Carestream Contract Manufacturing specializes in the application of aqueous and solvent coatings on flexible substrates for a wide range of industrial, medical, electronic and other advanced materials applications. Sustainability is a top priority for our company and all facets of our business including economic, social and environmental.

Carestream Contract Manufacturing strives to offer its customers solutions that are sustainable over time, with cost-efficiencies built into the process. Our specialized technology, expertise and equipment make it possible for customers to find significant economies of scale by partnering with us to provide the services they cannot efficiently do in-house. We work hard to address the needs of our customers, employees and neighbors. Activities under Carestream’s Volunteerism Policy have given way to our “Carestream Cares” program, supporting positive social engagement. Through this program, Carestream and its employees have donated over $3.3M to local social causes.

To promote environmental sustainability, Carestream Contract Manufacturing takes concrete steps to assure responsible resource management and to minimize our carbon footprint. Our process engineers streamline machine time for efficiencies and our chemists develop formulations that are resource-optimized to achieve the desired effect and performance values without waste. We devise coating and manufacturing methods that conserve energy and materials wherever possible, and we manage our waste with care.

Polyester Scrap Reuse: Colorado

For many years, polyester scrap produced as a result of trimming the edges of film rolls was recycled back into the manufacturing process as “clean scrap” plastic and melted into the virgin plastic raw material stream.  While this captured a large percentage of waste for recycling purposes, additional scrap was produced between roll changes and on new products.  The Colorado team analyzed the situation and implemented new equipment to manage these additional recycling opportunities.  After a final validation activity, a higher clean scrap feed rate was introduced into the manufacturing process.  As a result, the clean scrap feed increased 400 percent.  Not only did this reduce the need to dispose of scrap, but it also reduced the demand for virgin raw materials.

Solvent Recovery and Reuse: Oregon

Solvents are used at the Oregon site in order to make dispersions that can be applied or coated as layers onto thin plastic sheets (such as x-ray film).   These solvents are transported to the site in large rail road tankers or similar containers.  During the mixing and coating processes, any waste solvent liquid is captured (recovered) with the intent of reuse (by Carestream or by a down-stream user).  In 2015, upgrades have expanded the utilization of previously “line-dedicated” solvent recovery equipment by automating the solvent flow management.  Now, different waste streams can be segregated by purity level and reused in the manufacturing process (high purity cleaning solvents) or in the mixing department (lower purity cleaning solvents).  This flexibility has enabled a 30% increase in the recovery and reuse of over 3,000 gallons per month of solvents previously destined for disposal.

By implementing a Sustainability Program we communicate more effectively with our customers and other stakeholders. The program also helps us align with new ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System standards and emerging regulations.

These are just some examples of initiatives we have implemented to reduce our environmental impact. Sustainability in business means acting responsibly in economic, social and environmental practices so that the business can thrive while protecting the interests of others and the planet.