Bob Safford of Kaeser Compressors USA discussed how proper planning and maintenance can improve compressor performance.

As the waste and recycling industries begin to use optical sorters and robotics more frequently, having a clean compressed air stream is critical to operations. During the MRF Operation Forum in 2021, Bob Safford, Senior Key Account Manager of Kaeser Compressors USA in Fredericksburg, Virginia, discussed the importance of designing and maintaining high-quality air compressors. The free virtual event is from October 18th to 19th, and you can also watch on-demand for free if you register here.

Safford says that good compressor maintenance begins with compressor design.

"My thinking is that maintenance is always a consequence," Safford said. "If the design is incorrect, maintenance will never do anything."

Safford recommends that material recovery facility (MRF) operators design and size compressors based on the scale of operations they need.

There are several factors that affect the size and design of the compressor. For example, Safford said, because the air compressor uses air from the surrounding environment to operate, any dust, dirt, and even plastic particles will be absorbed by it. Dust can clog the compressor's aftercooler, causing system failure or complete shutdown.

"The air intake needs to be cleaned," Safford said. "If you consider a car, if you throw dirt or sand into the air intake, it will be sucked into the engine, which obviously causes problems."

Safford added that maintaining the proper temperature plays a role in protecting the compressor because the equipment is lubricated with oil to ensure its smooth operation. If the compressor is used in a hot room, the oil may burn off, and long-term use may damage the compressor. If the compressor is used in a cool environment and cannot reach 212 F to eliminate the condensed water in the machine, then the water will mix with the oil and produce sludge in the compression chamber, which needs to be removed.

Safford said that one of the most common misconceptions he heard about air compressors is that bigger is better.

"The compression chamber is collecting a lot of water. If it is not burned, it is a nightmare," he said. "We are talking about a service job of $10,000 to $15,000 to clean it up. It's not the bigger the better. The size of the compressor needs to be right."

When the compressor is ready to be placed in the MRF, Safford recommends that the operator follow the installation data sheet. By closely following the data sheet during the development process, compressor maintenance will be easier. This includes careful consideration of compressor and airflow placement.

"We recently had a customer who made a very good area for their compressor. They designed their system to run in a clean place," Safford said. "What they didn't think about was the truck passing by and blowing dust into the system. They installed the filter, but it was blocked every day. Now the compressor is moving."

Other things to consider when deciding where to place the compressor include the Environmental Protection Agency and local wastewater requirements, as well as matters that may pose a hazard to personnel.

Daily maintenance of the compressor includes daily check of leakage and cooling level and weekly check of filter mats. Safford said that condensate drain pipes and wired connections need to be checked within a certain period of time, such as every 2,000 or 4,000 hours.

Safford also recommends the use of a second compressor. In this way, if the first compressor shuts down for any reason, the operator can eliminate the downtime of repairing the first compressor, share the workload, and even prevent a complete shutdown for repairs.

For more information on compressor design and maintenance, please view the full demo.

The company said profits were driven by record demand for cardboard paper.

The Packaging Corporation of America (PCA), headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois, reported that the third quarter of 2021 had net income of $251 million and net sales of $2 billion. Compared with the results of the third quarter of 2020, both figures have increased.

"Excluding special items, compared with the third quarter of 2020, earnings per share in the third quarter of 2021 increased by $1.12. This was mainly due to the increase in prices and sales in our packaging department, the increase in production and prices in the paper department, Non-operating pension expenses have been reduced and interest expenses have been reduced,” PCA said.

The company stated that a year ago, its earnings and revenue were negatively impacted by "certain costs associated with the conversion of paper to container board at the Jackson, Alabama plant [and] costs associated with Hurricane Laura, which landed south. About 100 miles [August 2020] The production at the DeRidder plant in Louisiana resulted in a total decline of approximately 12 days in production."

PCA said that in its packaging division, total shipments of corrugated paper products and daily shipments increased by 2.3% compared to the third quarter of last year. The production of containerboard in this quarter was 1.256 million tons, and the inventory of containerboard increased by 91,000 tons compared with the third quarter of 2020 on average, and increased by 17,000 tons compared with the second quarter of 2021. PCA board sales volume decreased by 33,000 tons compared with the third quarter of 2020. Compared with the third quarter of 2020, it increased by 2,000 tons compared with the second quarter of 2021.

PCA Chairman and CEO Mark W. Kowlzan said: "Demand in the packaging sector remains strong, and our team has done a lot of work in implementing the price increases for containerboard and corrugated products we announced earlier." 

"The container board mill set a historical quarterly sales volume, and our carton mill's total shipments and daily shipments of corrugated products in the third quarter set new records," Kowlzan added. "By using two machines in our Jackson, Alabama plant to produce containerboard, we were able to achieve the required inventory levels to better meet customer needs, help minimize the transportation challenges we continue to encounter, and Build some inventory in advance. DeRidder plant plans to stop production."

He continued: “As we, our customers and our suppliers continue to face unprecedented challenges related to inflation, supply chain barriers cannot be eased, and the combination of all these efforts is critical to our success. Our employees Continuous improvement and implementation in many areas allows us to continuously increase our profit margins."

Regarding the last quarter of this year, Kowlzan said: “We will continue to implement the previously announced price increases for domestic containerboard, corrugated packaging and paper. We also expect the average export containerboard prices to rise. Due to the three reduction in shipping days and The planned shutdown of our DeRidder plant will reduce the output of the packaging department, and because the Jackson plant is not expected to produce any paper products, the output of the paper department will decrease. With the increase in natural gas prices and the expected colder weather, energy costs will increase. Due to the previous wet weather, low inventory and high demand, the cost of wood, especially in our southern plant, will be higher."

