Safety-Kleen Systems Inc. and Quaker Chemical Corp. have joined forces to offer companies in the metalworking industry – including smaller manufacturers that dont typically enjoy the benefits of chemical management services – a blend of products and services from both, including Quaker coolants and periodic visits from Safety-Kleen metalworking specialists.
This program is offered to all Safety-Kleen customers who do metalworking, Vanessa Lepice, director of marketing for Plano, Texas-based Safety-Kleen, told Lube Report. Although we have product and service offerings for any customer in the market, the most significant need for this service is in smaller plants that traditionally dont get much, if any, assistance from coolant distributors or manufacturers.
Safety-Kleen service offerings, in concert with Quaker, include waste minimization, compliance management and cleaning services for large, medium and small plants. Lepice said the two companies marketing and sales departments are working closely together to ensure they offer target customers the most comprehensive solution possible. She explained that Quaker provides Safety-Kleen with expertise in coolant management, and, ensures that we offer our customers the coolant that will maximize the quality and quantity of manufactured parts based on individual machine conditions.
Safety-Kleen developed and patented a more effective and portable coolant management unit to help remove tramp oils and metal fines along with cleaning and sanitizing full sumps and properly disposing of spent coolant, Lepice said. We partnered with Quaker coolant to provide our customers with a premium coolant offering known for its safety and performance.
This program is truly integrated, and both companies will be exchanging products and services as well as expertise, Art Helmstetter, director of planning and marketing for Conshohocken, Pa.-based Quaker Chemical, told Lube Report. We truly feel that this is going to be something that will enhance the safety and competitiveness of a broad range of metalworking manufacturing facilities in the U.S. We feel that this is bringing something to the smaller manufacturers that the big guys have gotten from chemical management services, which Quaker, among others, provides to our target customers.
Chemical management services is a business model in which a customer engages with a service provider in a long-term contract to supply and manage chemicals and related services.
Helmstetter said that, over time, he expected the program to extend beyond their current customer bases and focus industries. Quakers distribution network and our 50 large chemical management programs should also benefit from this broadened service offer, and in turn will bring additional capabilities to the venture, he added.
Lepice described the service as a four step process:
1)Safety-Kleen cleans and sanitizes the sumps and disposes of the spent coolant
2)The company then recharges the sump with the appropriate Quaker coolant (based on customer machining conditions).
3)Safety-Kleen installs a FluidKleen unit that continuously filters the coolant, removing tamps, oils and metal fines.
4)Safety-Kleen metalworking specialists visit the customer on a regular basis to ensure the coolant remains in optimum condition or helps reschedules the next sump service and disposal.