Logistics is a discipline we often associate with choosing the best transportation routes. The discipline is also applicable configuring and organizing interior work environments to operate more productively. Simply put, with the right logistics in place, processes that involve moving from point A to point B happen in the smoothest, least time consuming, most efficient way.
In this entry, we focus on the hybridization of both of these logistical concerns, as it applies to implementing solvent replacements. Considered in light of logistics are the following aspects of solvent replacement: solvent delivery, solvent storage, solvent recycling, and solvent disposal.
- Solvent Delivery
If you order a custom solvent replacements that are formulated from scratch, the time required to formulate them often results in taking longer to deliver them than stock solutions that are available for immediate shipment.
A second factor that has a significant impact is what type freight shipping model you use. For example, less-than-load (LTL) shipping is a highly affordable shipping model, but it can be quite slow for one reason: Multiple partial orders are placed in a full-size freight trailer and dropped off one-by-one along the delivery route. If you’re near the route’s end, you could wait awhile.
- Solvent Storage
Next, we move inside the facility, and consider the logistics of solvent storage. For business-critical solvent operations to remain efficient, the solvent supply chain in the facility must be streamlined to provide the right solvent, when it is needed, where it is needed. Where the solvent is stored can have a major impact on these goals.
Ideally, solvent should be stored closest to the point of use, without complicating egress flow in the work area, violating fire safety protocols (if the solvent has a low to midrange flashpoint), or needing to be handled in some way before Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is in place.
- Solvent Recycling
Using parts washing systems that recycle solvent can significantly streamline the logistical process of filling the machine with parts washing solvent. Systems that purge waste solvent, and then return it to the machine’s solvent basin for reuse essentially eliminate logistical concerns. The clean solvent is back in the basin quickly, ready for another wash cycle, until it has been cycled through as many times as possible, while still retaining its original efficacy.
- Solvent Disposal
For most operations that make frequent use of industrial grade solvents, the most logistical way to dispose of them is placing them in a chemical waste trap, from which a chemical waste company removes them.
Trying to keep toxic solvent out of the waste trap is a noble, eco friendly effort. However, if waste will go in the trap, be sure that the waste removal company arrives frequently enough to keep the trap emptied well below the fill mark at all times. An overflowing waste trap could create a logistical nightmare for a facility in more ways than one.
Who We Are
Ecolink is a provider of industrial garden cleaning solutions that address the needs of a wide range of users. We provide solvent replacements in the form of stock solutions and custom solutions for work processes that range from the tough, industrial cleaning jobs to light cleaning for everyday surfaces.
To inquire about our products and services, call us today at (800) 563-1305, or use our contact form. We look forward to hearing about your cleaning needs and presenting great options.
4 Logistical Considerations When Selecting Solvent Replacements
/in Solvent Replacement Strategies/by Industrial DegreasersLogistics is a discipline we often associate with choosing the best transportation routes. The discipline is also applicable configuring and organizing interior work environments to operate more productively. Simply put, with the right logistics in place, processes that involve moving from point A to point B happen in the smoothest, least time consuming, most efficient way.
In this entry, we focus on the hybridization of both of these logistical concerns, as it applies to implementing solvent replacements. Considered in light of logistics are the following aspects of solvent replacement: solvent delivery, solvent storage, solvent recycling, and solvent disposal.
If you order a custom solvent replacements that are formulated from scratch, the time required to formulate them often results in taking longer to deliver them than stock solutions that are available for immediate shipment.
A second factor that has a significant impact is what type freight shipping model you use. For example, less-than-load (LTL) shipping is a highly affordable shipping model, but it can be quite slow for one reason: Multiple partial orders are placed in a full-size freight trailer and dropped off one-by-one along the delivery route. If you’re near the route’s end, you could wait awhile.
Next, we move inside the facility, and consider the logistics of solvent storage. For business-critical solvent operations to remain efficient, the solvent supply chain in the facility must be streamlined to provide the right solvent, when it is needed, where it is needed. Where the solvent is stored can have a major impact on these goals.
Ideally, solvent should be stored closest to the point of use, without complicating egress flow in the work area, violating fire safety protocols (if the solvent has a low to midrange flashpoint), or needing to be handled in some way before Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is in place.
Using parts washing systems that recycle solvent can significantly streamline the logistical process of filling the machine with parts washing solvent. Systems that purge waste solvent, and then return it to the machine’s solvent basin for reuse essentially eliminate logistical concerns. The clean solvent is back in the basin quickly, ready for another wash cycle, until it has been cycled through as many times as possible, while still retaining its original efficacy.
