The Coastal Wipers Family - People

I would like to introduce you to some of the other people that have helped to make Coastal Wipers the special place it is today and to some of the activities we enjoy throughout they year.

First and foremost our founder and president Gary Smiles, who started the company some 30 years ago. He has as good an understanding of the ever changing wiper marketplace as anyone on the planet and keeps us all on stable and solid ground. We are excited to have his son David leading us as well. He continues to bring new and exciting concepts that help us grow and improve everything that we do. They have been great to work and grow with and have been well grounded, super people to work with.

Toni is our Administrative Team Leader and has now been with the company over  27 years! Her humor and personality always keeps everybody rolling over. Her assistant Brenda is going on her 2nd year and her southern lady voice and disposition has her fitting in quite well with everybody else upfront and in the back. In october I will have been with Coastal for 19 years!!! OMG, where does the time go?

Dennis our Operations Team Leader has been with us for 7 years, but comes with decades more experience. His north of the border nature is fun to be around his hard work ethic keeps us rolling. Tommie our Production Team Leader has been with us for over 22 years. Without her, nothing would get processed and her patience and cool attitude have kept the warehouse as tight as glue.

Kevin is our Shipping Team Leader and has been with us for almost 5 years. Famous for his backflips, he is as sharp as they come and is funny as heck. RD has 18 years of service in and is our Disposable Conversion Team Leader as well as manages our Microfiber division. His mean mug can't mask his kitty kat manner. We have seven wonderful women who do the cutting of our cloth goods and are the backbone of our wiping cloth production. They can crank out an amazing 48,000 pounds per week of processed goods!!! Three more lovely ladies do our intake and sorting of goods at our other warehouse and boy are they good. All of these women and the eclectic mix of nationalities and personalities help  make Coastal the diverse, accepting and open place it is. I can't forget our three delivery drivers as well. The final men who are responsible for getting the goods to your doorstep. Their professionalism and manner in which they represent us make us proud.

Coastal Wipers recognizes that it is the PEOPLE that make it what it is today and when you work hard you deserve to kick your feet up, relax and be pampered once in a while. So once every quarter we have either a pizza party, summer cook out, or holiday gala. Each team member brings a covered dish to go along with the our meal and the variety of sides and desserts leave you feeling bloated and guilty, but strangely satisfied.

We work very hard at Coastal Wipers to get your orders out in a timely manner and keep you happy and Coastal rewards us for all of our hard work. This is why everybody that works here, stays here. We all enjoy working at Coastal Wipers.

Written By: Barbara Wells
Account Executive & New Business Development
barbarawells@coastalwipers.com
800.825.7247 x 231

The Shop Towel Rental Scam, Don't Be A Victim!!

     Shop towel rental services have been around for well over a decade and have become an accepted way for many industries to manage their cleaning rags. It usually starts as an offer from a uniform or linen service company that performs some other duties to help their customer save some money and to make their lives easier. Talk about a bait and switch. The first month the accountant looks at an invoice and compares it to the cost of what they were spending on wiping cloths and it appears they got themselves a good deal. Then one or two months later, the honeymoon ends and these little extra charges start appearing on their statements, 2 cents for environmental charges, 5 cents for delivery, fuel and energy charges and then the big one hits like a ballon payment on an interest only loan, BOOM 40 cents for a replacement towel. Wait a minute!!! I thought I was renting these towels, that's what the nice gentlemen who sold me the service said!
     This is about the time we get a call, looking for some help. Time and time again we here the same story of another good, hardworking company getting put over by one of these scams, and that's what it is, a scam. Here's the reality of it, YOUR NOT RENTING SHOP TOWELS, YOU'RE FINANCING THEM, and by the time your done you've paid 3 sometimes 4 times as much as you would have if you just bought them outright.
     So this is where our honesty, transparency and helpfulness show you what your options are. Sometimes it makes sense to just buy less expensive, low end colored cleaning rags. But more than likely there is an even better option for you.
 
     Industrial Disposable Wipers... 

