October 2019 Volume 4 Issue 9 - GLGA · 2019-10-08 · Women [in] Print Networking Event on...

October 2019Volume 4

Issue 9

Sustainable Printing: the Why, the What and the How

What's Inside?

Environmental Sustainability Is a

Printing Best Practice1

Life Cycle Thinking in Print Page 13

Action Roundup Page 16

China Thrusts the Circular Economy

Into Action Page 15

Page 9

GLGA Members Save with UPS

When it comes to your business shipments, you don’t want any delays or surprises –– everything should be delivered on time, every time. UPS understands that shipping is a key part of your business, and we’re here to provide the reliability you expect.

The Great Lakes Graphics Association and UPS Freight® are working together to bring discounted LTL freight shipping to all members. As a GLGA member, you are eligible for a free rate quote at (866)443-9303.

We’re committed to making the entire shipping process as seamless as possible. Contact the UPS Freight Association Team today to get started!

Shipping DiscountsThe GLGA/UPS Savings Program gives members access to special savings on these UPS Freight services:• Less-than-truckload (LTL)• Trade show services• Cross-border shipping to-and-from Canada

and Mexico

Contact UPS FreightTo learn more about the GLGA/UPS Savings Program, please contact the UPS Freight Associations Team today.• www.upsfreight.com/enroll/glga• 866.443.9303• [email protected]

UPS® provides the reliability you expect. Guaranteed.

Great Lakes Graphics Association — www.glga.info • 3

Joseph [email protected](262) 522-2212

Bill GibsonIllinois [email protected](312) 704-5000

Brent EckhartIndiana [email protected](317) 733-8512

Sharon FlickCommunications DirectorEditorial [email protected](262) 201-4730

Debra WarnerMembership Development and Engagement ManagerAdvertising [email protected](262) 439-8992

Staff Contacts

Technical HotlineDo you have questions about a technical process? Call the PIA Technical Hotline at (800) 910-4283.

Free HR HotlineUse the free InfoNow line to get answers from MRA’s HR profes-sionals. Call toll-free 24/7 at (866) 275-6721, or email [email protected].

GLGA Hotlines

Events

State Directors

Membership News

The Sustainability Issue


Environmental Sustainability Is a Printing Best Practice

Resource Request

Life Cycle Thinking in Print

China Thrusts the Circular Economy Into Action

Action Round-Up

Calendar

The monthly membership magazine for the Great Lakes Graphics Association

Volume 4 / Number 9October 2019

4

8

6

11

9

12

15

13

16

18

4 • Graphics Journal — October 2019

EVENTS

Upcoming Webinars - FREE for GLGA MembersThe Great Lakes Graphics Association and Printing Industries of America are offering another round of educational webinars in October and November - all FREE to you as a GLGA member. Register online at www.glga.info or www.printing.org:

Thursday, October 17, 2019: Achieving The Right Color–First Time, Every Time, presented by PIA. The appearance and accuracy of color is critical to many brands and customers. Color management tools have evolved to allow many of these steps to be carried out automatically with little or no user intervention. Learn how you can achieve the correct color the first time, but critically ensure that you meet it every time. See some of the latest technologies and learn how easy it is to get that color pass first time, every time. The presenter will be Dr. Mark Bohan, Director of Color Solutions, Konica Minolta Business Solutions.

Thursday, October 24, 2019: The Revised Overtime Rule of the Fair Labor Standards Act and What It Means to Your Company, presented by PIA. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), is a federal law that sets minimum wage, overtime, and minimum age require-ments for employers and employees. The revised overtime rule of the Fair Labor Standards Act has been finalized and will go into effect on January 1, 2020. Presenter Adriane Harrison, PIA's Vice President of Human Relations, will provide information on how this rule affects printers and how to plan for the upcoming changes.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019: Quarterly HR Update, presented by GLGA. Presenter Adriane Harrison will update us on what is happening in state and federal labor and employment law. Keep up-to-date with the HR laws impacting your company, espe-cially with the new overtime exempt rule that was announced in September. This program has been submitted for 1 General Credit Hour by the HR Certification Institute (HRCI).

Thursday, November 7, 2019: Quarterly Environmental Update, presented by GLGA. Our presenters will be the knowledgeable staff of GLGA member SCS Engineers, who will discuss critical regula-tory issues that affect your plants.

Getting the member discount for PIA webinars when you register online requires a log-in to the PIA website. If you don't have one, call PIA Member Central at (800) 910-4283 ext. 770 or email [email protected].

Established in 1996.One of the Midwest’s

premier industrial andcommercial recyclers.

Other Services:Roll CuttingMill Direct BrokerageDocument Shredding

AluminumBrassCopperStainlessSteel

RegrindPurgingsPartsFilmSurplus VirginRolls & Sheets

PAPERM

ETALPLASTIC

ProfitableRecyclingMADE EASY!

WE PAY Top Dollar

FOR YOUR SCRAP.

www.ramrecycling.net [email protected](414) 315-0300

Earn an additional 2% year-end recycling rebate bonus each and every year.

The 2% year-end bonus is based on the total recyclingrebates paid for the entire calendar year.

Printer GradesRollsCardboardNewsprintOffice PaperTissue/Towel

RAM Recycling, Inc. is the Preferred Wisconsin Recycling Partner

of theGLGA Group Buying Power Program!


