It Pays to Review Your Overall Recycling Effectiveness

March 2, 2022

Client Profile: Midwest Sealing Products Gets ‘Krafty’ Recycling Paper Scrap

Midwest Sealing Products, Inc., a custom die cutter and manufacturer of gaskets, located in Buffalo Grove, Ill., works with many industries including commercial lighting, automotive and transportation, fluid transfer components, heat exchangers and compressors.

Midwest offers a wide range of gasket materials including the top brands in the gasket industry. Along with its manufacturing capabilities, it meets the varied application requirements of its diverse customer base thanks to years of experience with various materials and manufacturing processes. This is what makes Midwest instrumental in the design, development and engineering stages of various products.

Recycling is important to the company. “We recycle the scrap that remains after parts are cut, so our scrap ranges from metal to fiber, foam, electrical insulation, plastics, paper and much more,” explains Controller Myra Antman. “But we mainly recycle virgin kraft papers used in the automotive glass industry. We decided to use Mid America Paper Recycling to recycle the kraft paper scrap because they offered us a more efficient and more cost-effective process to handle these materials. Their communication and customer service have been exceptional.”

Antman says equipment and supplies from Mid America are easily obtained, and pickup and payment for recycled materials are prompt. “We had a very poor experience earlier with a recycler that was often difficult to reach and difficult to communicate with. They also cost us a lot of money. We contacted Mid America a few years ago. We were pleased with Mid America’s presentation.”

Mid America understood that Midwest Sealing was recycling quality paper, Antman adds. “They were very aware of the quality of this paper, and let us know they would be able to help us reduce our costs and continue recycling it more efficiently.

Today, our recycling operation runs more smoothly as a result. Mid America provided us with a trailer and the materials necessary to transfer the paper scrap from our work stations to the trailer. We have a bailer, but currently do not have the people power to take advantage of bundling the paper in order to recycle more. Mid America understands this, and has been supportive of our efforts.”

Follow-ups, feedback and reporting

Mid America provides regular reports on the amount of kraft paper it picks up from Midwest, and follows up on a regular basis to get any necessary updates and provide a current recycling status of things, Antman notes.

Mid America’s Waste Audit can help build on existing recycling procedures that waste buyers and sellers are doing well, and examines the steps they may not realize could be improved. Producers taking an audit get helpful feedback on their recycling “health” along with helpful tips and steps to increase their recycling revenue. In fact, the results of a Waste Audit can be used to explore various areas of growth, reduce labor, handling and material costs and separate recyclable materials for the right buyers at the right price. This helps a recycling operation increase its revenue generation for highly valuable waste streams.

“The kraft paper scrap is a constant in our operation, though we work with many other materials, including cork, rubber, fiberglass and assorted textiles,” Antman continues. “At this point, we don’t generate enough of any one of these other materials to start a true recycling program for them, but we generate enough kraft waste to be able to have Mid America recycle it. If we were to generate enough of other recyclable scrap materials, we would definitely contact Mid America for more direction.”

To learn more about Mid America’s Waste Audit, visit https://www.midamericapaper.com/waste-reduction-audit.

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