General Motors recently presented FTS Technologies with its Environmental Excellence Award for introducing an energy-efficient technology that allows paint to stick to plastic vehicle parts without a traditional chemical adhesion system. The process is used on the Chevrolet Volt, Sonic and Cruze and has helped GM’s supply base dramatically reduce waste and emissions that typically accompanies painting.
We talked to Russell Brynolf, CEO of FTS, about this innovative technology.
Q: What is the long-term impact on the automotive industry as more companies adopt this flame treatment technology?
A: The long-term impact is an overall improvement to the environmental sustainability of the automotive paint process, both at an OEM and Tier Supplier standpoint. Flame treatment aids in the goal of moving toward achieving zero waste to landfill from manufacturing facilities in a way that does not add any cost to the overall manufacturing process. In fact, costs are reduced and efficiencies improved.
Q: What is your vision for greening the supply chain and where do you see your role in that process?
A: Firstly, as a company we have to stay realistic and focused on what we do best. Secondly, we must continue to be innovative in both our technologies and process to ensure we stay relevant and sensitive to the fast-changing global automotive industry and the environmental goals of each of our customers. By partnering together we can achieve great things, whether in energy reduction, waste stream reduction, or simply in process efficiency improvements. It all makes for a healthier, more viable industry.
Q: Tell us a little more about your technology and how it helps suppliers reduce their environmental impact.
A: It provides the means to modify the surface structure of the plastic material, promoting superior adhesion and compatibility with coating technologies. This benefit eliminates the need for primers or adhesion promoters, which are environmentally damaging across the entire waste stream. You have regulated and permitted air emissions of VOCs and HAPS, or CO2 emissions, and huge energy consumption from the destruction of those vapors in thermal oxidizers. There is also solid waste in the form for paint sludge, all of which needs special containment and disposal.
As such, General Motors implemented the use of flame treatment technology for the Chevrolet Cruze, Volt, and Sonic. It was applied on the instrument panels and door panels for these vehicles via several Tier 1 suppliers. The result was an immediate and significant reduction in airborne emissions and solid waste, and doing so without compromising product quality, performance, or cost. If fact, it is fair to say that the overall manufacturing cost was significantly reduced for each of the suppliers.
Q: Solvents provide an industry-wide challenge, yet you were able to cut them out of the paint process. How were you able to eliminate their use?
A: The solvent usage in the overall paint process is reduced significantly in at least two areas. First, in the complete elimination of the primer or adhesion promoter; and second, taking the adhesion promoter out of the paint system eliminates the need for solvent flushing/cleaning of those paint lines. Solvent usage still exists with other paint-line functions, but total usage is significantly reduced via the use of flame treatment.
Q: Your involvement in the Suppliers Partnership for the Environment meetings played a key role in getting this technology implemented on a broader scale. Can you speak to the importance of collaboration and coming together on a regular basis to share best practices?
A: Suppliers Partnership for the Environment provides my company, and all other member companies, a unique forum to discuss and collaborate on ideas, projects, and initiatives that can be used to benefit everyone in the industry. Each member company has something to offer, whether it’s a product or a service. Maybe that individual product or service is all that’s needed to have a meaningful environmental impact and the forum of companies provides the means to communicate it to the right people. Or, as in most cases, a collection of companies realize the unique benefits each one offers and collaborate to produce the product or service needed to satisfy and particular need. Combining forces enables new ideas and technologies to have a meaningful impact up and down the supply chain, improving environmental impact, improving manufactured products, and improving relationships between huge OEMs and relatively small companies like FTS Technologies.
For me personally, I am proud to be the elected vice chairman of SP. Everyone involved is passionate in their own way about greening the supply chain and as such we share, take pride, and gain encouragement in each other’s achievements. When we all come together there are no job titles in the room, just like-minded individuals with the same basic issues and objectives. It’s the only group I’m aware of that breeds success every week, month, and year.
Q: You’re Michigan-based; tell us a little more about your company and what led you here.
A: FTS Technologies is a small company with locations in Whitmore Lake, MI, and Adelaide, South Australia. Its primary focus is on the surface treatment of plastic parts, predominantly within the automotive industry, to improve properties of adhesion. FTS has been in business for more than 10 years, but offers more than 45 years of surface treatment, specifically flame treatment, experience.
With Michigan being the historic nerve center of all things automotive, it seemed a natural fit to locate the business here. Expansion has taken us to operate a sales office in Adelaide, South Australia, as well as form important strategic alliances in China. Today’s business environment is completely global, but our manufacturing networks, R&D centers, and environmental stewardships all have their roots in Michigan, only now we reach out to all the automotive hotspots.
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