EVENTS

First Women [in] Print Networking Luncheon Draws Sell-Out+ Crowd

If You Do Business in Illinois, You Can't Afford to Miss This Sales and Use Tax Focus Forum - FREE for GLGA Members

GLGA will host a special Focus Forum on Wednesday, October 30, 2019, at BKD in Oakbrook Terrace, IL. This critical eductional program is FREE for GLGA members.

Come and learn about the impact Illinois' new rules will have on the tax exemption for graphic arts producers. We will review the exemptions and differentiate between the old rules and the new, and will discuss the changes graphic arts companies should implement when purchasing materials going forward. Our speakers will be Andrew Klemens and JoAnna Simek of BKD, LLP, and Josh Sharp of the Illinois Press Association. Additionally, we will hear a report from GLGA Illinois Director Bill Gibson about what's next on the legislative front.

THANK YOU TO OUR HOST:

Fifty industry professionals from three states gathered at Color Ink, Sussex, WI, for GLGA's first Women [in] Print Networking Event on Tuesday, September 17, 2019.

Our featured speaker was Julie Newhouse, the president of Ripon Printers in Ripon, WI. Julie spoke about her successful 30-year career in the printing industry, which included manage-ment roles in prepress, manufacturing, sales and customer support before her appointment as Ripon's first female president. "Regardless of my role, my job is to be a steward and to take care of our people and our organization," Julie said.

The program concluded with a tour of Color Ink's cutting-edge production inkjet facility.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

At left: Cathy Austill, Graphic Partners; and Katelyn Bohr and Kerrie Rode, Colordyne Technologies.

GLGA's Debra Warner introduces Julie Newhouse.

Below: Heather Hendrixson, Ball State University; Nicole Jenkins, American Printing Company; Stacy Schoenborn, Roto-Graphic Printing; and Toni Chacon, EO Johnson Business Technologies.


IllinoisDuring my Every Member Visit program I have had the unique opportunity to visit many companies, both members and not yet members. The reoccurring theme is the appearance of the offices, shop floor and surrounding appearance of the facility. Company leadership has recognized the added value of giving the office and plant the feeling of a “I want to do business with this company” attitude. From the parking lot to the loading dock and everything in between I see a spirit of a clean and safe environment that attracts great talent, and along with that attitude come great clients! That is why I encourage member companies to participate in the 2020 Best Workplace in the Americas (BWA), which is now open for submission.

The BWAs recognize a company's commitment to excellence. The PIA/GLGA human resources benchmark-ing categories honor companies that embrace the most sought-after qualities for today's work environment:

• Communication and Culture

• Employee Resources and Benefits

• Safety and Work Environment

The Safety Shield program recognizes companies that have superior safety systems in place and set a best practices standard. You must enter the BWAs to participate in the Safety Shield program. Visit the BWA website to learn more at www.printing.org/bwa.

Make sure to check out a series of videos on the BWA website featuring Adriane Harrison, PIA Vice President of Human Relations, explaining the BWA submission process, categories, and the Safety Shield designation program.

STATE DIRECTORS

By Bill GibsonIllinois Director

Contact Bill:(312) [email protected]

The Bonneyville Mill, built in 1832, is Indiana's oldest continuously operating grist mill. It still uses two horizontal water turbines to power its grinding stones in 2019 - and you can still buy flour ground there.

Choose the power of print: advertise in Graphics Journal. Contact Debra Warner at (262) 439-8992 or [email protected].

What will your company be doing in another 187 years?


IndianaThis is the way the world ends Not with a bang but a whimper.

T S Eliot

These words from my favorite poet came to mind as I reflected on the upcoming PRINT 19 exhibit. The show will have closed when you read this column and with the closing of the show is – in some ways – the closing of an era. Not in the foreseeable future will the big steel presses whirr and folders clatter, nor will the peculiar scent of compressed air fill the atmosphere while throngs of people jostle through the aisles of McCormick Place and its annexes looking for the secrets to bigger, faster print. Truth is, that era ended some time ago and PRINT 19 is just its last gasp.

Don’t misunderstand me. I think trade shows are still an important and valuable tool for maintaining leading edge knowledge of the print industry. But like the industry itself, shows have become more targeted, more nuanced. Nonetheless, for those of us “of a certain age” we bid a fond farewell to those glory days of bigger, faster and glitzier; those days when everybody went to “the show;” when the air felt electric and the future was foreseeable. Eliot also said, “If you haven’t the strength to impose your own terms on life, then you must accept the terms it offers you.” R.I.P PRINT XX and Expo.

On a more forward-looking note, I want to pick up on a theme of my February column. Part of that column dealt with the importance of “intentional diversity.” I recently came across two fascinating columns about professional sports management. The Philadelphia Eagles blow the rest of the male-dominated NFL away when it comes to the number of female vice presidents. The Eagles are soaring high on attendance, apparel sales, media ratings and fan approval. The Houston Rockets and Houston Astros both hired young consul-tants from outside the sports industry as general managers, and their innovations and exploration of outlier metrics have made both teams perennial title contenders. All three organizations credit the edge they get from seeing things just a little bit differently than their competitors.

