Significant reduction in thinner purchase and disposal costs ! A recycling rate of up to 90% contributes to cost reduction at the plant
2023/08/18
溶剤再生
Mitsubishi Chemical Infratec Co., Ltd
Left: Norikazu Aoyama, General Manager of Ueda Plant
Right: Masayuki Kobayashi,
General Manager of Coating Section, Manufacturing Department

In response to the continued rise in organic solvent prices and special industrial waste outsourcing fees, many factories are working to reduce costs, but it is surprisingly unknown that waste organic solvents can be recycled in-house.
Mitsubishi Chemical Infratec Co., Ltd., which provides comprehensive building material solutions such as heating and cooling pipe products, facility equipment products, civil engineering, waterproofing, and reinforcement products, and functional materials, was one of the first to introduce our vacuum distillation recovery unit (CA-103V).
The company has been recycling and reusing resources through the solvent recovery unit, mainly thinners used for cleaning after painting in its factories.
We therefore visited the company's Ueda facility to ask about the background to the installation of the solvent recovery unit and its operating status.
Details of the CA103-V can be viewed here.

Please tell us about Mitsubishi Chemical Infratec Co., Ltd.'s business.
Mitsubishi Chemical Infratec Co., Ltd. utilizes the comprehensive strength of the Mitsubishi Chemical Group to manufacture materials for construction, civil engineering, and industrial applications, while focusing on strengthening and promoting one-stop services in the fields of construction and building materials.
What challenges did you face before introducing the CA103-V?
Our company has a painting process and uses a lot of thinner to clean guns and equipment after painting. The cost of purchasing thinner for this cleaning, as well as the cost of disposing of used waste thinner, was huge.
In addition, due to the effects of long-term inflation, we were troubled by the high purchase prices of raw materials for paint and thinner and the rising cost of disposing of waste, so we had to reduce costs at the factory.
So, together with the factory manager at the time, we were looking for ways to reduce costs, and when we found out that we could use Kobex's products to recycle waste paint and thinner, we approached them for advice.

Did you have any worries or concerns when introducing the CA103-V?
When recycling and reusing waste paint and thinner, residue is produced, and we had to find a company to handle that waste, which was a challenge.
If the residue hardens, industrial waste disposal companies tend to be reluctant to take it away due to processing rules.
However, Kobex's products are very helpful because they allow us to control the residue just right during distillation recycling.
What was the deciding factor in purchasing the CA103-V?
I had heard that there were similar products overseas, but Kobex was the only company that had solvent recycling equipment made in Japan that could meet the standards of Japanese factories, so we introduced the CA103-V without any hesitation.
We did consider purchasing products from overseas, but in order to install it in our factory, we would have to submit a huge amount of paperwork to the government in order to meet the Fire Service Act and explosion-proofing requirements. Considering the unfamiliar paperwork and labor costs, we decided that it was not realistic to introduce solvent recycling equipment from overseas.
We also considered outsourcing the recycling of waste paint and thinner to an external company, but the cost-effectiveness of installing the recycling equipment in-house was also a deciding factor in introducing the CA103-V.

What do you think after actually using the CA103-V?
I've been using it for eight years now, and apart from the included consumables, the device is sturdy and has never broken down. Normally, devices that handle paints and other solvents are prone to malfunction, so I was surprised at how sturdy Kobex's products are.
It's also very easy to operate, and once you've set it up, it works with the push of a button, which is great for the field.
Have you seen any cost savings?
Yes, it has been very effective. As this is confidential I cannot give you a specific cost-effectiveness figure, but we recovered the break-even point for the cost of purchasing the CA103-V in just over a year.
Another advantage of the CA103-V is that it makes it easy to keep track of specific cost savings on a daily basis in graphs.

Finally, I would like you to give a message to companies that have not yet installed solvent recycling equipment or are considering doing so.
Amid accelerating inflation, especially in resources, due to the current social situation, I think Kobex's solvent recycling equipment is a reliable ally in reducing expenses.
In addition, Kobex's solvent recycling equipment recycles a wide range of waste liquids, including first and second class petroleum products, at a very high rate.
Furthermore, they will provide a custom design tailored to the circumstances of each company, so it should be easy to install solvent recycling equipment within a factory. Our company also plans to use Kobex's solvent recycling equipment not only at our factory in Ueda City, but also at factories and group companies in other cities, including overseas.
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