In this post:
Green Engineering Innovations
Waste in the Printing and Packaging Industry – The Machines
Used Cartridges, ink&toner – the Big picture
…at the bottom, other posts – First Industry that can go totally GREEN
Signature Offset is a commercial cold-web printer specializing in newsprint products for publishers; including saddle-stitch bindery services, inserting, and mail delivery for all of our products.
It’s the Press!
Using Cold-Set presses vs. Heat-Set reduces VOC’s in the air by 98%.
The cold set presses used by Signature Offset overcome nearly all the environmental challenges posed by the heat set process. What’s more, the quality that cold set press delivers today can be better than a heat set press.
It’s the VOC’s in the INK – Volatile Organic Compounds – health risk to workers
Signature Offset is now using inks with very low VOC’s and bio-renewable soybean based oils: The CentraNews & CentraSoy family of inks from Central Ink Corporation.
It’s the printing press. It is the plastics laminator. It’s the digital office printer. All equipment that is used in Printing and Packaging….. eco printing equipment moving function forward into the sustainable, closed-loop, Circular Economy…..
in the Printing and Packaging industries
NO ONE can use the excuse that there are
“no alternative suppliers”
There are plenty!
What you need is out there, around the globe, “ready to use” and getting better and better all the time. The most important part right now, is to support these new suppliers by buying what you need from them. They need the volume sales to stablize their products and lower their prices.
Buy your vote for planet Earth!
We have reached the point that ALL printing companies can join the Circular Economy – NOW.
There are eco printing equipment companies mentioned in the first post in my Printing & Packaging Industry series: Every Print Shop Can “Go ECO”! NOW! and here are more examples of what I am talking about:
Green Engineering Innovations
Innovation Makes Print Thrive
By: Len Lauer, Chairman & CEO, Memjet
As we begin the new year, the Printing industry’s largest companies are engaged in a takeover battle: Xerox vs. HP. …….
Industry profits in 2019 tell an interesting story. Large printers are struggling to remain profitable. Small printers, on the other hand, are growing their profits. In the third quarter of 2019, profits before taxes for large printers dropped to negative -5.33% of revenues. For small printers, though, profits before taxes rose from 6.74% of revenues in the second quarter to 9.70% in the third quarter.
For these smaller printing shops to sustain this growth, their suppliers must innovate and create printing solutions that can diversify their product offerings, grow their volume and share of the market, and expand into new markets. [From the OEM point of view,] Memjet is well positioned to be the industry’s innovator for color digital printing.
Expand with DuraFlex
MEMJET ® GIVES YOU ALL THE TOOLS TO BUILD
Last year, Memjet introduced a new printing technology called DuraFlex. This technology is affordable yet produces industry-leading speed and quality. Like other Memjet technologies, DuraFlex is modular so that OEMs can develop printing solutions and get them to the market faster and more affordably.
We introduced DuraFlex in September. The next month, our new OEM partner Kirk Rudy was taking orders for its new, low-cost DuraFlex-powered printer—the FireJet 4C—at industry tradeshows. It is that type of speed and innovation that the market needs today. …
The Tipping Point for Inkjet
Expanded Substrates
Ink and Sustainability
The Future is Now
No matter what role your organization plays in the printing industry, stay ahead of your competition by adopting digital inkjet technology in your equipment business in 2020.
DISRUPTING THE WORLD OF DIGITAL INK JET TECHNOLOGY Game Changing
BOBST one of the world’s leading suppliers of substrate processing, printing and converting equipment; services the label, flexible packaging, folding carton and corrugated industries.
Laminating machines
BOBST The continuous success of BOBST laminating machinery is quite simply because the strengths of the equipment are consistent with what is important to its users – ease of operation, high performance, little wastage and low impact on the environment.
Are we on the road to achieving truly sustainable packaging?
… “Recyclability really means mono polymer,” says Eric Pavone, Business Development Director, BU Web Fed at BOBST, “As soon as you mix you have problems. But mono polymers traditionally don’t perform to the level of multi polymer materials. … We need to recover 20 years of engineering as soon as possible to find mono polymer materials that perform as well as today’s packaging, while also ensuring the same machine efficiency in the whole value chain of packaging. It’s a challenge, but one we are making good progress with.”
