55- gallon drums and connected to dedicated lines with a drum cover outfit. This system provides direct delivery of the coating material to the spray gun instead of indirect transfer. The drum cover outfit (hose, 55-gallon pump with lid, and agitator) prevents settling of coating formulations and eliminates filling an interim container, transporting the container to the work area, and transferring the coating material from the interim container to the spray gun. The system reduces clean-up between changes and reduces the potential for spills and exposure to paint-related waste. A preheater is placed in the coating drum to maintain viscosity for smooth flow. |
| Cost Savings | |
| Initial Equipment Costs | A conventional drum cover outfit costs $1,600 (includes hose, 55-gallon pump with lid, agitator ). Phelps-Tointon purchased an air-assisted airless drum cover outfit for $2,900 ( $3,300 with the air-assisted airless spray gun). |
| Operating Costs | ~$5,000/yr savings in labor costs compared to the original system (eliminated manual labor in opening cans, transfers, mixing). |
Created by Lighthouse Communications Group, LLC.
Edited for use on this site by Ronald Lee Still and posted with
permission of CDPHE.