Handling plastic resin has long been in our blood. This is easy to understand, as our headquarters sits in the center of the U.S. polymer industry and polymer research. The Greater Akron region’s early history in the rubber industry expanded to other polymers, including plastic. In the early 1980’s we created the Gilchrist Polymer Center, which is where our headquarters stands today, as we eventually re-branded all of our logistics, warehousing & distribution, and polymer handling services under the ASW Global name.
Our plastic resin handling division, ASW Polymer Services, transloads, conveys, packages, warehouses, and provides value added services for raw plastic in pellet form. We’ll take a brief look at each of these services.
Bulk Polymer Transloading
Bulk polymer transloading involves moving bulk quantities of plastic from one transportation method to another. Using specialized equipment, we directly transfer plastic from railcars to trucks. This process prevents contamination deriving from human handling. Catch trays are put in place to contain any spills so residual product does not end up on the ground.
Polymer Packaging
ASW conveys product directly from trucks or hopper cars to storage silos. We have silos dedicated to specific types of plastic, as well as a general purpose silo. These silos form the basis of our packaging stations, where our operators control the flow of product directly into Gaylords, bulk bags, or other large bulk containers. We use our filling machine to transfer resin into smaller 55 lb (25 kg) valve bags.
Polymer Warehousing & Railcar Storage
Resin arriving via railcar can be stored in hoppers until it is ready to be transloaded or packaged. We have a large rail car capacity. Additionally we can store packaged resin in our facilities, whether the product is in valve bags, drums, Gaylords, or FIBC’s (flexible intermediate bulk containers like Super Sacks).
Value Added Services
For customers needing customization, we offer a variety of value added services. We have a plastic resin blender on-site, allowing us to mix product to customer specifications. Our re-packing services enable us to re-pack product from bulk containers into smaller branded or unbranded bags, and conversely pour product from valve bags into branded or unbranded bulk containers.
Flexibility
ASW can offer clients the flexibility needed in a sometimes volatile industry impacted by commodity price fluctuations, supply chain interruptions, and the threat of tariffs. Whether a client wants to sign a long-term or work with us on an emergency or temporary basis, we are ready to help. Store buffer stock and rely on us to provide real-time visibility on inventory levels. Store stock in rail cars at our facility that can be quickly transloaded or packaged, and delivered just in time.
Let’s Talk Plastic Resin
If you're looking for a logistics partner that understands the intricacies of plastic resin handling—and brings transloading, packaging, re-packing, storage solutions, flexibility, and value added services (including blending) into the mix—we’d love to connect.