Partnerships bring progress
BOBST has teamed up with several partners to produce new high barrier mono material flexible packaging solutions designed for recyclability. … The partners include Dow, a resin supplier for the first step in the production chain, Brückner Maschinenbau for the production of the biaxial stretched polypropylene and polyolefin-based films, Hosokawa Alpine for the production of MDO LDPE, ELBA to convert the finished reels into pouches, and Constantia Flexibles to produce metallized high barrier LDPE standup pouches.
The joint project team is working on these innovations utilizing the BOBST Competence Centers for high barrier, printing and lamination to test the viability of the new materials. …
“This is the first of a new generation of mono-material laminates,” says Eric Pavone. “We established a group of partners because this is a pressing challenge and we need to work together and pool our engineering know-how – separately we will get nowhere.”
Competence & demo centers around the world
Brazil: Bobst Latinoamérica do Sul Ltda
China: Bobst (Shanghai) Ltd – Bobst (Changzhou) Ltd
France: Bobst Lyon, France
Germany: Bobst Bielefeld GmbH – Bobst Meerbusch GmbH
India: Bobst India Private Ltd
Italy: Bobst Firenze S.r.l. – Bobst Italia SPA (San Giorgio Monferrato)
Switzerland: Bobst Mex SA
United Kingdom: Bobst Manchester Ltd – Bobst UK & Ireland Ltd
United States: Bobst North America Inc
An Idea before it’s time? Who knows? Apparently Epson, gave up.
Epson Develops the World’s First Office RE-Papermaking System that “Turns Waste Paper into New Paper”
https://global.epson.com/innovation/paperlab/ ……a waterless process of re-making paper
Waste in the Printing and Packaging Industry
– The Machines
Re-manufacturing
There is nothing new about Re-manufacturing, other than the seriousness with which it is now persued as an important part of machine sustainability. It closes the loop!
New and Used Equipment sales
Rebuilding and remanufacturing commercial printing presses EQUIPMENT Sales, Service and Training, even relocation services
Other Companies Move Equipment
GI Tends To Your Business’s Relocation
We are there to ensure that there is minimal interruption and downtime. We will make sure that every piece of that production line is installed (possibly upgraded) and is communicating properly with the other components. Our foundation originates from rebuilding, remanufacturing and installing web presses for over 30 years. We service companies all over the world. Just drop us a line and ask for anything with which you think we could be helpful.
They call it Re-conditioning, but…….
GRAPHIC INNOVATORS RECONDITIONING PROCESS
It starts by taking one of our experienced engineers, who we know is familiar with that specific machine. We know that they are experienced because they were either hired from the manufacturer or have years of hands-on experience with it from their printing or packaging past.
They take extensive notes on the condition of the equipment and write up a report. From there, they present their findings to the owner or potential purchaser of the machine to ensure everyone is on the same page about what needs to be done to bring the machine back to like-new condition.
The equipment first gets a very in-depth cleaning, both for the reconditioning and for ease of process. Then all the issues are addressed, all worn, damaged or obsolete parts are replaced, and consumables swapped out. At this time, we can also do some modifications to a machine to help it fit your exact needs.
Patented Technology to manufacture curbside recyclable, lightweight, and flexible padded mailers. Graphic Innovators has designed a state-of-the-art servo-driven production line that produces up to three sizes of recyclable envelopes with zero trim waste.
The Eco Mailer™ production line is offered with turn-key installation including operator training. To learn more about our production line, please contact us at [email protected] for more information.
Waste in the Printing and Packaging Industry
– The other stuff
OK, we know there are the new suppliers of paper and packaging that take waste into consideration.
What about empty ink & toner containers?
You know how YOU deal with this important waste market, but have you considered the big picture? Possible to find a new idea here?
Think about it………….
There are millions & billions of cartridges of different sizes and shapes!
If all of the used cartridges that have been thrown away were somehow collected and piled up it would be a huge mountain. There would be huge piles of them all over the world, all kinds of plastic that is not compostable, that uses up raw materials….
This is: Waste Is Wealth! Trash Is Cash! Muck Is Money!
The printing industry is dealing with this WasteRush. There are a number of ways to get this stuff back into the system for reuse. Of course part of the reason is legislation and new laws. In many countries this is now regulated by law and requires that you document your waste system as part of other legal business documents each year.
