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The Argos Atlanta Plant is always looking for alternative sources for lower cost raw materials to improve the cost structure of the plant while improving product performance. Gypsum has always been a problematic raw material for the plant to use. Most cement plants are able to utilize the low cost synthetic gypsum generated from power plants, costing less than $10/mt in most cases. The design and layout of the Atlanta Plant prohibits the use of synthetic gypsum, so the plant used natural gypsum costing $53.58/MT.
In order to get bulk raw materials to the finish mill the material must pass through 12 transition points.Synthetic gypsum has a very sticky moist consistency. It was tried many times but was always cost prohibitive, because of the manpower it took to move it through the system.
Innovate ideas sometime come to us in the middle of the night…but sometimes they come to us during deep thought and concentration.
The Atlanta Plant was contacted by a representative from Kohler, a world leader in the manufacturing of bathroom fixtures. The representative explained they had a waste stream that had the same chemical make up as synthetic gypsum but with physical properties of natural gypsum.After receiving samples and conducting a battery of test, including a third party environmental analysis. We did decided to visit the Kohler plant in South Carolina to learn the process. We quickly discover Kohler’s principles aligned very closely with Argos.
Kohler uses pure Plaster of Paris and water to make molds for their bathroom fixtures. The molds are filled with a liquid clay called “slip”. The Plaster of Paris in the molds wicks the water from the slip allowing the clay to harden producing a “green” fixture that will be eventually baked in a kiln. After approximately 100 fixtures are produced the mold can no longer efficiently wick out the moisture. The molds are destroyed and landfilled.
Harnessing a Trend: Many companies are going to a no landfill policy.
The Atlanta Plant conducted a large trial to prove the Kohler Gypsum (a.k.a Potty Gyp) was a viable source of lower cost gypsum. Kohler agreed to provide the gypsum at no cost to the plant. Argos agreed to pay the freight from South Carolina, $23/ST. The plant initially used a small skid loader mounted crusher to process the gypsum into a usable form. Further innovation was required to speed up this process.
The employees at the Atlanta Plant took an unused reclaim system and converted it into a gypsum crusher. The plant can now process the low cost gypsum about 10 times faster and much more efficiently.
This relationship has helped Kohler eliminate about 1,400 st of material that would have been landfilled and moving them closer to achieving their zero landfill goal. Argos Atlanta Plant consumes about 1,400 st of gypsum annually, matching the Kohler’s South Carolina Plant’s waste stream rate almost exactly.Argos has benefit from the cost savings as well, close to $43,000.
