SEKISUI SPI and Ultra-Poly have examined the best ways to repurpose processed material for new or lower-quality applications (cradle-to-cradle material management) and have partnered to process thermoplastic waste at SEKISUI SPI’s South Campus in Bloomsburg, PA.
After researching internal and external solutions, SEKISUI SPI approached Ultra-Poly Corporation, based in Portand, PA. Working together, the two companies bring true sustainability to thermoforming materials. Because PVC-based materials were not a part of Ultra-Poly’s existing scrap stream, teams collaborated for more than a year on potential solutions. SPI invited Ultra-Poly to move into its new South Campus manufacturing facility.
Ultra-Poly can run 100,000-pound orders in less than 24 hours, making it a perfect element of SPI’s Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) initiative. The program now processes more than 15 million pounds of thermoplastic trim scrap.
“We went from selling zero PVC to selling 22 million pounds a year,” said Nicholas La Fiura, whose father started Ultra-Poly in 1974.
“Our company is getting into a whole new value stream with these plastics,” Ultra-Poly’s Kevin Cronin said. “We’re expanding our processing technique, and we’ve gained expertise about pulverizing this material.” The material is often repurposed for companies such as Amazon and Tesla.
Ultra-Poly has helped SEKISUI SPI increase its recycling and sustainability capabilities, and the KYDEX® recycling program is being expanded for all SEKISUI SPI customers, thermoformers, and end users who meet the requirements for a PVC recycling program. This will aid in SEKISUI SPI’s sustainability efforts and prevent KYDEX® scrap from entering landfills.
“In staying committed to our corporate social responsibility and our company culture, we recognized that we could improve the situation for our customers,” SEKISUI SPI CEO and President Ronn Cort said. “While we understood how to re-grind trim scrap, the systems required for material identification, storage, handling, cleaning, inspecting, sorting, and re-purposing were well beyond the typical regrind and re-use strategies common in our industry.”
About SEKISUI SPI
SEKISUI SPI is a global thermoplastics leader that is changing manufacturing for the 21st century by challenging how to think, design, and create as a master supplier. Fueled by a team of over 300 dedicated professionals, SEKISUI SPI serves customers in 34 countries across a diverse spectrum of major industries including aviation, transportation, medical, agriculture and heavy equipment, and industrial equipment housings. With the collective power of KYDEX® and ALLEN® Thermoplastics product brands, we provide a unique understanding built on deeper perspectives, resulting in better solutions for all. SEKISUI SPI is part of SEKISUI Chemical Company, an $11 billion global leader in plastics and chemicals. Visit www.sekisui-spi.com for more information.
About Ultra-Poly
With an annual production capacity of over 230 million pounds across four plants, Ultra-Poly is one of the largest and most efficient plastic recyclers in North America, and the company stands out among American plastics recyclers in four key areas: resources, technical expertise, innovation, and reputation. To learn more, visit www.ultra-poly.com.