How would a random focus group view your management team? I would ask you to seriously consider how you can find the edge in company culture and customer perception. It may lay outside the boundaries of your current world. After all, as TS Eliot said, “If you aren’t in over your head, how do you know how tall you are?”

WisconsinWe are reminded in this issue of Graphics Journal just how important sustainability is to consumers (through recycling efforts) but also to our businesses. Not so long ago, sustainability was a luxury for most of us – we only implemented sustainable practices when our clients demanded it of us. However, sustain-able practices are often executed now because it makes sense as a payback to the business. And although a company can decide to go full throttle on completely implementing sustainable practices throughout their facility, it does not take a lot to make a big impact on things like saving energy, reusing products or recy-cling as much spoilage as possible.

The past nine months, GLGA has hosted sustainable practice webinars featuring such subjects as reducing costs with renewable energy, using environmental management systems drive success, implementing landfill free strategies, and maximizing air compressor efficiency – something almost every in our industry can find useful. Log in into the Members Only area of our website at www.glga.info to view the sustainability webinars and gain a better understanding of how these ideas can help your business.

A well-known Chinese proverb comes to mind when I am encouraging someone to implement sustainable practices in their business. It states, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Start small and build on the success you experience.

By Brent Eckhart Indiana Director

Contact Brent:(317) [email protected]

By Joe LymanPresident

Contact Joe:(262) [email protected]


MEMBERSHIP NEWS

Welcome, New Members!ALOHA DOCUMENT SERVICES, INC., dba ALOHA PRINT GROUP141 W. Jackson Boulevard Suite A100A Chicago, IL 60604 www.alohaprintgroup.com Ginger Peak, President (312) 542-1300 [email protected]

Founded in 2002, Aloha has grown from a 4 person copy shop to a 13,000 square foot digital print studio. In addition to small and large format digital print, we offer a wide variety of finishing and binding services not available elsewhere in the Chicago Loop. Aloha Print Group is a privately owned small business, built in Chicago, and certified female owned by the WBDC and the City of Chicago.

GURNEE, IL, May 21, 2019: Mark Turk of International Label and Printing (third from left) joins a panel discussion

at Domino's Digital Printing Spectrum 2019. The two-day event, themed "The Greatest Show," discussed best practices

for productivity and profitability with digital printing.

LEWIS PAPER INTERNATIONAL dba LEWISCorporate Offices: 2300 Windsor Court Unit B Addison, IL 60101 www.lewispaper.com Bob Zessis, President (847) 520-3386 ext. 222 [email protected]

Tom Clarkson, COO/VP of Sales (847) 520-3386 ext. 214 [email protected]

Founded in 1982, our company has transformed the paper supply business with our personal approach and expanded to all product categories that our customers need in their workday:

Paper • Packaging • Office Supplies • Wide Format • Breakroom • Cleaning

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL, September 11, 2019: Steve Steele of Orora Visual (center) talks about his role as a controller at Orora and how his company has positioned itself for success at the September AFTER HOURS. Thanks to Jim Clair of Laminations Unlimited for providing the appetizers!

On LinkedIn? Join our GLGA Group.

Have you started saving your samples for the 2020 Graphics Excellence Awards Competition?

The Call for Entries is just three months away.....


SUSTAINABILITY


By Doreen Monteleone, Ph.D.PrincipalD2 Advisory Group

“Sustainability is not just for

environmental issues ... It must

encompass the three Ps –

people, planet and profit. ”

Sustainability has been in the forefront of busi-ness operations for more than a decade. Educated consumers understood that for their children to live in a better world, everyone needed to embrace sustainability. The power of the consumer drove Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, to make sustainability central to its business decisions. This, in turn, sent shock waves down its supply chain. Whether it’s packaging, apparel, labels or signage, printing is a link in that chain.

As all print processes were then being asked about their sustainability programs, there became a need for an independent organization with a certifica-tion program to define and validate sustainable printing practices. The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP) was developed through a transparent and credible process by a stakeholder group that included representatives from facilities of all print processes, their suppliers, customers, environmental groups, government agencies and the leading organizations representing the printing industry. The SGP program was created more than a decade ago, has evolved to better reflect the most current knowledge of sustainable business practices and continually offers even more benefits to the industry.

What Are Sustainable Printing Practices?

Defining sustainable printing practices was the first step. SGP’s certification criteria takes a holistic

and is specific to printing. It lays out elements that were created “by the printing industry for the printing industry.” It is holistic in that it doesn’t address

only single attributes like paper sourcing or ink chemistry; nor is it just for environmental issues. To address sustainability, it must encompass the three Ps – people, planet and profit.

The SGP criteria encompasses the entire printing facility and includes environmental, health, safety and labor practices. Because the printing industry developed the criteria, it is specific to printing, yet includes all printing processes – flexography, lithography, screen, digital and gravure. The criteria are flexible and expansive so they can be adopted by any type of printing facility, whether it is large or small.

SGP is the only certification program for printing industry in North America, and it has the endorse-ment of all major print organizations. The list of SGP Printers continues to grow and includes multiple locations of the same corporation.

Why Follow Sustainable Practices?

The SGP certification criteria are sustainable print-ing practices which are, in essence, good business practices. SGP certification helps printers optimize operations to be more efficient, cost effective and responsible. SGP Printers decrease waste, increase recycling, reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, and improve worker safety thereby validating themselves as implementing sustainable business practices. Printers who meet SGP’s multi-faceted criteria are using best practices that provide their customers with a premium product that meets corporate responsibility standards and save money!

