McCOOK METALS, L.L.C.

Wastewater Hauling Reduced by More Than 95% with UF System

When Reynolds Aluminum owned McCook Metals' facility it spend about $600 per day in hauling fees to dispose of an average of 3,000 gallons of wastewater each day. This year, the McCook facility, which is owned by Michigan Avenue Partners (M.A.P.) reduced those costs more than 95 percent. The difference? Michigan Avenue Partners, which has a reputation of "thinking outside of the box", installed an ultrafiltration (UF) system developed, built and maintained by Arbortech Corporation of McHenry, Illinois.

McCook Metals, L.L.C, a M.A.P. company, in McCook , Illinois, casts, rolls and processes aluminum sheet and plate for the aerospace, defense, general manufacturing and distributor markets. Its metal processing operations require a high volume of water. Prior to installing the Arbortech system, McCook stored wastewater in 50,000-gallon tanks, then paid to have it hauled away. "We had assumed in prior years that waste hauling fees were simply an ongoing part of our normal overhead costs." said Matt Ochalski, president of McCook Metals. "We began to search for a way to bring those down, but whatever we'd do had to work without increasing the maintenance hours. We found Arbortech, and what a find that turned out to be."

Arbortech's experts spent several months assessing McCook's needs, devising ways to overcome treatment technique hurdles, then conducting rigorous pilot scale testing. Arbortech installed an extremely sophisticated, highly customized ultrafiltration system at McCook, with controls and automation that allow for remote monitoring and operation. Instrumentation reports are accessed and downloaded daily at Arbortech's facility in McHenry, and appropriate measures are taken to keep the system functioning at peak performance... at a distance of more than 50 miles from the McCook plant site.

Arbortech runs, cleans and maintains the system and also provides telephone direction to guide McCook's personnel through any required onsite system adjustments. McCook's daily responsibilities are essentially limited to checking the area to ensure the integrity of the overall system and keeping the chemical tanks filled. The Arbortech UF system has resulted in dramatic cost savings - and cost benefits. Hauling expenses in the year 2000 were reduced by more than 95%, and zero dollars have been spent since July, 2000.

"That's fantastic performance. I'm truly impressed with what they've done for us. I'm so pleased with our success that I've put Arbortech in touch with all three of our sister locations in hopes that they can work miracles for them too. This is how all equipment should work. This is how all companies should support their products."

"...fantastic performance... this is how all equipment should work..."

3607 Chapel Hill Road
McHenry, IL 60051-2515
(815)385-0001 Fax (815)385-0089
sales@arbortech.com

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