Preventing Corrosion & Welding Spatter Leads to Annual Gains

A Tennessee manufacturer that makes large construction equipment attachments and smaller lawn mower deck attachments was facing several issues related to welding spatter and corrosion. Welding is a major part of their production process, with several welding stations across the facility. The manufacturer required MRO maintenance for both production equipment and the facility. Additional problems were also found in the final assembly and packaging process, leading to equipment corrosion. To address these issues, they brought in the Martin Team to find ways to improve their operation.

Martin first conducted a survey of their existing flammable cabinet and chemical storage, and the plant was toured to identify their chemical needs. They were able to identify a few different high-quality options that could bring better results. The manufacturer switched to using 19 different CRC chemicals and added two welding anti-spatter products to their inventory. These changes led to significant cost savings in four key areas:

Corrosion Prevention

The addition of SP-3S0TM Corrosion Inhibitor protected metal cylinders used in final production and packaging. This prevented the disposal of fifty corroded cylinders, each valued at $200, saving the company $10,000.

Labor Cost Reduction

Implementing Weld-Kleen® 350 Anti-Spatter in the welding process eliminated welding spatter, which reduced the grinding labor before the downline paint process. The labor savings were calculated at 0.5 hours per equipment piece at $25 per hour, for 20 pieces per week over 52 weeks, totaling $13,000 in labor cost reductions.

Compliance Savings

CRC is the only chemical manufacturer that provides Safety Data Sheets (SDS) on the back label of the can. This change resulted in a documented compliance savings of $400 due to the conversion of the flammable cabinet.

Training Savings

Twenty maintenance and production employees received training on Aerosol Chemical Safety. CRC provides free training, which resulted in documented cost savings of $1,800 (calculated at $90.00 per employee).

By addressing their chemical needs and providing targeted solutions, the Tennessee manufacturer saw significant improvements in both compliance and cost efficiency. The Martin Team was able to create over $25,000 in estimated total cost savings in the first year.

To learn more about how Martin can help you save, contact your Martin Sales Rep or call 800.828.8116.