The high cost of corrosion continues to be a major challenge for mining, defence, manufacturing and general industry. An extremely difficult issue to manage, corrosion continues to present a highly intrusive and disruptive cost impost to business & supply chain operations. Steve Drury writes.
Reluctant acceptance
Integra Packaging managing director, Roger Till, has noted: “years of internal solutions and a reluctant but passive acceptance can lead to a culture that affects the entire business from morale through to company image – culminating in customer complaints.
“Traditional approaches have included some that would not meet current safety requirements and a perception of corrosion as an ‘inevitable cost of doing business’ have seen costs justified in financial accounts.”
Hidden cost
Integra maintains the effect of continuing with traditional high-cost-remedy protocols can be as much as 20% of product cost. An inherent knock-on effect can flow through supply chain, risk management, asset protection, warehousing/storage – and ultimate inefficiencies in attempts to refurbish affected products & materials.
A solution
INTERCEPT TECHNOLOGY – developed by Lucent Technologies and Bell Laboratories in 1984, is patented world-wide. Highly porous copper particles are permanently embedded in a plastic matrix (wrapping material) and react with all corrosive gases and elements. The Technology was designed to protect all materials under all environmental conditions equally.
Anti-corrosion protection is effectively enhanced against moisture, mildew, static and UV effect.
Intercept performs
Across many essential criteria, this material provides comprehensive performance – including:
• High Performance (from -35°C to +80°C)
• Long, warranted protection (>10 Years)
• Product Liability Insurance (1.0 Mio € per Packaging unit)
• Process certified ISO 9001:2000
• Protects all ferrous- and non-ferrous metals, alloys, electronic components
plastics and organic materials.
• Environmentally safe, RohS compliant, TRGS 615 und TRGS 900 compliant,
recyclable and cost-effective in overall cost
• Occupational Safety Prize 2005 for a cleaner alternative in corrosion protection (BAUA)
• ESD 106 -108Ω permanent (even at humidity <5%)
• Available in all traditional packaging formats
• Re-usable (up to 8 cycles for bags)
A total approach
Integra understands that a truly comprehensive corrosion solution will not stand in isolation.
Their Pack Audit approach is undertaken with the combined input of both customer and Integra Packaging staff to achieve a total packaging efficiency outcome.
The purpose of the Pack audit is to identify potential areas of improvement by:
1. Analysing the packaging logistic procedures to assess the suitability of existing packaging
and processes
2. Ensuring that new solutions are sustainable and enhance the reduction of a customer’s
overall carbon footprint
3. Recommendations should improve the Health & Safety of employees
4. Overcoming both short term and long term storage issues around the corrosion of products
5. Supporting the standardisation of all new solutions across the customer’s entire network
6. Offering a solution that provides labour productivity improvements through process
streamlining
7. Continuing to enhance the customer brand and reputation through better protection
8. All recommendations are implemented in-line with company policy and procedures
9. The new solution is then followed up and evaluated creating continuous improvement
and an in-depth partnership.
*Steve Drury is founder of steve drury communications.