Lean strategies help Trivium Packaging eliminate landfill garbage
Trivium Packaging strengthened its green commitments, supported by Mil-tek!
60% less internal transport at Trivium
Partnering with Mil-tek, Trivium Packaging applied lean methodology outside the production line, achieving zero landfill garbage.
On top of that, internal transport and handling time for trash dropped dramatically.
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“Zero waste to landfill” ambition
Trivium Packaging manufactures metal packaging designed to protect products from top brands and enhance visibility on store shelves. Lean manufacturing is deeply embedded in the operations at its Nottinghamshire facility. The recent project was launched to advance the company’s ambition of achieving zero landfill trash and strengthening its environmental credentials.
When assembled, each product component arrives wrapped in materials like paper, cartons, shrink wrap, and plastic straps. That packaging added up to a large volume of extra trash alongside the parts used in production.
At Trivium Packaging, forklifts and trash buildup became a daily time-consuming activity
On the production line, operators depended on forklifts to shuttle trash from one location to another. This meant that piles of discarded packaging materials often sat along the line, awaiting pickup, while forklifts moved constantly through the area.
The situation raised the safety risks, as management aimed to limit interactions between workers on foot and forklifts.
While staff were responsible for maintaining a clean environment, they often had to leave their stations to manage the never-ending trash stream, or let it stack up near their work area. Either choice distracted from their main production tasks.
Taking action
To uncover the problem Mil-tek was brought in by Trivium’s Safety Team. Using value stream mapping, Mil-tek examined operator routines and the entire process of production. With lean manufacturing already embedded in the site, they showed how 5S thinking could stretch beyond the line itself.
Findings revealed that during each shift, operators left their workstations more than 10 times, covering 300 meters through forklift traffic just to dispose of trash outside. This wasted time away from production was flagged as a major inefficiency. The fix: Mil-tek’s pneumatic separation technology, which compacts trash at its source, eliminating unnecessary travel and mess.
Quick & Seamless Installation, Powerful Results
Mil-tek balers reduced packaging trash by up to 90%, equals far fewer trips outside to remove material. Designed without electrical or hydraulic parts, the Mil-tek machines was easily connected to existing compressed air lines and could be set up right on the production floor for top efficiency.
The results were dramatic: frequent double-digit trips each shift dropped to just a single trip per month.
What started as a lean 5S project evolved into real change – staff became more productive, accident risk was minimized, and trash expenses dropped.
Additional gains
After the strong results of the installation, Trivium expanded Mil-tek’s system to six different areas of the facility – pushing the company even closer to its zero-to-landfill goal.
A simple plan to cut down on unsightly trash turned into much more: lower costs, faster workflows, a reduced carbon footprint, fewer forklifts on the move, fewer trash haulers at the gate, and happier operators overall.
Any questions?
Reach out today to learn how Mil-tek can help your business cut costs, save space, and save time through smarter trash management.
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