But part of it, is that huge multi-national companies are coming to believe that this is good lucrative business! They are building big companies from this waste….
So please do not throw your cartridges in the garbage…
They really do not belong there. Use them! You can reduce some of the cost of your printing operation. Reuse those materials…it’s not just plastic, it’s metals, the inks,….
You can join this WasteRush in your own office, by finding your own best position in the reverse logistics of ink&toner cartridges. Whether it is just a collection bin in your office or a collection service that you decide to add. Find a program or company that suites your needs! …brings in new customers.
How did this turn into a business?
The resultant customer demand for saving money paved the way for the first attempts at refilling toner cartridges… and a new market was born. LaserLux joined this new market in 1989, operating out of a small barn on the outskirts of Mercedes, TX. It wasn’t long before refilling turned into remanufacturing, as the need for quality began to generate a market for replacement parts and supplies to rebuild these cartridges. What was once a low tech junkyard business has now blossomed into a high tech service and quality oriented business. LaserLux is proud to be one of the oldest and most experienced toner cartridge remanufacturing companies operating in the USA today.
It is Big Business. This is a true example of what the Waste Rush means to us and our planet Earth! It is one of the first new examples of the reverse logistics industry and it is big business!
The RECYCLER, is a trade magazine for the toner and inkjet re-manufacturing and recycling industry. The Recycler focuses on the latest developments in the independent imaging market, from what OEMs are doing to the latest in the dealer channel. The target of our editorial thinking is the independent imaging remanufacturer and producer. Part of the information we provide throughout the year is the Recycler Business Directory.
there are big recyclers with big ideas
Our programs are designed to provide the “reverse logistics” to collect post-consumer products that require material recovery.
Take Back
A partnership with Close the Loop enables your company to benefit from our decades of experience designing and managing product take-back programs.
Recover
The next step is separating materials to a new useable form. At the end of CtL‘s process all material is recovered and put back into the commodities market – actually closing the material loop; putting these materials back to work.
Reuse – Re-make
CtL understands the best form of recycle is reuse. Our processes include being able to identify what needs to happen to an item either to make it useful, or to dispose of it. The rest of the process is to arrange that the collected used products go back into the supply chain, somehow.
How CLOSE THE LOOP has closed the loop for printer cartridges.
Hey!, Close the Loop! Time to open facilities like this in Africa! Have you?
What is a remanfactured cartridge?
A Remanufactured ink or toner cartridge is a used Original Equipment Manufactured (OEM) Cartridge that has been collected, inspected, professionally cleaned, rebuilt, refilled with similar quality ink, and then tested to make sure you get the same print quality as the original cartridge or better. The cartridges that are collected may be disassembled and examined. Many OEM components as possible are reused. The remaining components or those that are not re-useable are sent to recycling facilities.
Thousands of Brokers/Recyclers are collecting cartridges
The process of getting a used cartridge collected for either remanufacturing or, at the very least, recycling has turned into a lot of business. Cartridge recyclers and brokers are everywhere now. They collect cartridges by various means and depending upon the company they remanufacture or recycle or both. Some of these companies are huge, multi-national. Some are small companies like your small print shop. In the UK….
BCMY collects cartridges by various means. One method is Recycle4Charity. A free and easy inkjet recycling programme, that helps its thousands of members raise funds for charity and non-profits. So, whether you’re a single donator, a fundraiser, a charity, a school or a company, why not sign up and start making a difference?
BCMY also has a B2B program called Zero Waste Recycling
Zero Waste Recycling provides a service that will accept all makes and models of used printer cartridges and used consumables. We reuse as many as possible, and recycle the remainder back into their raw material components for reuse in new products.
Zero Waste Recycling charges a collection/pickup fee:
>There are those that may offer free collection, but usually with exceptions and limitations.
>Our unique technology allows us to manage significant volumes for many clients who can closely monitor their accounts with us.
>Our service assists businesses who want to lower their environmental impact and improve their required “duty of care” of printer consumable waste.
But there are so many Brokers/Recyclers/Remanufacturers that it makes sense to do a little research in your specific area:
Empty Express – Empty Inkjet Cartridges – Company Highlights
**Empty Express is one of the world’s leading collectors of virgin and non-virgin empty cartridges.
**We offer the most competitive buyback prices.
**Our inspection and payment are the fastest in the industry
WE WANT YOUR EMPTY CARTRIDGES!
