Resources & Associations for Minnesota’s Printers
MnTAP offers the following case studies and resources for Minnesota’s printers who are interested in reducing waste, conserving energy, and saving money.
MnTAP Case Studies
- Intern Summary: Advanced Web (2007). A MnTAP intern identified ways to improve the facility’s method of printing excess labels and color-matching. These changes resulted in significant waste reductions and cost savings for the company.
- Fact Sheet: Selecting a Still for On-Site Solvent Recycling (2005). The fact sheet can help you become better prepared to select the right still for your on-site solvent recycling.
- Intern Summary: Hood Flexible Packaging (1997). The intern project at this facility was focused on reducing waste from flexographic printing.
- Source Article: Multiple Stage Cleaning Reduces New Solvent Purchases and Saves Money (1997). With multiple-stage cleaning, dirty solvent removes most of the soil, while the clean solvent of the additional stages thoroughly cleans the parts and brings them to specification.
- Source Article: Maybe Your Chemistry Can Come in Small Packages (1997). This article highlights the benefits of using freeze-dried packets of photo processing chemicals.
- Intern Summary: Anagram International (1996). Based on an intern’s recommendation, the company adopted a multiple stage cleaning system and other cost saving process improvements.
Other Resources
- Minnesota Great Printers: These printing companies have pledged to minimize waste, reuse or recycle waste that can’t be eliminated, and maximize energy efficiency. They have committed to projects at their company to provide continuous environmental health and safety improvements.
- Printing Industry of Minnesota (PIM): The association has a voluntary program aimed at increasing environmental, health and safety compliance and pollution prevention within the printing industry. It also has an environmental, health and safety auditing program.
- Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange Web site (P2Rx): This site contains information for both flexography and lithography facilities.
- RadTech: The association for UV and EB technology has an online Printer’s Guide that contains articles on inks, rollers, blankets, curing equipment, radiometry, press set up, best practices, and more.
- Printers’ National Environmental Assistance Center (PNEAC): This center provides information on environmental issues related to the printing, publishing and packaging industry. The organization is no longer funded and the information on this site will not be updated after 2009.