The SGP Impact Tracker is the newest addition to the SGP program. It is a cloud-based dashboard that tracks sustainability initiatives, operating expensive and other metrics. It displays data from a company’s sustainability program illustrating the operational benefits and cost savings that result from a commitment to best practices. The software provides an easy way to benchmark data, track implementation, set goals and showcase success. Whether it’s carbon footprint, kilowatts of electric-ity, therms of natural gas or gallons of fuel, the Impact Tracker accepts the data and offers a user-friendly benefit of allowing everyone in the facility to enter information.

SGP Printers differentiate themselves from their competitors, create real cost and resource savings. By becoming certified, printers validate a place as a true link in a sustainable print supply chain. By being a sustainability leader, they are more preferred by print buyers.

The SGP Community

But growing the adoption of sustainable busi-ness practices in the printing industry takes a community approach. In addition to the numerous SGP Printers, the SGP Community includes SGP Patrons, SGP Brand Leaders and SGP Resource Partners. Every organization that values corporate responsibility and a sustainable future has a role to play in supporting sustainable printing.

Continued on page 10


XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

SGP Patrons are suppliers to the printing industry and recognize SGP’s continuing role in advancing the benefits of SGP certification to both the print and buying communities. They are commited to transforming the marketplace and leading inclusion of sustainable business practices in the industry.

SGP Brand Leaders are consumer products companies and other print buyers that want to be assured a more sustainable print supply chain. By working with SGP Printers and encouraging their print vendors to become certified, SGP Brand Leaders are aligned with companies that help them achieve an overall lower environmental footprint and improved sustainability profile.

SGP Resource Partners are organizations that encourage their members to become more sustainable and assist them on the journey and become part of the SGP Community. They include Flexographic Technical Association, Specialty Graphic Imaging Association, TLMI, RadTech, National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers, Printing Industries of America and the Great Lakes Graphic Association.

Together, the SGP Community has made great strides in promoting sustainable printing practices. It brings together a community of printers, print buyers, suppliers and supporting organizations that work together to drive sustainable business practices that today’s customers demand and everyone should want. Another leap forward for SGP will be the introduction of a certification program for the suppliers to the printing industry.

How to Get Started

For more information on the certification program, access the Resources tab of the SGP website at www.sgppartnership.org. There is an extensive list of archived webinars, fact sheets, guidance documents and certification criteria, along with applications. The website also includes the list of current SGP Printers, SGP Patrons, SGP Brand Leaders and SGP Resource Partners. Also, feel free to email [email protected].

For more than 30 years, Doreen Monteleone has been working to educate businesses on sustainability and regulatory issues. As Principal of D2 Advisory Group, she serves as Sustainability Specialist for Flexographic Technical Association and RadTech as well as Treasurer on the Board of Directors for the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP). Dr. Monteleone was instrumental in the formation and growth of SGP. Previously, she established the New York State Small Business Ombudsman program which assisted small businesses to comply with the Clean Air Act. Dr. Monteleone holds a Ph.D. and M.S. from Stony Brook University and a B.S. from Long Island University. She has published more than 50 magazine articles and reports, contributed to four books and authored 10 peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals. The Printers’ National Environmental Assistance Center awarded her the 2012 Publication of the Year and 2004 Partner of the Year. She is the recipient of the 2010 William D. Schaeffer Environmental Award from Printing Industries of America.

Continued from page 9



SUSTAINABILITY

Environmental Sustainability Is a Printing Best Practice

“Any action taken to increase

environmental sustainability

reduces human exposure and

can save money.”

By Cheryl Moran, CHMMProject Manager SCS Engineers

Along with People and Profits, the third P in the sustainable business model is Planet, aka environ-mental sustainability. We need all three of these aspects equally, and each has impacts on the other two.

When we think of environmental sustainability in the context of the printing industry, we imme-diately think of the impacts that printing has on air, land, and water quality. Industrial activities are regulated and, while this is only part of the big picture, it is a good place to start. When we operate within the conditions of our air, storm water, and wastewater permits, and properly dispose of wastes, we prevent the release of pollutants into the environment.

Technology has allowed printing to become a cleaner process. We have lowered the volatile organic chemical (VOC) content in cleaning solvents, improved the control efficiency of oxidizers, and re-designed processes so that more printing can be done with digital technology. This not only emits fewer VOCs, it also eliminates the pre-press process and its related wastewaters. These technologies have allowed us to print high qual-ity products with a fraction of the environmental

impact.

These changes don’t only affect the environment, they also limit human exposure to pollutants, protecting both planet and people.

The goods we create can lend themselves to environmental sustainability. Printed materials that are engineered to be easy to recycle means today’s magazine is printed on the same paper as next month’s newspaper. Reduced packaging size or thickness conserves resources, while compostable or reusable packaging reduces landfilled waste.

Printers have impacts on the environment that aren’t directly related to the production of printed materials. Our buildings can also be the focus of environmentally sustainable actions. This can be in the form of energy efficiency, water conservation, on-site retention of storm water, and even in how we select furniture, flooring, and maintenance materials.