Royce Imaging Industries remanufactures and supplies cartridges
Founded in 1989, Royce Imaging Industries started out by cutting and supplying thermal fax rolls to companies. With the advent of plain paper faxing, the company moved its focus to the remanufacturing of printer consumables.
At Royce Imaging we offer a free collection locally (Gauteng) of your empty toner or inkjet cartridges. We buy various virgin inkjet and laser cartridges.
Please feel free to contact our empties department.
Email: [email protected]
“We offer the most competitive buyback prices” “We buy various virgin inkjet and laser cartridges.” “Sell them outright to us” “CES Buy Back Program Price List” “There are many toner buyer companies able to buy back your unused toner and offer great prices.” “We buy unused toner cartridges with same day payment.” “Surplusink.com wants to buy your unused toner and ink.” “We buy from: Private/small business inkjet sellers, Charity or large inkjet sellers…..”
These are notices only from the companies mentioned in this post. For example, the price lists show prices from $.05 – $1.35 or 0.10 € – 4.60 € per cartridge and fluctuate based on what cartridges are most in demand.
Bottom line, if you are looking for a part to play in the Circular Economy, this could be a good one. Most of the angles for setting up this kind of business have been thought out. You only need to find your collection sources, your buyer sources and decide how it makes sense, in your area of the world, to set up this kind of business in a way that is good for you.
Maybe as part of an online store – a Recycling Program
Recycle Ink & Toner Cartridges! – or – Sell/Donate Your Surplus Supplies!
The Toner Cartridge Depot recycling program is as user friendly as we can make it. You have three choices for disposing of unused and/or empty inkjet and laser printer, fax or copier cartridges.
Sell them outright to us
Donate them to the March of Dimes
Recycle them with us
E-mail: [email protected]
This is how it works:
>You fill in a claim form and send it to us:
>We call you and ship you prepaid UPS labels.
>You pack the cartridges in boxes (no more than 20 pounds per box) and deliver them to UPS. >After receiving the items, within 10 business days, we will send you a check or draw up a charitable contribution.
the OEM companies take back their cartridges and inks and it is not only for their office printers …………….
Canon Cartridge Recycling Programme – EU
Did you know that Canon was the first company to launch a toner cartridge recycling programme back in 1990?
Canon’s toner cartridge recycling programme provides you with a free, easy and environmentally responsible way to recycle your empty Canon toner cartridges.
We are currently offering recycling on all of our consumer products and the imageCLASS and imageFORMULA – small office/home office product lines.
Welcome to Epson’s Cartridge Collection & Recycling Programme
“To conserve valuable environmental resources and reduce waste we aim to collect and recycle as many products and supplies as possible”. Epson has established the collection and recycling programs for cartridges. The programmes consist of single return (via post) and bulk return (via box) collection programmes.
(This page will also tell you if HP has recycling in your region. As an example, here in Israel, It is now possible to recycle 6 items.)
There are phone numbers for various countries on this page, to check: HP Planet Partners Program for Supplies EMEA
To recycle laser toner cartridges by mail, check the packaging your cartridge came in because there should be a mailable envelope enclosed. If you don’t find one, go to the HP recycling page, click “Recycle,” choose your country, your product and “Send in to HP.”
Xerox Green World Alliance
Over the last 20 years, our recycling programs have kept more than 145 million pounds of waste out of landfills. Please recycle locally, or choose one of the options below to return your used items.
Eco Box Returns Single Item Returns Pallet Returns
From the post: Every Print Shop can “Go ECO”! NOW!
We use the Xerox commercial I Gen press. With Xerox, they send us a recycle box that goes back to them. They take the empty toner bottoms and used consumables.
– Greg Barber, Manager and Owner of EcoFriendly Printer
Huge multi-national companies – almost as big as the OEMs above – are in this collection and remanufacturing business……..
Did you know that toner cartridges from CIG: Clover Imaging Group offer you savings and help you lower your carbon footprint? Clover Imaging’s monochrome laser cartridges are remanufactured using 89.6% recycled content and keep money in your pocket. For businesses looking for a high-quality, sustainable product at an affordable price, the choice is clear. We provide independent resellers, OEMs and retailers a level of partnership unsurpassed in the aftermarket imaging space.
