PRAB/Monlan Drives Evolution in Chip and Fluid Management with Integrated and Modular Solutions |
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Prab Conveyors
5944 E. Kilgore Rd., P.O. Box 2121
Kalamazoo, MI, 49003
USA
 
Press release date: March 30, 2009
KALAMAZOO, Michigan-March 30, 2009-PRAB, Inc., is introducing PRAB/Monlan, a company offering the metalworking industry's first integrated solutions for chip removal and fluid filtration. Created through PRAB's 2008 acquisition of Envirodyne Technologies, PRAB/Monlan will provide metalworking operations with a single-source solution for the two most challenging issues in scrap management -- metal chip and fluid recovery for recycle or reuse.
PRAB has produced scrap handling systems and equipment for metalworking operations since 1950. The company's chip handling equipment includes traditional entrenched conveyor systems, as well as new-generation modular, chip briquetters, wringers and pneumatic scrap conveyance. PRAB/Monlan combines these products with a broad line of equipment for the recovery, filtration and recycling of coolants, lubricants and wastewater, successfully offered by Envirodyne under the Monlan brand.
"We can now offer complete, turnkey solutions for all chip and fluid management needs, including system design, installation and ongoing support," said Ned Thompson, CEO of PRAB and PRAB/Monlan. "We have had customers use PRAB for chip handling and then use three or four other suppliers to obtain fluid processing equipment. They had to work with and coordinate five different people! With PRAB/Monlan, you're going to have one source, one installation, and one performance guarantee that extends across the entire chip and fluid management system."
Thompson further explained that, with the formation of the new company, PRAB will focus on its chip handling customers while PRAB/Monlan will serve existing Monlan customers and new customers with a need for integrated chip and fluid management solutions.
PRAB/Monlan says its chip and fluid management systems provide answers to important economic and environmental needs in the metalworking industry. Chip handling equipment conveys and processes metalworking scrap into dry shovel-grade material or compressed briquettes. Processed chips are not considered hazardous waste, which means they have a higher scrap value and are not subject to surcharges, which are assessed by downstream recyclers on polluted material.
The company says its fluid filtration and recovery systems also contribute tometalworking cost-savings and environmental performance. The systems can reduce new fluid purchases by 40% to 90% and reduce waste fluid volumes by 50% to 90% to help manufacturers reduce costs, meet zero manifesting goals, and comply with federal, state and local discharge regulations.
Modular systems make technology flexible, accessible
While the availability of integrated solutions will increase economy, efficiency and performance across the shop floor, PRAB/Monlan believes its modular chip and fluid management technology could have an even greater impact on the metalworking industry in the future. The company said the availability of flexible, modular systems will allow small and moderate sized operations to incorporate waste management technology formerly only practical for large metalworking facilities. What's more, modular technology will allow companies of any size to reduce the cost of capacity increases and allow machining operations to be more easily reconfigured as needs change.
"I don't think you need to read the tea leaves to know that we're not going to see as many really large plants being built in the future," said Tim Hanna, former President of Envirodyne Technologies and now President of PRAB/Monlan. "There are not going to be as many of those entrenched conveyors, large centralized chip collection points and fluid management galleys. What you are going to have are small and moderate-sized shops that need to be very flexible and need a system that can grow with them. This is an evolution in the way metalworking facilities will manage their metal scrap waste stream. We believe PRAB/Monlan is elevating this process." According to Hanna, many of these shops today have no chip and fluid management system at all. Chips are simply loaded into portable bins that are hauled away to recycling centers as hazardous waste on as much as a daily basis.
He said modular systems based on vacuum and pneumatic technology are ideal for smaller scale operations because they can be easily installed above the floor and scaled to meet the needs of plants of any size. Instead of large entrenched conveying systems with large centralized processing stations, chips are conveyed through relatively compact tubes from individual machining centers to smaller fluid removal, chip handling and fluid processing stations.
"This modular approach can be a huge advantage for manufacturers that could never afford these systems before," said Hanna. "These shops have always had to incur the expense of hauling away truckload after truckload of polluted chips. They have also had to worry about disposing of fluid they could be reusing. We're offering these shops practical solutions that will reduce costs, and make them more efficient, more sustainable, and ultimately more competitive in the global economy. And it doesn't matter if they have three machining centers today and want to grow to a dozen machining centers two years from now. With a modular approach, reconfiguration and expansion are far easier than with traditional systems."
Based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, PRAB/Monlan, PRAB, and third affiliate Hapman -- which specializes in powder and bulk material handling for the food, fine chemicals and other industries -- employ 130 people at facilities in Michigan and Ohio. The privately owned companies have a combined 120 years experience serving the metalworking industry.
For more information about PRAB/Monlan contact
P.O. Box 2121
Kalamazoo, MI 49003 USA
Ph 269-382-8200 Fx 269-349-2477
800-968-7722
sales@prab.com
www.prab.com
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