Parkinson Technologies Sustainability

At Parkinson Technologies, sustainability has become a prominent focus for all company employees as we reshape our industry with respect to our current and future natural environment. We recognize the importance of sustainable manufacturing and production processes in protecting our earth, and consistently strive for improvement to enact positive environmental change.

Sustainability refers to meeting the needs of the present moment without depleting natural resources necessary to keep the same level of well-being for future generations. To run a business sustainably requires three main pillars:

• Environmental Sustainability- This aspect focuses on reducing any negative impact of business activities on the environment. It includes minimizing greenhouse gas emissions, adopting renewable energy sources, implementing waste reduction strategies, and promoting eco-friendly practices through the supply chain.
• Social Sustainability- This branch of sustainability refers to a company’s responsibility toward its employees, stakeholders, and surrounding communities. This means treating employees fairly through providing safe working conditions and employee benefits, ensuring ethical supply chain practices which respect human rights, and supporting local community development initiatives.
• Economic Sustainability- This facet involves maintaining the long-term financial health of a business. It includes the considerations of profitability, responsible financial management, and insurance that the business model is resilient to economic change.

While Parkinson Technologies has consistently practiced social and economic sustainability since we began over 150 years ago, we recognize that environmental sustainability is the most important area to focus our current efforts toward. As a company involved with the production of polymer films and sheets, paper and nonwoven materials, we acknowledge our additional responsibility in researching and promoting eco-friendly alternatives to traditional production routes. This means putting time, effort, and resources into minimizing our own carbon footprint while promoting new methods through which our entire industry can have a paradigm shift toward greater environmental conservation for future generations.

At Parkinson Technologies, we pledge to make environmental sustainability a top priority for our company. Our hope is to achieve a sustainable future for the film and sheet, paper, and nonwovens industries that is also more eco-friendly to the environment. To accomplish this, we are doing our part in supporting and promoting the research of biodegradable polymer materials that could completely transform the environmental impact of the industry.

A biopolymer is made from renewable biomass resources including corn, starch, sugarcane, vegetable fats and oils, and even algae. It is considered to be more naturally sustainable, as it is composed of all renewable resources and can often biodegrade at a much more rapid pace than traditional plastic polymers. There are various types of these biopolymers, including biodegradable polymers, which break down into the natural elements of water and CO2, and bio-based polymers, which are formed from renewable resources but might not necessarily biodegrade.

At Parkinson, our technology lab is available for testing of these biodegradable polymers so that our customers have the opportunity to achieve more easily degradable polymer solutions for their products. Our aim is to contribute to this field of research as much as possible and we look forward to increasing our partnerships with bio-based polymer producers in the coming years. As an initiative for doing so, we plan to offer complimentary feasibility trials in our laboratory for all biopolymer manufacturers, in an affiliation recognized as the “Biopolymer Partnership.” If these companies have intentions to produce sustainable bio-based polymer materials for a greener earth, we want to support these efforts to help them deliver the results necessary to create real environmental change.

What is the circular economy?

The circular economy is an economic model designed to keep products, materials, and resources in use for as long as possible. This system directly contrasts with the traditional linear economy, where products are directly disposed of as waste after use.It operates on three main principles:

• Elimination of waste and pollution- Products are designed with durability to have longer lifespans. Reuse, refurbishment, and remanufacturing is encouraged once products reach the end of their initial use.
• Resource efficiency and recycling- Materials are circulated at their highest value, meaning each resource is used in the most efficient manner possible. Recycling and upcycling materials are encouraged, minimizing the need for new raw materials.
• Regeneration and restoration- Natural systems and ecosystems are regenerated, ensuring the replenishment of resources and the preservation of the environment for future generations.

At Parkinson Technologies, participating in the circular economy is an important part of the process of aligning our company with its high sustainability values. Partnering with other companies seeking out bioplastic solutions is one thing, but the circular economy calls us to be a part of the solution ourselves. In doing so, our laboratory is filled to the brim with state-of-the-art equipment specially designed with the intention of reducing waste, maximizing efficiency, and saving energy so that our process of film and sheet production is just as environmentally conscious upstream as the material produced later on.

As sustainability becomes increasingly important across every industry, Parkinson Technologies is actively embracing the concept of the circular economy for the film and sheet markets. By transitioning from a linear model to a circular one, we are closing the loop and creating a more sustainable system of reduction, regeneration, and renewability of resources used in the plastics, paper, and nonwovens industries. Each of our four brands of equipment contribute to this new economy in their own unique way:

• Marshall and Williams- In order to reduce raw material consumption, our Marshall and Williams biax orientation line optimizes production processes to maintain precise control over material thickness and minimize the possibility of unnecessary waste.
• Dusenbery- Our Dusenbery slitter rewinder equipment reduces packaging waste through enabling precision in the cutting and customization of packaging films or papers.
• Parkinson Winders- The specialized Parkinson Winders turret winder technology contributes to enhanced efficiency, achieving higher productivity with minimal energy consumption.
• Key Filters- Our Key Filters brand of screen changer melt filtration devices effectively removes contaminants from the raw materials used in plastic production, minimizing waste and contributing to a more resource-efficient production process overall.

In summation, our advanced technology at Parkinson, including biax orientation and conversion equipment, turret winding systems, and screen changer melt filtration, is specially designed with waste reducing and energy-saving features. When combined with bio-based polymer films, this resourceful technology will successfully pave the way for an environmentally sustainable future for Parkinson Technologies and all other companies involved with the plastic film and sheet, paper, and nonwovens industries.

To learn more about the specific lines of machinery designed for our brands at Parkinson Technologies and how they each actively contribute to the circular economy, please visit the linked article or reach out to our engineers by filling out the contact form below.