Clover Imaging Group (CIG) is presently updating their websites. I will update later……
About Clover
Clover Technologies Group was founded in 1996. Now Clover Imaging Group (CIG) is the global leader in providing resellers, mass merchants and value-added specialty suppliers with total environmental solutions that includes remanufacturing and recycling operations. Clover is the world’s largest collector and recycler of empty ink and toner cartridges. We offer our partners an additional revenue stream using industry’s most advanced and environmentally responsible recycling solutions.
In North America:
Clover Environmental Solutions (CES) is a global leader in reverse logistics.
Clover Environmental Solutions’ role within the Clover Imaging Group (CIG) is to operate collection programs to support product remanufacturing or re-marketing across a rapidly diversifying product portfolio, which include the reuse and recycling of printer cartridges, printer parts, mobile phones, and other small electronics.
How many cartridges does Clover collect?
On average in North America, Clover collects approximately 4.5 million units per month from our various collection programs. Of those, 1.5 million are laser cartridges and 3 million are inkjet cartridges. 100% of the cartridges Clover collects are evaluated for refurbishment. If a cartridge cannot be reused, it is recycled or sold to other re-manufacturers.
Where does Clover remanufacture and recycle cartridges?
Clover remanufactures and recycles in North America. Cartridges are sent to either Mexicali, Mexico or Ithaca, MI, where they are dismantled, remanufactured and/or recycled.
CLOVER EMEA Statistics: May 2017- June 2018
In the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Asia), Clover’s collection programs are called “collecture”:
collecture programs ensure that every item received is reused, remanufactured or recycled in a safe and secure way.
collecture is widely known and recognised throughout the DACH region (D – Germany, A – Austria, CH – Switzerland), but is also operational in the United Kingdom and other European points. With collecture programs, companies can recycle office electronic waste in a simple and secure way.
GIVING NEW LIFE TO CARTRIDGES
Collection as of 2016
In the EMEA, CIG facilities collect and process 3,700,000 + units of printer supplies (toner & ink cartridges plus printer parts) per month, of that Clover Vietnam processes 600,000 toner cartridges per month. Cartridges are collected from hundreds of thousands of collection points and other sources, including customers, strategic partners, third party companies and targeted collection programs. In fact, our collection efforts are so successful, aided in no small part from our strict compliance on WEEE, that we collect much more waste material than is required by regulations for the global remanufacturing of toner cartridges.
What is WEEE (Waste of electrical and electronic equipment)
WEEE is electrical or electronic equipment that has come to the end of its first life cycle, including a range of equipment such as computers, TV’s, fridges, mobile phones and printer cartridges i.e. items that use electricity, usually connected via a plug or battery.
CIG’s response to WEEE
CIG has largely developed its circular economic blueprint around the WEEE directive criteria. CIG business is based on the recovery and collection of WEEE waste, its safe environmental treatment and reducing such waste to landfill, by remanufacturing – producing like new or better inkjet and toner cartridges.
and companies with some interesting ideas ! Really Circular!
It just goes to show how much the Printing and Packaging industries are embracing the “Circular Economy” already! Watch the video here “RETHINK PROGRESS: The Circular Economy”
…..and see evidence of it at work! from >>> Cartridge World is doing it!
WHY BUY AN OFFICE PRINTER?
Never pay for your Printers and Printer Service or Repairs again!
HOW CAN THIS BE?
There is no catch. Simply agree to buy your ongoing printer cartridges from Cartridge World and we will provide you with a printer at NO COST.
A local Cartridge World expert will personally consult with you to find the right brand printers – whether it’s a single printer or an entire printer fleet. Simple agreements, no hidden fees and cancel anytime.
Don’t need a new printer just now? We can adopt your current printer(s)
Our No Cost Printer Program works even when you do not need a new printer right now, by joining our No Cost Printer Program with your own printers we will happily ADOPT your printers and provide FREE parts and maintenance as long as you are buying Cartridge World printer cartridges.
