Case Studies

Reprocessing the Wheel

Problem / Opportunity: The largest wheel & caster manufacturer in the world occasionally produces a load that doesn’t meet spec or that has a large number of over-runs.  To meet their green and sustainability initiatives, they were looking for a way not to landfill the incorrect spec runs and use those back into their feedstream. …

Medical Molding Scrap is a Good Source of HIPS

Problem / Opportunity: A medical molder had been recycling 1.2 million pounds per year of scrap plastics.  Whole parts, purge, floor sweepings and regrind were put on the truck.  Landfill avoidance was the minimum requirement although a greater value proposition existed.  The product line was primarily made from a HIPS resin yet was also mixed…

Security Means Good PC Source

Problem / Opportunity: An investment firm acquired a compounder of Polycarbonate. The investment was made to create a platform company and grow the footprint. To achieve growth, more post-consumer content was required at acceptable prices.  PC, specifically post-consumer PC is in high demand and short supply. They contacted Butler MacDonald to buy PC. We suggested…

Consumer Returns – Ag/Flower Trays

Problem / Opportunity: A thermoformer of HIPS agricultural trays has an internal means of recycling some of the materials it collects from growers and nurseries throughout the upper mid-west. About 50% of the material they collect is too contaminated with PET, PP, Talc PP (plus other polymers), including small amounts of dirt and rocks. Due…
Rejection Does Not Mean Sell Cheap Or Export

Rejection Does Not Mean Sell Cheap Or Export

Problem / Opportunity: A company that sells TPO needed a solution to fix 80,000 lbs. of mixed-color material that was rejected by their customer due to the presence of both nylon and TPU (urethane) contamination. Facing a significant loss in material value, the company was looking for options other than trashing the material or selling…
Silo Contamination: Polymers Get Recovered

Silo Contamination: Polymers Get Recovered

Problem / Opportunity: 50,000 lbs. of natural ABS virgin pellets had been contaminated with PVC pellets (square) anda trace amount of yellow concentrate and black resin – a result of silo cross-contamination.The material required immediate removal from the silo in order for the customer to get areplacement load of ABS pellets and maintain production. Impact…
Consumer Returns - Polymer Recovered

Consumer Returns – Polymer Recovered

Problem / Opportunity: A multi-national producer of toner cartridges needed a solution to the growing problem of consumer returns and the rising costs of HIPS resin. The returned material contains ABS, HIPS, Acetal (plus several other polymers), urethane and silicone rubber, foam and both ferrous and non-ferrous metal. Impact on Customer: The rising costs of…
Floor Sweeps & Waste: A Usable Plastic Resource

Floor Sweeps & Waste: A Usable Plastic Resource

Problem / Opportunity: A customer had an opportunity to purchase 40,000 lbs. of natural HIPS pellets contaminated with rocks and dirt from a ground spill at a very low price “as is.” This material also contained wire, metal, wood and several other commingled polymers that made it unusable. The customer had no idea whether or…
Window Profiles & Lineals: Metal & Mixed Plastic Are Not An Issue

Window Profiles & Lineals: Metal & Mixed Plastic Are Not An Issue

Problem / Opportunity: Window manufacturers produce scrap cutoffs and other rejects from the manufacturing of their PVC window products. The window parts can contain locks, handles, springs, weather stripping and other polymers such as nylon and PP. While some manufacturers and other recyclers will grind the material as is, they cannot recover all the PVC…
Contaminated Resins: ABS & PP Raw Material Bargains

Contaminated Resins: ABS & PP Raw Material Bargains

Problem / Opportunity: A silo with natural ABS prime resin had been cross-contaminated and time was of the essence. The source needed to get the material removed from their silo immediately (via bulk truck) so that replacement material could be received. One of our customers (a distributor) had an opportunity to bid on the commingled…