If you’re wondering how furniture and flooring can be more sustainable, think of it this way – when we select furniture and finishes made from materials that are sustainably harvested, locally sourced, and designed to reduce indoor air pollution, we reduce the environmental footprint of those building components. Using less energy and water also means reduced utility costs, protecting both planet and profits.

Printed products have places to go. Whether you print books, catalogs, packaging, or textiles, they need to find a way into the hands of consumers. Transportation represents a large portion of the environmental impact from printing.

How do we find ways to move product and reduce environmental impact at the same time? We can use trucks that emit less because they are cleaner-burning, more aerodynamically streamlined, elec-tronically monitor tire pressure, and use low-sulfur fuel. We can reduce idling time by instituting a “no idling” policy, requiring drivers to shut down the engine during loading and unloading. Some long haul trucks are equipped with auxiliary power units to power the cab during downtime while consum-ing a fraction of the fuel that would be needed to keep the truck idling. Advanced logistics can consolidate loads resulting in fewer trips and trucks that don’t return empty.

Do you have company vehicles? Some of these same principles can be applied to corporate fleets, carpooling to off-site meetings in vehicles that are kept well-tuned with properly inflated tires.

Environmental Sustainability Programs

Environmental sustainability is not a single action or focus. If you are considering ways to reduce your environmental impact, start with the “low hanging fruit,” actions that are easy to implement and have a short payback.

There are many resources available to help printers become more environmentally sustainable, for example Sustainable Green Printing Partnership is specific to the printing industry, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) addresses sustainable buildings, and U.S. EPA’s SmartWay Partnership helps shippers find resourc-es to reduce transportation impacts.


XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

In Wisconsin, there are flexible air permit options for printers and for businesses that participate in the state’s Green Tier program. For more information, visit the Green Tier website at https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/greentier/.

Indiana has the Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP). It is a voluntary, performance-based leadership program that offers benefits such as reduced reporting or advanced notice for compliance inspections for companies that go above and beyond compliance. For more information, visit https://www.in.gov/idem/partnerships/2458.htm.

Related to SmartWay, Illinois has a program called Driving a Cleaner Illinois that provides funding for diesel emission reduction projects. For more informa-tion, see https://www2.illinois.gov/epa/topics/air-quality/driving-a-cleaner-illinois/Pages/default.aspx.

Any action taken in the printing sector to increase environmental sustainability not only reduces human exposure, it also can save money: a people, profits, planet trifecta.

Cheryl Moran is a Project Manager with SCS Engineers with more than 20 years of experience in the printing industry. She is a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) and works with air, water, and waste management, EPCRA, envi-ronmental compliance audits, and sustainability programs. For more information, contact Cheryl at [email protected] in Milwaukee, WI; Mark Hammers at [email protected] in Madison, WI; or Ann O’Brien at [email protected] in Chicago.

RESOURCE REQUESTMembers often call the GLGA offices looking for help to find resources to solve business problems – problems that many other companies have, too. In this feature, we share some of the most frequent resource requests we hear along with the GLGA and PIA resources that are available to you through your association membership.


Q. What resources do GLGA and Printing Industries of America have to help with our sustainability efforts?

A. Check out PIA's dedicated Sustainability Assistance webpage for

• The Green Guide for Graphic Communications provides a step-by-step approach to evaluating and marketing your sustainability profile. Log in with your PIA user name to read the guide online and download the 10-chapter pdf plus assessment tools.

• Criteria information for getting started with the Sustainable Green Printing (SGP) Partnership

• Carbon Footprint Calculator for Printing Operations, a downloadable Excel file that will provide emissions data reported as carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) and contains an EZ Form that is supported by 14 separate calculation sheets that address fuel combustion, solvent oxidation, vehicles, refrigerants, electricity purchased, etc.

Using these tools requires a user name to log in to the PIA website. If you need one, call PIA Member Central at (800) 910-4283 ext. 770 or email [email protected]. www.printing.org/programs/environmental-health-safety/sustainability-assistance


SUSTAINABILITY

Life Cycle Thinking in Print

By Jodi DrewEnvironmental EngineerITU AbsorbTech

“A life cycle approach ensures

that you aren’t improving in one

area at the expense of another.”

Improving sustainability in the graphics industry is an important pursuit.

You can use Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) to gain a holistic perspective of your operation’s environ-mental footprint – from concept, purchasing, manufacturing and distribution- to end-of-life by your customers.

By revealing the big picture, a life cycle approach ensures that you aren’t improving in one area at the expense of another.

Let’s take a closer look at how to apply LCT to your facility.

Map Out Your Life Cycle

The key components of the print life cycle are raw material, transformation, distribution, and disposal. Let’s take a closer look at each of these:

1. Raw Material

The first part of the lifecycle – raw materials, involves looking upstream.

Upstream refers to activities occurring before they get to your facility. In other words, your supply chain.

Take an inventory of all your inputs - ink, solvent,

substrates (vinyl, rigid, fabric, mesh, paper, etc.), wipes, equipment and packaging. You also can include indirect inputs such as restroom and office supplies.

With life cycle thinking, start to ask questions about the sourcing of each material. Where does the material come from? How is it sourced? Where? How is it delivered to your facility? Are there better alternatives? Who are their suppliers, and what are their sustainability practices?

