May 2, 2007 -- MAN Roland’s new line of Solvent Recyclers lets be environmentally and financially sound. The eco-friendly innovation from the pressmaker’s printservices division reduces solvent consumption costs up to 90 percent, while virtually eliminating the need for solvent disposal. In operation, the Solvent Recyclers clean used blanket and cylinder wash-up fluids for safe and cost-effective reuse. An off-press self-contained process, solvent recycling separates spent wash-up fluid into its component parts: solvents that can be put back to work on press, distilled water that can be safely drained, and waste debris that requires no special disposal process. The rewards: harmful chemicals released into the environment are minimized, solvent disposal costs drop to virtually zero, and the need for new solvent is drastically reduced or eliminated with the use of a replenishing product. Rapid Recovery Those advantages have been noted by full-service printer Rapid Impressions in Broadview, Illinois. “We currently utilize two barrels of press solvent per week,“ says Jim Kosowski, the company’s president. “At a cost of $350-$400 per barrel, there is a tremendous cost savings to be realized.” But environmental concerns also drove Rapid Impressions’ decision to purchase a Solvent Recycler from MAN Roland’s printservices. “Solvent is one of the major VOC constituents in our facility,” Kosowski notes. Once the recycler is installed, Rapid Impressions won’t have to worry about safely disposing those VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Its new MAN Roland device will put them back to work in the press clean-up cycle. A MOSAIC of Benefits In Cheverly, Maryland, printing communications firm MOSAIC is installing the Solvent Recycler as the latest in a long line of eco-friendly developments. ”MOSAIC is a very environmentally focused company having been a leader in Waterless Printing since 1994,” says Dale Ford, the company’s president. Ford pointed to two main reasons why MOSAIC selected a MAN Roland recycler from printservices, as opposed to another brand: “The footprint of the unit, coupled with the fact that it can reside within our pressroom for ease of use, influenced our decision.” MOSAIC projects that it will save somewhere around $25,000 a year in solvent costs and another $10,000 yearly in disposal expenditures by utilizing the MAN Roland Solvent Recycler. Winning the Space Race Meanwhile, Rapid Impressions uncovered another economic perk. “There are costs associated with solvent storage and disposal, and we are currently tight for space,” Kosowski says. “Waste drums take up space and must be collected to get a decent rate on disposal. Furthermore, to realize decent solvent pricing, we need to buy in four drum minimums.” Rapid Impressions had initially purchased a recycling system from another manufacturer. “We installed the system and were not able to get a single drum of usable solvent in a two month period,” Kosowski recalls. “We decided to try the MAN Roland system and brought a 25 gallon sample to the MAN Roland facility. With no adjustments and no problems, the MAN Roland system processed the solvent. We immediately requested the other manufacturer remove their system. We are eagerly waiting the arrival of our MAN Roland Solvent Recycler.” The payback will make it worth the wait. “We expect that the system will pay for itself in 12-to-16 months in solvent usage alone,” Kosowski estimates. A Greener Business Outlook Solvent recycling can also be a business builder. Most marketers want to project a greener image to their customers and prospects. So they increasingly seek out printers who take the extra step to protect the ecosystem. A MAN Roland Solvent Recycler from printservices can become an environmentally friendly selling point on a plant tour, and a way to ensure that a printer’s green reputation stays spotless. The MAN Roland Solvent Recycler automates the recovery process so it entails virtually no extra labor costs. Press crews merely have to switch out drums of dirty solvent for containers of recovered solvent, and occasionally remove solids from the device. A microprocessor controls the simple process, so no monitoring is required. Used solvent is transferred to a distillation tank where it is heated. The solvent vaporizes, leaving residue behind. A condenser cools the vapor back into a liquid, a separator removes and drains excess water, and the recovered solvent flows into a clean drum for reuse. “Nothing could be simpler or more reliable,” says Kevin Crawley, Manager, printservices Development & Delivery, “The MAN Roland Solvent Recycler literally takes care of itself, and can pay for itself in mere months — all while protecting the environment and the printer’s reputation as well.” MAN Roland printservices offers a free guide to solvent recycling, which can be downloaded as a PDF at manroland.com/eco. Printed copies can be obtained by calling MAN Roland at 1.800.700.2344.