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Chemicals maker meets GHS compliance, improves productivity

Cleaning products company Multi-Clean overhauls its label printing and application processes while redesigning its labels for GHS compliance, improving overall productivity by 250%.

To increase its labeling productivity, Multi-Clean installed an automatic wipe-on labeler.
To increase its labeling productivity, Multi-Clean installed an automatic wipe-on labeler.

The global chemical industry has seen significant growth over the last decade, reaching a record $5.2 trillion in 2014, according to the American Chemistry Council. With exports accounting for nearly $2 trillion in 2013 (as reported by statistica.com), global harmonization and standardization of chemical labeling has become increasingly important.

In 2012, the U.S. put into place The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS), requiring chemical product manufacturers to adopt the standard by June 1, 2015. GHS is an internationally agreed upon system created by the United Nations to replace the various classification and labeling standards used in different countries by using consistent criteria on a global level.

For Shoreview, MN-based Multi-Clean, a 68-year-old manufacturer of commercial cleaning and floor maintenance products, the requirement for GHS compliance triggered a complete overhaul of its labeling process. Partnering with Lofton Label, the company redesigned the labels for most of its 345 SKUs as well as updated its label printing and application processes to increase efficiencies.

Redesign provides compliance, aesthetics

Central to GHS compliance is the inclusion on product labels of a red, diamond-shaped outline with a black pictogram inside signifying one of nine different hazards as well as a product identifier, a signal word, hazard statements, precautionary statements, and the name, address, and phone number of the responsible party—all of which had to be accommodated on Multi-Clean’s new labels.

The company launched the GHS project in October 2012, beginning with the creation by a seven-member internal team of a new GHS-formatted Safety Data Sheet for each SKU. By June of 2013, all of the company’s product formulas had a Safety Data Sheet. This data was then used to create label copy.

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