For example, where does your ink come from? Is it petroleum or vegetable based? Are there any additives? Does your supplier offer eco-friendly alternatives? Is the ink is sourced locally, thereby reducing the energy required to ship?

You also may choose to source your materials based on suppliers’ business practices as a whole. For example, do your suppliers use renewable energy, ship with a fleet of hybrid vehicles, or encourage employees to telecommute?

People can be factored into the raw material equation. For example, needing more people to do the job requires more resources – energy, water, transportation, and so on. Well-trained employees will lower the overall impact by following estab-lished practices.

2. Transformation

Transformation refers to the on-site processes that transform your raw material to the finished product.

Beyond just the raw material, you’ll want to consider all the inputs that keep your facility running - lighting, power, electricity and water, to name a few. Look for new efficiencies to reduce wasted material, wasted energy and wasted time.

Here are some examples of new efficiencies:

• Run a long press run in the dark, with task lighting at the front, back, and inspection areas.

• Use motion sensors and more efficient lighting sources, such as LED.

• Reduce water usage by taking non-contact cooling water and reusing it for floor mopping.

• Use programmable thermostats.

• Use pumps or squeeze bottles to dampen towels instead of soaking or dunking them in solvent.

• Switch to reusable programs for solvent wipes, uniforms, oil absorbents and mops.

With life cycle thinking, consider how a process change impacts the raw materials upstream and finished product downstream. For example, how will a process change impact the types of ink used/purchased, and how will it affect the useful life of the finished product?



XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

3. Distribution

Distribution includes packaging and delivery to your customers’ sites.

With the life cycle approach, consider the raw material used for packaging (are there sourcing alternatives?) and how it will be handled downstream. For example, will your customer discard plastic wrapping in landfill? Will they reuse the cardboard boxes?

Distribution should be approached with the same mindset. How do you source your fleet vehicles? Is the dealership sustainable in its sourcing and maintenance activities? What about their supply chain? Are the vehicles fuel efficient? What about your fuel? Are there opportunities to reroute and save on fuel? Are you maximizing vehicle real estate and mileage during delivery?

4. Disposal

Finally, let’s look downstream. Downstream refers to activities occurring after the finished product is complete (product use and disposal).

Disposal affects both your by-product and end-product waste.

For your by-product waste, set goals to reuse or recycle all packaging and finishing material, such as chipboard, paper trim, polyethylene, polypropylene, vinyl, brass and copper. Can scrap material be donated for use as mulch or bedding? Can it be sold on the secondary recycling market? Can it be reused for other projects?

For the end-product, consider whether the end user will likely landfill, recycle, or reuse the product. Can you create a more sustainable product that is easier to recycle or reuse?

Here’s how LCT comes into play.

Knowing how a product will be used downstream can impact sustainable choices made during the transfor-mation and sourcing stage. For example, if a banner is going to be used outdoors for a long length of time, you’ll want to invest in a durable ink and substrate that will last, instead of something that will break down in a few months and need to be reprinted. And, conversely, a product that will be used short term could be produced on a more sustainable substrate that can easily be recycled after use.

While you may not have control over what the customer does with the final product, you can strive to produce a product that is easier to recycle, and you also can educate your customers on how to recycle or discard responsibly.

Final Words

LCT can provide an excellent framework for your sustainability endeavors on a macro level. Once you start to frame your efforts in a ‘Life Cycle’ way of thinking, you’ll find yourself drawing new insights and asking deeper questions about how one decision impacts the full life cycle of your operation.

LCT can even be measured by international standards using the ISO 14040:2006 standard, which describes the principles and framework for a life cycle assessment.

Jodi Drew is the Corporate Environmental Manager for ITU AbsorbTech. She also is the Corporate ISO Coordinator for ITU AbsorbTech’s ISO 14000 and 9000 Management Systems. She holds a US Patent in her field and is a requested speaker on a variety of environmental topics. For questions on this article or ideas on how to apply LCT to your operation, please contact Jodi at jdrew@ituabsorbtech.



SUSTAINABILITY

China Thrusts the Circular Economy Into Action

By Gary JonesDirector, Environmental, Health, and Safety AffairsSpecialty Graphic Imaging Association

“The time for the U.S. and other

developed countries to look

introspectively for solutions has

arrived.”

While China’s 2018 decision to nearly completely close its doors to receiving foreign wastes — including many types of plastics and paper — was a positive leap in achieving its national environmen-tal health goals, it has caused major repercussions for the rest of the world. The ramifications for the U.S. have been particularly impactful, as about 40 percent of its total materials collected for recycling were being sent to China.

Though countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam and Korea are willing to take some waste, the amount they can process is not large enough to absorb what China was accepting. Meanwhile, other Asian countries, like Malaysia and the Philippines, are beginning to follow in China’s footsteps by refusing many wastes, and it is predicted the rest of this region eventually will as well. The time for the U.S. and other developed countries to look introspec-tively for solutions has arrived.

How This Affects the Printing Industry

China’s restrictions on the acceptable level of contamination in the waste they will accept (e.g., food waste in a paper bail, glass in a plastic bail)

has caused those who accept mate-rials for recycling to adjust their operations to better separate the wastes. However, there is not enough capacity, and to

some extent technology, to recycle the volume of waste generated.