For most operations that make frequent use of industrial grade solvents, the most logistical way to dispose of them is placing them in a chemical waste trap, from which a chemical waste company removes them.
Trying to keep toxic solvent out of the waste trap is a noble, eco friendly effort. However, if waste will go in the trap, be sure that the waste removal company arrives frequently enough to keep the trap emptied well below the fill mark at all times. An overflowing waste trap could create a logistical nightmare for a facility in more ways than one.
Who We Are
Ecolink is a provider of industrial garden cleaning solutions that address the needs of a wide range of users. We provide solvent replacements in the form of stock solutions and custom solutions for work processes that range from the tough, industrial cleaning jobs to light cleaning for everyday surfaces.
To inquire about our products and services, call us today at (800) 563-1305, or use our contact form. We look forward to hearing about your cleaning needs and presenting great options.
Why Do You Need More Than a Chemical Distributor?
/in Chemical Management Company/by Industrial DegreasersThe type of chemical supplier you buy solvents from can have a big impact on the range of the solvents at your disposal, and how well particular solvents match up with your cleaning requirements. In most cases, companies and organizations are better off to get solvents straight from the solvent manufacturer (a.k.a. supplier) instead of receiving them from a chemical distributor (a.k.a. vendor). Below are four important considerations that support the claim.
Because a chemical distributor essentially serves as a middleman between a solvent manufacturer and customers who use the manufacturer’s products, you often pay more when purchasing solvents from a distributor. Like a manufacturer, a distributor applies a markup to the price of solvents to earn a profit. Buying straight from the manufacturer lets you avoid the distributor’s markup.
Also known as “toll blending” and “custom mixing”, the creation of custom solvents is an essential service for companies and organizations that have complex solvent needs. Because distributors don’t manufacture their own solvents, they typically lack the capacity to perform toll blending.
Even if you don’t need a custom solvent now, you may need one in the future, as your cleaning needs expand and change, as your business grows. From the start, this is reason enough to choose a supplier that performs toll blending instead of a chemical distributor that can only offer imperfect solutions for complex solvent needs.
If you buy solvent, that probably means you don’t have the capacity to make your own solvents. This being the case, it also means that you would probably like to receive a high level of product support for solvent use, solvent storage, solvent recycling, etc. Because a manufacturer typically has the most in-depth understanding of its products, you generally receive the highest level of product support by going straight to the manufacturer instead of a distributor.
For anything that’s manufactured, the highest level of quality control comes from overseeing the manufacturing process in-house. Third party manufacturers aren’t inherently bad; they produce some fine products, and help to lower production cost, which can lower product cost. However, if you want the greatest assurance that the solvent you buy will perform as advertised, getting it from a manufacturer that creates and tests the product is the safest move.
Make Us Your Solvent Supplier
At Ecolink, we function as more than a chemical distributor. We create our own stock solvents and produce custom solvents for customers who have unique cleaning requirements. In supplying solvents, we serve as a consultant that provides solutions that meet your current needs, and swiftly provides new solutions if and when your solvent requirements change.
To inquire about our environmentally safe and environmentally preferred, industrial grade solvents, give us a call today at (800) 563-1305, or fill out the contact form on our website. We look forward to learning about your solvent requirements and seeing what we can do to address them affordably and effectively.
Scoring Leaderboard for Anaheim or Bust!
/in DECA Contest, Ecolink News/by Industrial DegreasersHello All and Welcome to the leaderboard page! Here you can track the weekly progress of the contest flex goal, your schools score as well as view the weekly winners.
Social Media Counters Towards Flex Goal
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*Please let us know if you feel there is any discrepancy in your score. These scores are calculated through 11/6.
Why Working With a Custom Chemical Company Makes Sense
/in Chemical Management Company/by Industrial DegreasersToll blending, toll manufacturing, or custom mixing; whatever you choose to call it, the discipline of creating solvents that have a custom chemical formulation is an essential service for many industrial and commercial solvent users. What if your company or organization isn’t among them? Could acquiring solvents from a custom chemical company still offer benefits? At Ecolink, we think the answer is yes for the four reasons below.
You May Need a Custom Solvent in the Future
Even if your solvent needs are set in stone, have been that way for years, and don’t involve using custom solvents, there’s still a chance that you could need a custom solvent in the future. Below is a common scenario by which it could happen.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) severely regulates a hazardous chemical in one of your solvents. You need the same cleaning power from a replacement solvent, but you need the solvent in an eco friendly formulation. If a stock solvent can’t plug the gap, then you’re immediately in the market for a unique solvent from a custom chemical company.