• The most important question is if this wiper can do the job I need it to do? The answer study after study is a resounding yes!!! Non-woven Industrial Disposable Wipers are engineered for specific properties such as higher absorption, better liquid holding, exceptionally low linting, solvent resistance, abrasion resistance, fire retardancies and much more. In a sense, cotton is more restrictive in what it can do while non-wovens are far more adaptive and can be selected for optimal traits.
• The next most important question is what are the costs compared to cotton rags? While the base cost of industrial disposable wipers can vary from as inexpensive as $.05 a piece up to $.15 a piece for some types, the base cost of shop towel rentals tends to be in the same ballpark. The difference is the ongoing costs over the lifetime of that towel can add up to paying well over $1.00 per shop towel before they make you replace it with a new one, and they tell you when you have to replace them. Disposable wipers can save you hundreds to thousands of dollars a year over the cost of a shop towel rental service!

This is not even accounting for employee health and safety risks that come along with reusing shop towels contaminated with heavy metals and other toxins that are not removed via laundering. We will talk about those issues in another article soon to come. For help to stop the madness contact d.smiles@coastalwipers.com or call me at 800 825-7247 x 229. We will be happy to share more honest information and help find the right product for you.

Written By:
David Smiles
New Business & Product Development
www.coastalwipers.com

Disposable Wipers & The Amazing Technology That Goes Into Them

     First let's clarify what we in the industry call a disposable wiper. These ain't no ordinary paper towels. We're talking industrial strength, multi-use, application specific non-woven textile fabrics blended together using the latest technology. So what the heck is a non-woven textile you ask? Non-woven fabrics are defined as a web or sheet of fibers bonded together by mechanical pressure, thermally by heat, or chemically by a binding agent. Sometimes it a combination of these.
     Non-woven fabrics are being used more and more due to their efficient manufacturing processes. They can be designed for specific properties such as high absorbency or liquid repellency, flame resistance, high tensile strength, abrasion resistance, bacterial resistance, softness and much more. The base fibers can be blended in an almost infinite combination of blends and binded together using multiple technological processes that produce fabrics engineered for disposable, reusable and permanent applications. They can range from light duty to heavy duty and within each class can be made of multiple different weights to amplify the specific attributes. So let's talk about these amazing technologies...

•      Airlay -   This technology uses a binding agent to hold together cellulose making it soft, absorbent and durable. They make great personal care wash cloths and towels and perform well with detergents, oils and most chemicals. it is a medium duty disposable  and is one of the older technologies.
•      DRC - This technology utilizes a binding agent to hold cellulose fibers together as well but is put creped twice adding more cellulose and adding more strength. It creates a very absorbent, very soft and durable disposable wiper. You would be amazed at how much this will hold. It has cloth like properties and is a great alternative for industrial general use wipers.
•      Scrim - Another older technology that uses a nylon netting that has up to 4 layers of tissue paper that are mechanically bonded to the netting. This creates an exceptionally low linting economical wiper that is ideal for glass, mirrors, stainless steel or any surface where lint and streaking are of concern.
•      Resinbond - A blend of Rayon and Polyester held together with a binding agent. It is apertured to create a mesh like finish to help catch particles. The blend of these types of fibers creates a very strong, reusable wiper perfect for wet wipe purposes. Multiple colors allow for color coding to avoid cross contamination as well making it a great fit for foodservice, healthcare or high tech manufacturing.
•      Spunlace - This technology can be used with many different types of fibers and it uses extremely high amounts of hydraulic pressure to entangle the fibers creating a web that is a superior blend of the strongest, most durable, most absorbent non-woven disposables in the market. They can be made from cellulose, wood pulp, polyester, rayon, polypropylene and much more. There are variations to how the fibers are laid that can create even greater strength and absorbency.

So as you can see, there are an abundance of options for materials that are suited for your specific needs.  Check out the video to see how some non-woven textiles are made. For more help ensuring that you are getting what you need, feel free to contact me at jennifernolan@coastalwipers.com or 800 825-7247 x 227.

Written By:
Jennifer Nolan
Account Executive
www.coastalwipers.com
   

Hydrogen Gas Conversion For Coastal Wipers Delivery Fleet

We are proud to announce as part of our eternal effort to be a part of the solution for environmental sustainability that we have launched our first 26' delivery box truck that runs on a combination of hydrogen gas and diesel fuel. And the results are impressive. But first lets explain the system we are using.
There are multiple systems available on the market, however the one we selected has three components to it.

1. A HHO generator
2. A pulse width modulator 
3. A combination of water and potassium hydroxide

We tracked the three months prior to installation and the first three months after it was installed. While there are always some variables we averaged out the miles per month to 6,609 miles. Pretty good for a local delivery truck. We saw an increase in efficiency of .76 miles per gallon. Remember these are 26' delivery box trucks that average 6-8 miles per gallon between the city and highway. That equates to a 13% increase in efficiency. Let's do a little more math and see what the real impact over just one year is.