Recycling plants bring in revenue by selling back the materials they collect and sort. Now, because there is no market for the materials, many companies are simply refusing to take materials or landfilling recyclables.

This strain on recyclers also is felt by printers. Since they are losing money on the back end, recyclers are paying less for materials, are charging to take certain materials or rejecting some input altogether. The hardest hit waste streams are many non-PET-based plastics, mixed waste paper and old corru-gated containers.

What You Can Do:

1. Understand and monitor your waste. Set and achieve goals to decrease the volume you produce.

2. Work with your vendors to reduce waste. Buy bulk: Get one large container of materials over many smaller containers. Avoid packaging that has multiple layers and see if the vendor will take back unused packaging for reuse.

3. Reuse as many materials as you can before buying new.

4. Become part of the second market. Buy recycled materials from other companies or recycling plants before buying new.

5. Take responsibility for your products. Make a product with material you know can be recycled downstream.

6. Lighten the load. Partner with companies to reuse your waste materials instead of sending them straight to the recycling plant or landfill.

7. Sort your waste. For the waste you can’t sell, make sure you separate your paper, plastic, glass, metal, etc. This helps reduce contami-nation, which makes it easier for recycling facilities to make a profit and get back on their feet.

If you have questions or need help with your program, SGIA’s Environmental Health and Safety Compliance Resource Center provides technical assistance and services designed to allow printing operations to manage compli-ance and stay informed. For more information on SGIA’s EHS services, email [email protected], call (888) 385-3588 or visit SGIA.org/advocacy.


SUSTAINABILITY

Action Round-Up: How Members Are Putting Sustainability Into Action

Yunker is a dual participant in the Wisconsin Department of Natural

Resources' Green Tier's printing charter and the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership.

Yunker Industries, Elkhorn, WI

Our Printedgreen®360 program defines us and drives us to continually define what green printing should be.

• We generate no hazardous wastewater

• We reuse/recycle 100% of our paper waste

• We only use paper from sustainably harvested forests

• We reduced overall energy consumption by 30%

Consolidated Printing, Elk Grove Village, IL

UN Communications Group Inc. is a proud supporter of Duke Energy’s GoGreen

Indiana program, purchasing blocks of green energy each month.

UN Communications Group, Carmel, IN

Letterhead Press installed a 337 kilo-watt solar array, the seventh largest

(at time of installation) private solar field in the state of Wisconsin. Read more at https://tinyurl.com/y29xjopm.

Letterhead Press, New Berlin, WI

We operate on 100-percent windpower and support

sustainable forestry.

Ace Graphics, Naperville, IL

Our online marketplace is designed for the printing industry, and allows printers to

buy and sell excess raw materials. One of the benefits of our platform is keeping materials out of the landfill.

Material Exchange, Seneca, NY

ALitho’s production floor uses a thermo-elec-tron air purification system to remove gases

emitted by our ink dryers, assuring that 99% of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are captured.

American Litho, Carol Stream, IL

We've hit some nice marks lately in our 130th year of business:

• Landfill Free for 4 years on September 1st.

• SQF Certification audit passed in late July; third year, with a higher score each year.

• No Lost Time Injuries for over one calendar year; achieved in late June.

Fredman Bag, Milwaukee, WIFineline is certified through the Forest

Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Green Power Partnership.

Fineline Printing Group, Indianapolis, IN Richards converted to LED lighting with motion sensors, and uses web-based controls

that monitor and adjust heat and light in the plant and office.

Richards Graphic Communications, Bellwood, ILOur plate making process uses eco-

friendly water based chemistry.

Zimmermann, Sheboygan, WI

We recycle heat exhausted from our presses to heat our facilities,

and use a closed loop water system to reduce the need for compressed air.

Inland, LaCrosse, WI

We developed and implemented eco-targets across all of our global

business units to be a considerate and pro-active organization.

Orora Visual, Niles, IL

We aggressively track any spoilage that occurs and follow-up with

a root cause analysis to get at the heart of any wasted material or effort. This program alone has enabled us to reduce our own self-inflicted waste to less than 1% of sales volume.

Vision, Bolingbrook, IL Editor's note: the items in this round-up are from responses to a September Member Question, from press releases, and from a survey of GLGA member company websites.


We have installed an electrical management system to control how efficiently the power

flows through the facility. This has reduced our usage by 15% annually.

DE Baugh, Indianapolis, IN

We use butt rolls of paper as packing material.

Total Printing Systems, Newton, IL

Our SunVisto® AquaGreen water-based inks have significantly

higher levels of biorenewable naturally derived resin content.

Sun Chemical, Northlake, IL

We use low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) or VOC-free solvents,

inks and cleaning products. Nearly all of our waste is reclaimed – almost nothing goes into a landfill.

American Printing Company, Madison, WI

We have implemented Statistical Process Control and Manufacturing Requirement programs to reduce the

amount of raw materials that enter the manufacturing process.

