When Creative Contract Packaging – a provider of seasonings, puddings and gelatins – sought a systematic, quickly executed approach to meet its internal sanitation standards, the company turned to Painters USA Inc. to inspect, clean and seal columns, support beams, posts and blender legs at its Aurora, Ill.-based facility.
“After contacting Painters USA and discussing our internal audit, their project manager mapped out a plan with us, and a crew came in on the Saturday after Christmas to complete the job,” says Jovanny Velez, manager of plant engineering for Creative Contract Packaging. “Safety and SQF certification matter; if we spot something internally, we address that right away; Painters USA helped us maintain our high standards.”
“When facility managers are vigilant about maintenance, they improve safety, more easily pass SQF audits and maximize production by reducing unplanned downtime or accidents,” adds Paul Cook, vice president at Painters USA. “Holidays, weekends and scheduled maintenance are opportunities for facility managers to take on cleaning and flooring projects, or ask a National Floor Safety Institute-certified inspector or NACE International coatings inspector to survey their facility.”
Earlier this year, a Midwest food processing plant called on Painters USA to repair cracked floors at its facility using a diamond-cutting blade, along with epoxy and sealant. Painters USA coordinated its repairs with an equipment shutdown over three days, during which its crews cleaned and repaired the floor while giving electricians time and space to service the plant’s equipment. The plant is an older facility, but the plant manager knows upkeep is essential to ensure the operation meets its SQF audit. According to the plant manager, a good ranking in terms of the SQF audit is what keeps the trust of the national brands the facility works with. When these brands know the facility is SQF-certified, he says, that knowledge favorably impacts their auditing of the facility, too.
“At any time, the USDA could potentially walk into our facility and take a tour,” said the Midwest food processing plant manager. “Painters USA plays a role in helping us be prepared for that.”
Along with structural repairs, Painters USA has used dry-ice blasting to clean the interior of many facilities, such as a 50-foot tower that a research organization relies on for flammability tests. The EPA- and USDA-approved dry-ice blasting process that Painters USA employs enables crews to remove debris without creating secondary waste or chemical residue, since dry ice turns into a vapor.
Along with dry-ice blasting and epoxy flooring systems, Painters USA specializes in antimicrobial floor services, relining safety aisleways, rust control, painting of cold storage facilities, preparation for food safety inspections and protection of wet processing areas.
For more information visit https://www.paintersusainc.com/about-us.
