Page 2 - BASF-CHEMETALL Glass Washer Sanitation Case Study Digital

Chemetall adds value and increases process efficiency (Case study)

A Chemetall customer, who is a U.S. automotive glass
fabricator and a global leader in the glass industry, supplies
glass to many of the most important car manufacturers in
the world. This facility represents the hallmark of quality in
automotive OEM and replacement glass. The corporate
values parallel those of Chemetall: an emphasis on quality,
operational excellence, sustainability, integrity, customer-
centricity, and most importantly, an innovative approach
when developing solutions to encountered challenges.

Dip slide showing bacterial contamination.

This particular glass plant manufactures and supplies the
automotive glass for the rear window of a popular pickup
truck. Chemetall was already providing glass grinding
coolants and interleaving technology, so Chemetall was
on-site when the customer began experiencing bacterial
contamination in one of the automatic glass washers in
their glass manufacturing process line.

Biofilms had accumulated in the spray nozzles, not only
Chemetall is the Surface Treatment global business unit of interfering with the efficiency of the wash quality, but also
the Coatings division of BASF, a leading supplier of emitting a very bad odor. In keeping with the environmental
applied surface treatments for metal, plastic, and glass and sustainability commitments of both the customer and
substrates in a vast range of industries and end markets. Chemetall, as well as the local water district rules, only EPA
Chemetall innovates, develops, manufactures, and provides approved biocides were considered.
best-in-class technologies, systems, and expertise.
Chemetall’s Bret Penrod, Glass Segment Manager, North
America, and expert John Mulhearne, Business Segment
Manager, Food Group, combined their considerable insights
to investigate further. First, they initiated on-site testing
with dip slides and water samples, and sent them to the
Chemetall laboratory in New Providence, New Jersey,
for analysis.

Once the Chemetall team received the lab results and
had clarity on the challenge, the next step was to take
corrective action. They extensively researched and
eventually referenced a previous “off-label” success with
an EPA approved biofilm removal and bioremediation
technology, commonly used for disinfecting food
manufacturing equipment. Through this specific solution,
the glass washer biofilm issues had been successfully
mitigated at other plants.

Chemetall expert Chris Billups, Technical Sales Manager,
stated, “Now that the washer is clean and free of bacteria,
Spray nozzles are plugged with a heavy bio-slime. The biofilm is white in we are collaborating with the Food Group to thoroughly
color and can be seen in the photo above the nozzles. evaluate methods keep the washer clean and sanitized
on an ongoing basis.”

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