Film extrusion plant to be expanded

A key development will be the addition of a plastics recycling complex for CAF’s growing recycling program.

CAF says it has been recycling and reprocessing film scrap for decades. With the installation of state-of-the-art reprocessing equipment, CAF ramped up its capabilities when it moved reprocessing in house. CAF incorporates the “repro” back into the virgin film at up to 20 percent, a level at which CAF can ensure quality of the new product.

In March 2017, CAF officially launched its new customer recycling partnership program by beginning to reprocess 12000 pounds of used VpCI plastic film that had been baled and sent from a major heavy industry manufacturer.

The recycling program is a win-win-win situation for customers, Cortec, and the environment. On the customer side, many suppliers or manufacturers use Cortec VpCI films to protect components from corrosion. The customer who removes or offcuts the film must decide what to do with the used plastic, which often ends up in the landfill. Instead of paying thousands of dollars for disposal, the customer can now send the used VpCI bags to Cortec, who pays shipping and gives customer credit in exchange for the benefit of having an additional source of repro. Environmental responsibility and reduction of carbon footprint are added benefits for both parties.

Depending on the customer’s production load, which influences the amount of film used, Cortec estimates that it will be saving its first recycling partner $10,000-$20,000 per year, and reclaiming potentially 50,000 pounds or more of plastic. Cortec has other companies waiting in the wings to start this recycling partnership and is looking forward to building many positive long-term customer relationships with them. Boris Miksic, founder and CEO of Cortec Corporation, summed up the program by commenting that it will “offer great economic benefits, improved carbon footprint, and new jobs”

In addition to building new warehouse space for its repro program and other operations, CAF will be adding office space and improving common use facilities for the benefit of its employees. The new office building will host a Training Center for employee and customer conferences and will make a positive visual impact on the city with its refreshed architecture.

CAF will also be seeking to increase production this year by modernizing Line #21, CAF’s largest extrusion line. A new die and air ring will allow greater productivity and better control over film thickness, while a new state-of-the-art winder with automatic roll to roll transfer will increase employee safety. Other improvements will follow as CAF strives to increase the efficiency of this important line.