As the only self-made can manufacturer in North America, we use our influence to improve the state of canned packaging. Seneca has successfully implemented down gauging of steel in cans, thermal oxidation and energy recovery on steel sheet coating and use of water-based compounds for coating.
Seneca has been able to reduce the amount of steel used by 10% in the ends we make by necking down our cans when possible, including all of our 300 size cans in 2016. We have greatly lowered our volatile organic emissions and natural gas consumption by installing state of the art thermal oxidizers resulting in energy savings of $4.64 per thousand sheets of steel.
Since 2003, Seneca has drastically reduced the amount of stretch wrap used in packaging to reduce the carbon footprint of our suppliers and our own operations. We continue to actively look to our suppliers to provide us with the most environmentally friendly packaging possible.
We have recently entered into a program with CHEP Inc. to reduce our reliance on wooden pallets and minimize the impact to the environment. Using 752,000 CHEP pallets annually (versus one-way white wood) helps us achieve savings that we can then pass along to our customers.
In addition, our can plants are using over 75% reusable plastic pallets under our own manufactured cans. When broken, the pallets can be reground and used again to make new pallets.