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John Deere Horicon Manufacturing Operations
Envirocrate® - Reusable
Shipping Containers |
| Standard Industrial Classification
(SIC) |
General manufacturing - lawn and garden
tractors /3524 |
| Type of Waste |
Wood and metal crating |
| Strategy |
Material substitution |
| Company Background |
John Deere Horicon Manufacturing Operations
has been located in the Horicon area for over 75 years and is the world's largest lawn and
garden tractor manufacturer. The factory employs close to 1,500 people and covers an area
of more than one million square feet. |
| Original Process |
Riding mowers, lawn tractors and commercial
lawn care equipment are manufactured at the Horicon facility. These products were
previously shipped from the plant in disposable containers made of wood and metal crating.
Many John Deere dealers found it increasingly difficult to dispose of this material. |
| Motivation |
John Deere sought to reduce on-going
material, manufacturing, and disposal costs associated with the original packaging. They
also sought to reduce dealer shop labor for uncrating and setup of the product, and to
promote environmental benefits resulting from waste reduction. John Deere was especially
concerned with reducing the amount of product packaging to be landfilled. |
| Pollution Prevention Process |
John Deere developed a reusable shipping
container, called the Envirocrate®, made of a welded steel design, with E-coat
and powder paint coverage. Each Envirocrate® is expected to be reused 13 times
during a ten-year life. The containers can be folded after use to a height of six inches
and stacked 16 high until they are shipped back to the factory for reuse. |
| Stage of Development |
The current project covers the first phase
of a two-phase program that will eliminate disposable (wood and metal) crating on all of
John Deere's North American small and mid-size ride-on lawn and grounds care equipment. |
| Level of Commercialization |
The Envirocrate® was designed
by Horicon Manufacturing Operations employees. The design is covered under a patent issued
in 1989 for a returnable shipping stand for lawn and garden tractors. Manufacture of the
Envirocrates® is done in-house and began in June 1994. |
| Material/Energy Balance |
Original Process
Feedstock
Wood and metal used in making disposable crates.Waste
Wood and metal crating
Disposal
Landfilled or sent to a recycler (depending upon the receiving state's laws)
Pollution Prevention Process
Feedstock
None
Waste
None
Disposal
None. Envirocrates® will eliminate 2,300 tons of wood and 2,200 tons of steel
crating annually. |
| Economics |
Capital Costs
Capital costs were $9.5 million for this project.Operation/Maintenance
Costs
Retailers pay a $10 user fee each time the containers are used. The factory pays for
return freight, maintenance and repair. The annual disposable crating cost avoidance will
be $3.5 million; the annual dealer fee will be $1 million; and the annual return, storage,
and maintenance costs will be $2.0 million.
Payback Period
The payback period for this project is calculated to be 4.5 years. |
| Benefits |
The use of Envirocrates® has
reduced disposal costs and dealer shop labor, and has resulted in substantial waste
reduction. |
| Obstacles |
Exported products will continue to be
shipped in disposable crating for at least the short-term due to prohibitive return
freight costs. |
| Technology Transfer |
Although the Envirocrate® is
covered by a patent issued in 1989, other companies can develop reusable shipping
containers for their own uses. |
| Other Pollution Prevention
Activities |
The replacement of wet spray painting with
a combination of powder painting and the purchase of parts with the color already molded
into them to decrease volatile organic compounds is currently being investigated. |
| Company Address |
John Deere Horicon Manufacturing Operations
203 East Lake Street
Horicon, Wisconsin 53032 |
| Contact Person |
Ellen DeMers
414/485-5750 |
| Pollution Prevention Resources |
Free, On-site Technical Assistance
University of Wisconsin Extension
Solid and Hazardous Waste Education Center
Milwaukee area: 414/475-2845
Remainder of state: 608/262-0385Pollution Prevention
Information Clearinghouse
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Hazardous Waste Minimization Program
608/264-8852, 608/267-9523 or 608/267-3763 |
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Bureau of Cooperative Environmental Assistance
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 7921
Madison, WI 53707
608/267-9700
PUBL-TS-035 95 |
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