Arandell, Menomonee Falls, WI

Karibu, the swissQprint

roll to roll printer, is highly energy efficient: It is ISO 20690 certified.

swissQprint, Elgin, IL

GLGA Wisconsin Members that are Green Tier Participants:

Arandell Corporation, Memonomee Falls, WI

Fredman Bag, Milwaukee, WI

Lauterbach Group, Sussex, WI

WS Packaging, Green Bay, WI

Yunker, Elkhorn, WIPhoto of Fredman Bag courtesy of the WI DNR

We use our customers’ corrugated shipping boxes to ship them products we manufacture for them. They in turn re-use the

boxes to ship their finished product. In one instance, two million boxes were eliminated from the waste stream. We also offer a "box-free" pallet system, incorporating corner guards and core plugs to eliminate the use of corrugated boxes altogether.

WS Packaging, Green Bay, WI

Fuse voluntarily participates in a ComEd Brownout program

that allows ComEd to optimize its peak usage seasons.

Fuse, Berkeley, IL

Kingery Printing's recycling efforts contributed to saving 16,691,100 kilowatt

hours of electricity - enough energy to power 168 average American homes for 10 years.

Kingery Printing Company, Effingham, IL

Our world class facility has earned a LEED Silver certification. The

building’s design and construction was based on natural resource use and environmental conservation for water, energy, waste, emissions, spoilage, and personnel role responsibilities.

Lauterbach Group, Sussex, WI

Our eco-friendly product line consists of binders that are

100% biodegradable except for the metal ring.

Eckhart and Co., Indianapolis, IN

We offset 100% of our paper use with donations to the

Nature Conservancy to protect old growth forests.

Plum Grove, Hoffman Estates, IL

Sample companies and printers often use film lamination to protect printed

material from scratching, scuffing and fingerprints. As an alternative, we recom-mend our proprietary LeedGuard Print Protection, which is a 100% solids-based, biodegradable, eco-friendly surface.

Leed Samples & Fulfillment, Evansville, IN

We cut down the amount of natural gas we use by 80 percent by completely overhauling our entire facility. Our new heating and

cooling system is more efficient, and our upgraded walls and windows help conserve energy.

Johnson Press of America, Pontiac, IL

SUSTAINABILITY

• Comprehensive Plant Recycling Program

• KBA 81” Press features energy saving LED UV

• SFI certification

• All C1S house label stock is SFI Certified

Philipp Lithographing, Grafton, WI


CALENDAR

Upcoming GLGA Events and ActivitiesTo learn more or to register, visit GLGA’s website at glga.info.

Illinois Sales and Use Tax Focus ForumOctober 30, 2019, Oakbrook Terrace, IL

Webinar: Quarterly HR UpdateNovember 6, 2019

Webinar: Quarterly Environmental UpdateNovember 7, 2019

Business Optimization - (Pre)Succession...and the 8 Key DriversNovember 14, 2019, Sussex, WI

Business Optimization - (Pre)Succession...and the 8 Key DriversNovember 15, 2019, Elk Grove Village, IL

Lunch with the PrintersNovember 19, 2019, Indianapolis, IN

Upcoming PIA EventsTo learn more or to register, visit PIA’s website at www.printing.org.

Webinar: Achieving The Right Color—First Time, Every TimeOctober 17, 2019

Webinar: The Revised Overtime Rule of the Fair Labor Standards Act and What It Means to Your Company

October 24, 2019

COLOR20 Color ConferenceJanuary 11-14, 2020, San Diego, CA

President's ConferenceMarch 3-5, 2020, Phoenix, AZ

TAGA Annual Technical ConferenceMarch 15-18, 2020, Oklahoma City, OK

Other Industry EventsPRINTING United

October 23-25, 2019, Dallas, TX

IT’S 5 AM. DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR PAPER IS?

YOUR CASE TEAM DOES.

NEW YORK CHICAGO HIGH POINT DALLAS MIAMI PHILADELPHIA LOS ANGELES

casepaper.com 888.CASE.1ST (888.227.3178)

At 5 am, a bleary-eyed Chuck Argia-nas, Sales Manager at Case Paper’s Chicago plant, roused himself from his beauty sleep to answer his ring-ing phone. The caller, a press oper-ator for a Case Paper customer, had sourced paper from another vendor, but it wasn’t holding the ink. Two new truckloads of paper were needed by 8 am. Thanks to Case Paper’s large inventory and easy ordering system, Chuck was able to quickly confirm that the paper was on the floor, then enter the new order from home, for his early morning crew.

By 8 am, Chuck was sitting down to breakfast, the printer had received the paper delivery, and their press was up and running smoothly. If you need a supplier of paper and paperboard that’s always on the case, call us to find out which member of our sales team you can wake up at 5 am, too.

Great Lakes Graphics AssociationN27 W23960 Paul Road, Suite 200Pewaukee, WI 53072

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Labor Relations

Collective Bargaining

Employment Counseling

Regulatory Compliance

Employment Litigation

Employee Benefits

Immigration

Work Injury Defense

Restrictive Covenants

411 E. Wisconsin Ave.

Milwaukee, WI 53202

(414) 273-3910

lindner-marsack.com

Highly Regarded by Clients and Colleagues

Alike for More Than 100 Years

PUTTING OUR PRINTING INDUSTRIES EXPERIENCE TO WORK FOR YOU

October 2019 Volume 4 Issue 9 - GLGA · 2019-10-08 · Women [in] Print Networking Event on...

Documents

Transcript of October 2019 Volume 4 Issue 9 - GLGA · 2019-10-08 · Women [in] Print Networking Event on...