You Avoid Wasting Time Searching for a Solvent
Whether you need a new solvent due to EPA regulations or because one of your cleaning processes changes, a new solvent should be implemented quickly to maintain productivity. If you’re supplier is a custom chemical company, it should be able to tell you quickly whether a readymade solvent or a custom solvent is the best fit for your requirements, and then swiftly formulate a custom solution if that’s what you need.
You Can Also Purchase Readymade Solutions
Many custom chemical companies do more than perform toll blending; they also sell readymade solutions that are marketed as stock products that are available for immediate shipment. This gives you a big advantage when it comes to receiving a solvent that meets your needs: Because the company sells both readymade solvents and custom solvents, there’s no reason for to promote readymade solutions when a custom solution is needed, or vice versa.
You Avoid a Solvent That Isn’t the Best Fit
The situation described above is fairly common. Companies and organizations routinely use solvents that aren’t a good fit for their cleaning applications — and working with a chemical company that only supplies stock solvents is a big reason why. If your cleaning operations are crucial to your core business functions, you need solvents that suit the operations seamlessly. These are exactly the type of solvents a custom chemical company specializes in supplying.
Need the Services of a Custom Chemical Company?
If so, and you want solvents that have a commendable safety profile for workers and the environment, getting your cleaning solutions from us is a good choice. Ecolink is a custom chemical company that supplies both readymade solvents and unique solvents that are tailored to the needs of specific customers. When you use us as your supplier, you never have to worry about not having a solvent that’s perfectly formulated for your cleaning requirements.
For assistance selecting solvents, please call us today (800) 563-1305, or use our contact form. We look forward to helping you select the best cleaning solvents for your requirements.
Replacing nPB: Choosing a Replacement in 4 Steps
/in N-Propyl Bromide/by Industrial DegreasersSince the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other regulatory agencies on the federal, state, and municipal level have increasingly focused on regulating the use of commercial and industrial solvents that are hazardous to humans and/or the environment. nPB (a.k.a. 1-bromopropane and n-propyl bromide) is a perfect example of one these hazardous solvents.
The National Toxicology Program (NTP) considers nPB to be “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen” [NTP 2013]. Partly as a result of the conclusion, the EPA added nPB to its toxic release inventory (TRI) list of reportable chemicals. These moves have set the stage for replacing nPB before it is regulated more aggressively. If replacing nPB is on the to-do list of your company or organization, below are five steps for choosing a replacement.
Replacing nPB without disrupting solvent-based work processes requires choosing a “drop in” replacement solvent that can immediately replace nPB without making significant changes to cleaning operations or associated processes (e.g. solvent storage in relation to flashpoint).
Drop-in replacements for nPB can be acquired in the form of stock solvents that are ready to ship and custom solvents that are designed for unique requirements. If you can’t find a suitable drop-in replacement among readymade solutions, choosing a custom solvent is the right move.
Most commercial and industrial users replace nPB is because the compound is a hazardous air pollutant (HAP) that can cause serious short-term and long-term health impairments in workers. Consequently, it’s imperative to choose a nPB replacement that contains no HAPs, or contains a low level of HAPs that can be addressed through the use of exhaust hoods at work stations, air filtration systems that capture airborne contaminants, personal protective equipment (PPE), etc.
If you choose a custom solvent, this step may not apply, as you’ll accept or reject the price of the solvent before it’s actually formulated, and soon agree on a price that meets your budget. On the other hand, if you’re considering stock solutions, comparing solvent prices can be a big money saver. As you would when purchasing another type of product that’s a significant business investment, it’s a good idea to do at least three price comparisons before you buy.
Last but certainly not least, request a free sample of the nPB replacement you plan to purchase before you actually buy it. The sample should be large enough for you to perform at least one round of solvent-based cleaning (enough solvent to perform a single cleaning cycle with a parts washer, for example). If the replacement solvent works as well as predicted, then it’s time to place your first order.
Find nPB Replacements Here
At Ecolink, we understand that companies and organizations need the cleaning power of nPB minus the dangers of using the solvent. That’s why one of our specialties is replacing nPB with drop-in solutions that have an excellent safety profile and contain no regulated chemicals. If replacing nPB is on your agenda, start the process today by calling us at (800) 563-1305, or use the contact form on our website. We look forward to helping you implement a safer solvent.