PCA describes itself as the third largest producer of containerboard products in North America and a leading producer of uncoated sheetfed paper. The company operates 8 factories and 89 corrugated paper products factories and related facilities. According to the PCA 2020 liability report, the company will consume slightly less than 1 million tons of recycled fiber in these factories in 2020. 

Factory services and industrial waste disposal companies are ranked 13th in Newsweek's "Most Popular Workplaces of 2021" list.

Harsco Corp., headquartered in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, was included in Newsweek magazine and website's list of the most popular workplaces in 2021, and ranked 13th among the 100 companies recognized by "Employee Happiness and Job Satisfaction."

According to Harsco, this list was produced in collaboration with the Palm Beach Gardens Best Practice Institute (BPI) in Florida. The results of this list were determined after a survey of more than 800,000 employees in companies ranging in size from 50 to more than 10,000 employees.

"Harsco's employees make our company great," said Wendy Livingston, Harsco's chief human resources officer. "This achievement would not have been possible without each of our 12,000 global employees. Harsco is committed to practicing our core values ​​every day, and the value of employee care is our top priority." 

 "The love of the workplace or the favorite workplace (MLW) is the intersection of strong feelings about all aspects of the company, perceptions of the company's views of you, and attitudes towards respect and treatment of employees," BPI CEO Louis Carter said. "Our research proves that a strong [positive] perception of the workplace is a greater predictor of organizational outcomes, such as organizational commitment and the perceived willingness to produce more products for the company."

 In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Harsco stated that it has developed key principles that reflect the company's commitment to creating a healthy and safe environment for employees and customers. Harsco said that in addition to providing personal protective equipment (PPE), the company paying for sick leave and isolation time, and remote work arrangements, it also quickly used part of its website to share “important information related to the epidemic” with employees around the world in a timely manner. . "

Newsweek’s global editor-in-chief Nancy Cooper commented: “After the pandemic, companies have encountered obstacles in retaining and attracting employees-but the companies on the list are spreading respect, care and appreciation and creating a positive job. Place to cultivate talents."

To obtain this ranking, 83% of Harsco employees participated in an employee engagement survey in 2020. The survey found that 88% of employees agreed that Harsco “demonstrated their core values ​​well”, and 87% of employees said that “teamwork and inclusiveness are the top priority” in the company culture.

A complete weekly newsletter list of the most popular workplaces in 2021 can be found on this page. Other companies related to the recycling industry include Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel (No. 43) and Delaware, Ohio-based packaging and cardboard producer Greif (No. 59).

Harsco Corp. describes itself as a provider of environmental solutions for industrial and special waste streams, including a steel mill service business unit, as well as "innovative technologies" in the railway sector.

EREF and USCC have launched a study to assess the status of composting practices in the United States

The Environmental Research and Education Foundation (EREF) and the United States Composting Council (USCC) announced on October 19 that they have signed a memorandum of agreement, and they will work together to advance the science and knowledge surrounding composting.

With more than 40 states setting waste reduction or zero waste goals, and as more companies use compostable products as part of their ESG strategy, composting has become an integral part of waste management systems.

However, according to EREF and USCC, knowledge gaps around composting still exist, including the breadth of availability, total processing capacity in the United States, and current challenges.

In cooperation with the American Composting Council, EREF initiated a study to assess the status of composting practices in the United States. The key elements of this work are to determine the availability of commercial composting, quantify the number of composting facilities, aggregate economic data, and better understand Various attributes of the composting operation (for example, technology used, tonnage processed, etc.).

The project is expected to be completed in 2022. Upon completion, a report on the investigation results will be issued.

"We are very pleased to work with EREF's expert team to conduct this long-awaited study of the U.S. composting industry," said Frank Franciosi, Executive Director of USCC. "The data collected in this important study will help promote the composting industry to become a major contributor to the new circular economy."

"This partnership is an exciting step in advancing the science and education of composting," said Bryan Staley, President and CEO of EREF. "We look forward to working with USCC because both organizations are committed to improving the environment and promoting sustainable science."

Jimmy Whitehair and Will Denbo worked with Commercial Insurance Associates to study tools for managing risk and how operators implement these tools.

Due to fire accidents, vehicle accidents and other on-the-job threats, the waste and environmental services industry has become increasingly difficult to insure.

As previously reported by Waste Today, the premiums of commercial insurance companies have increased sharply, as premiums have risen from a minimum of 25% to far more than 100% in recent years, and they will get worse in 2020. Waste companies are feeling the tremendous pressure from these. Increased insurance premiums have in turn eroded the company's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), which prompted some operators to consider selling or even closing their doors.

At today's Waste 2021 Corporate Growth Conference, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from insurance professionals who specialize in the needs of the environment, recycling and waste industries.

During the conference on managing the risk profile of the waste industry, speakers Jimmy Whitehair and Will Denbo of the Commercial Insurance Association (CIA) LLC in Brentwood, Tennessee, will study what tools exist to manage these risk factors and how operators implement them tool.

Denbo is a leader in CIA recycling and waste practices with more than 12 years of experience. Since joining the CIA's ownership group in 2015, he has been the driving force behind recycling and waste practices, including developing exclusive insurance relationships, introducing the course to customers/underwriters, and building today's team.

Whitehair has experience managing the Bridgestone Americas Workplace Health and Safety Program, which has 46,000 employees working under his direction. This responsibility includes 50 manufacturing plants in the "Americas" and includes various risk exposures in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

This experience helped Whitehair develop a customized loss control plan for customers in the reclaimed space and provide customers with a better risk management plan.

This year's Corporate Growth Conference will be held on November 4th at the Loews Hotel in Chicago. To register, please visit here.