This solution is for you if…
Tired of printer issues including repair costs and downtime
Need to replace a problem/old printer not matching office needs
Looking to save on budget
IT or office management stretched out with tech issues
Done with impersonal service from large printer providers
CONTACT US TO GET YOUR NO-COST PRINTERS AND REMOVE ALL SERVICE ISSUES
A company that really does have offices world-wide
International Opportunities
Cartridge World also appoints Master Franchisees to operate under the global brand and grow our franchise network. As a Master Franchisee, you will grow your business through multiple revenue streams and have the benefit of fully developing and franchising your licensed territory APPLY NOW
How about the Ink and Toner?
Have you thought about the leftover ink and toner in your cartridges? Do you have a storage room full of half used ink?
Toner Connect is a company that specializes in recycling Toner.
A toner cartridge shell costs three liters of oil to manufacture. Now, if you think that’s expensive, wait until you find out how much one ounce of printer ink costs. The cheapest printer ink costs about $13 an ounce — about the cost of a fine Champagne. According to Nine MSN, toner color ink is $36.75 per 6.5mls, and black ink is $24.95 per 4.5mls, putting printer ink at about $5,500 per litre.
An ink or toner company will advise their customers to get rid of their unopened or unused toner or ink cartridges. By throwing them in the garbage? If only they told you that doing this is like throwing cash in the trash!
Did You Know Your Unused Toners Can almost Print Money?
Your unused and unopened toner may not be useful to you, but it can certainly bring you some extra cash if you know where to sell it.
There are many toner buyer companies that are able to buy back your unused toner and offer you great prices. And you’re in luck because surplus toner buyers are looking for your unused toner. It’s worth taking some time to shop around and double check the companies with the most competitive prices and a need for your particular model/Toner.
Sell Unused toner (InkViro Ltd)
* About Us: We buy unused toner cartridges with same day payment: Sell your surplus toner: Unwanted business toners, over-ordered second-hand toner, excess toner cartridges and print consumables. We buy B2B stocks of old, spare, unwanted, excess, unused toner cartridges-imaging transfer kits- fusers & drum units.
* Warehouses & Offices cleared of unused printer cartridges: Call or email us to discuss & arrange a site toner clearance visit. Clearance arranged & no job too big.
* Duty-of-Care documents issued for necessary environmental auditing: – Termed ‘Discards’, unused toners are covered under the Environment Protection Act 1990 & should be recovered by a licensed operator – Essential for ISO14001.
Surplusink.com wants to buy your unused toner and ink.
We buy back all types and models of surplus printing supplies and day to day maintenance parts for copiers and printers with the goal of re-marketing them back into the American and European markets.
Donating or selling your unused ink and toner to us saves them from ending up in the trash. This trash can be Cash.
Feel free to explore our website or better yet: send us your list today and sell your obsolete ink and toner to us! Our operations are located in Pittsburgh, PA. Our European commercial operations are handled from our US office.
InkViro Ltd
Ink Cartridge Recycling with FreePost & Quick Payment Service
Ink Cartridge Recycle: Be GREEN-get PAID We buy from:
1. PRIVATE OR SMALL BUSINESS INKJET SELLERS:
2. CHARITY OR LARGER USER INKJET SELLERS:
3. DONATIONS INK CARTRIDGES TO OUR CHARITY:
>> DUTY-OF-CARE: Our Environment Agency Licence is provided, along with a statement under the Environment Agency Act 1990 : Essential for all, especially businesses with an Environmental Policy and ISO14001-Environmental Best Practice.
Are you handling your cartridge/empty ink container waste in the best way for your business? Would a drop box in your entrance/office not only help recycle used cartridges, but add another revenue source (if small) and also add to your public relations?
touch new suppliers? – find the eco printing equipment you need?
Leading trade fairs for printing technologies. More than half the visitors come with specific investment projects.
dupra 2020 ?New Dates (16-26 June) Messe Düsseldorf, Germany and MORE locations
The Winners!
The first Industry that can go completely Circular…NOW!
Here are a number of posts on the already Sustainable Circular Printing & Packaging industry:
Every Print Shop can “Go ECO”! NOW!
Marketing PRINTING & PACKAGING – Trends ..using sustainable suppliers
INK
ECO Paper
Eco-Packaging
eco-Textile
eco-Plastic
Eco-Printing & Packaging EQUIPMENT
Eco Single-Use