• 3,216 gallons of diesel per yr. x 13% improved effeciency = 418 gallons of diesel that we are reducing our carbon footprint by.
• 418 gallons at current cost of $4.15 = $1,734.70 in operational savings.

Wow, and that is only on one of our trucks. And while the installation and implementation takes some effort to dial in and get right the positive impact can be quite substantial. Our pledge is to have this system installed in our entire local fleet of delivery trucks by the end of 2013. That can equate to a reduction of over 1,600 gallons a year in our carbon footprint and over $7,000 a year in operational savings. Now that is making a difference. We encourage other companies and individuals to but in the effort and know that together we can achieve a sustainable world. If you have any questions or if I can be of any help to you feel free to contact me at dennisbahro@coastalwipers.com or give me a call at 800 825-7247 x 225.

Written By:
Dennis Bahro
Operations Team Leader
www.coastalwipers.com

Helpful Disposable Wiper Options For Cleaning Rags

The wiping cloth industry is in a state of change. Products that have always been readily available like  recycled white knit cleaning rags and heavy duty huck/surgical towels are becoming harder and harder to find in the large quantities that are needed to supply the industries that use them. That's the bad news. The good news is that there are some great disposable wiper alternatives to cloth rags that are much more cost effective, abundantly available and will perform very effectively for many applications.
First, for those that aren't familiar here's a little information about what are considered disposable wipers.

• They are typically made of multiple materials(wood pulp, polyester, etc.) and are bound together by water, heat, pressure or a binding agent.
• The result is a highly engineered wiper designed specifically for an application.
• They are designed for strength, absorbency, to be reusable, resistance to solvents as well as to be lint free and much much more. 
• Chances are there has been a disposable wiper designed just for what you need.
• They have a great value due to the large number you get for the money. 1 pound of recycled white knits may have 6-10 cloth rags, where as 1 pound of disposable wipers will have as many as 70-100 wipers.

Now let's take a look at five different industries and the disposable wiper options that will work great for them.

1. AUTO MECHANICAL REPAIR - This industry uses a lot of recycled soft colored knits cleaning rags. Two great options for grease rags that will save you money are:

• DRC - This wiper is a medium duty cellulose based disposable that has a cloth like feel and thickness, has great absorbency for grease, oil and water, is reusable and abrasion resistant.
• SCRIM - This light to medium duty wiper is 4 ply nylon reinforced for extra strength. Exceptionally low lint, ideal for glass, stainless steel and smooth surface cleaning.

2. FACILITY MAINTENANCE COMPANIES - This industry uses a lot of huck/surgical and terry towels. Two tough disposable options that will absorb well enough are:

• HYDRO ENTANGLED SPUNLACE -  This heavy duty wiper is exceptionally strong, abrasion and solvent resistant. Economic alternative to shop towels.
• SONTARA -  This heavy duty wiper is reusable, tough, low lint and absorbent. Don't use with strong solvents though but another great alternative to shop towels.

3. FIBER GLASS MANUFACTURERS - This industry needs a soft, totally lint free wiper that won't scratch but is strong enough to remove wax and other compounds.

• NON WOVEN POLY - Designed specifically for waxing and wax removal.
• CHEESECLOTH - Soft, strong and totally lint free. Ideal for molds, plastic or glass. Will not streak or smudge.

4. GENERAL INDUSTRY - These industries use a lot of recycled soft colored knit cleaning rags for general light duty clean up and wipe down.

• RESINBOND - Very low lint, reusable many times and great for wet cleaning. 
• RAYON/PET - Low linting, soft, cloth like feel, non abrasive with a textured finish to help trap particles.

These disposable wiper options are available in many different put up options from rolls, flat packs and quarter folds to jumbo rolls, pop ups and center pulls. Give me a call at 1(800) 825-7247 or email me at barbarawells@coastalwipers.com and I will be glad to help you solve your wiping cloth problems and figure out what disposable wipers will work best for your application.

