Advanced Metal Wash Program Helps Can Manufacturer Improve Quality, Capacity and Water Efficiency

Total Value Delivered: $2.6 million ANNUALLY
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The Challenge

A tin-plated steel can manufacturer faced persistent staining and coating quality issues driven by residual oils and inconsistent wash water quality. Scrap rates averaged 1.3 percent and at times exceeded 5 percent, contributing to lost capacity, increased rework and higher operating costs. Poor water quality also caused corrosion and sticking in cupping and bodymaker dies, leading to frequent changeouts, unplanned downtime and added maintenance burden.

At the same time, the facility needed to manage water use and operating costs while meeting customer quality expectations in a high-volume production environment.

The Approach

Nalco Water partnered with the customer to implement an Advanced Metal Wash Program to address oil removal, water quality and die protection across the can wash process.
The team evaluated wash and rinse conditions, identifying sources of oil carryover and water contamination. Based on these findings, they optimized pretreatment systems to improve water quality, and selected wash and rinse chemistries to enable effective oil removal, corrosion protection and improved drying performance.

The program combined high-performance metal wash chemistry with on-site technical service to support ongoing optimization. Improvements in water treatment and control also reduced freshwater demand and improved boiler efficiency, supporting broader operational and sustainability goals.

The Impact

By improving wash performance and stabilizing water quality, the facility achieved measurable gains across quality, productivity and resource efficiency:

  • Can scrap was reduced from 1.3 percent to 0.06 percent annually, reflecting improved wash process performance
  • Increased uptime and reduced die sticking enabled production of an additional 17 million cans per year, delivering a $1.3 million capacity benefit
  • Improved corrosion control extended die life by 75 percent and reduced die changeouts from twice per week to fewer than one every four months
  • Freshwater use was reduced by 50 percent, contributing to approximately 61 million gallons in annual water savings
  • Improved system efficiency delivered energy savings of approximately 12,000 MMBtu per year

In total, the program delivered approximately $2.6 million in annual value through combined improvements in productivity, asset protection, water and energy use and labor efficiency.

Looking Ahead

Following the initial success, a second production line adopted the Advanced Metal Wash Program, with additional sites evaluating the approach. Improved operational performance has also strengthened the customer’s ability to meet quality expectations while reducing water use within the local community.

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Annual Impact
Operational Performance
Productivity

$710,000 annually

Labor Productivity

$240,000

Capacity

Increase of 17 million cans produced per year

Asset Protection

75% increase in die life

Environmental Impact
Water

61 million gallons per year

Energy

12,000 MMBTu per year

Total Value Delivered
$2.6 million ANNUALLY
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