Written By :
Barbara Wells
Senior Account Executive
www.coastalwipers.com

Top 3 Reasons Cleaning Rags Are Changing

Cleaning rag and wiping cloth manufacturers are going through some challenging times right now. Certain products that people and organizations have gotten used to using over the last 10 to 20 years are finding availability is becoming more and more limited while pricing is going up and up. So what gives? Well globalization and the toughest recession we've experienced in the last 50+ years have created a super storm of circumstance. Let's look at one in particular as an example. Soft white knit recycled shop rags made from 100% cotton has been a popular and economic choice for a long time for a number of industries and end uses. Everybody around the world felt the impact of the recession, so what do people do during tough times of uncertainty? They hold on to their possessions longer, and that includes clothing. The used clothing industry is one of the supply chains for recycled cleaning rags and since people are not donating as much of their old clothing as quickly as they once did, a valuable source of raw material has shrunk dramatically. Another reason is fashion has changed. Fashion you say! What the heck does fashion have to do with rags? More than you can imagine, both new and recycled wiping cloths are affected by fashion trends.When fashion moves in a more colorful direction made from different materials, both immediate and medium term source of white cotton rags diminishes. So what is a business or person to do. First you need to be aware of what is happening so that you can begin to plan for the future. White cotton rags are not going extinct, but they are and will be harder to come by. You need to start looking for alternatives for applications where other types of wipers could be easily substituted. When we are comfortable with things and there is no problem acquiring them human nature tells you not to waste your time looking for an alternative. The good news is that there are a lot of great alternatives available, some are actually significantly more cost effective, some are significantly better performers. It all depends on your application. There are amazing disposable wipers available that can be much more cost effective. There are phenominal microfiber cloths that perform better than anything else you have ever tried and can last 300+ washings. And there are other shop rag or shop towel options that can absorb more and be a great substitute as well. This is where you need professional advice, this is why we are here, this is why for over 30 years we have been offering solutions to the challenges our customers face. Visit www.coastalwipers.com or call 1(888)239-4788 to speak with a qualified wiping cloth expert that can help you figure out a solution for you.

Welcome The New Addition To The Coastal Family

My name is Jennifer Nolan and I just joined the team here at Coastal Wipers, Inc. as the new Account Executive for our Tampa office. I will be responsible for the Account Management and Customer Service of existing accounts as well as New Business Development and helping the company expand its account base into other areas. After graduating from the University of South Florida with a Bachelors degree in Marketing and Management 7 years ago, I started my career in Account Management and Business-to-Business Sales. I like meeting new challenges and helping my client’s businesses grow. For fun, I enjoy playing Softball, kayaking or canoeing, rollerblading and spending time with friends and family. 

Since joining the company on March 15^th, I’ve already learned a great deal about the wiping cloth industry as well as our 4 different product divisions: Wiping Cloths & Towels, Microfiber, Disposable Wipers and Sorbents. Coastal Wipers, Inc. has been providing wiping cloth products and solutions to its customers for nearly 30 years. While the core of our customer base has been primarily in janitorial and industrial industries including the painting, metal, plastic, printing, automotive, power, chemical, and telecom industries to name a few, I’m particularly excited about the opportunity to expand into the Healthcare, Hospitality and Automotive markets with the emergence of microfiber technology as the next generation of cleaning tools. 

We carry a complete, comprehensive line of microfiber products including floor care products, as well as cloths, towels and dusters which have proven to be a more sanitary and absorbent option for many Healthcare, Hospitality and Automotive needs. Our microfiber is washable between 300-400 times over, traps dirt and dust for an extreme clean and save on detergent and water costs. Some of the other benefits of Microfiber technology are first, that the microfiber yarn used to create microfiber cleaning products is made from recycled plastics. Second, microfiber is so effective at trapping dust, dirt and debris that far less chemicals or detergents are needed to achieve a sterile complete clean. Fewer chemicals means less contamination of our water supply and a much more cost-effective solution for our customers. In addition, the polyamide coating which is what actually absorbs water in microfiber releases that water with minimal heat or mechanical agitation needed. Less time needed in dryers and under less heat saves electricity, again not just great for the environment but also for our customer’s pocketbook. On a large scale for businesses and institutions the savings can be huge, equaling tens of thousands of dollars a year in savings and tons of cubic environmental waste. 

I look forward to helping continue the commitment Coastal Wipers has to providing our customers with the highest quality wiping cloths at competitive prices, while continually searching for new processes and products that can lessen the impact we have on our planet. If you have any questions about any of our products or services please feel free to contact me at jennifernolan@coastalwipers.com.