Gold Series® Held High by Display Fixture Maker

Challenge

Colony headquarters in Elgin, Illinois, designs, manufactures and delivers fixtures and point-of-sale products for many of the leading national retail chains in the United States. From its five manufacturing facilities in suburban Chicago, Colony designers and engineers create eye appealing and highly functional retail fixtures of wood, metal, laminates, veneers and glass. Their extraordinary growth is due to innovative design, highly skilled personnel in every department, high volume, and attention to small details at every step. Colony prides itself on fixtures that are safe, contemporary, durable and easy to use. One of the five manufacturing facilities that Colony owns located in St. Charles, Illinois, is a 160,000 square foot plant that specializes in a wide variety of wood and mixed material fixtures. This plant was built in 2006 and was in need of a dust collector for 16 new docks that produce high quality commercial furniture. One of the challenges faced was the danger level when working with wood dust. Another factor was that the dust collector’s sound level needed to be minimal due to the plant being built very close to a residential neighborhood.

A wall was build to reduce the noise level to a nearby residential area.

Solution

Colony president Jerry Zich searched Google for dust collectors and found Camfil Farr APC. He was put in touch with sales rep John Dietrich of Process Resources, Inc., who he spoke with about his dust collection needs in his new woodworking facility. John Dietrich quoted and installed a GS48L with access platforms that are elevated by a special steel support system to provide clearance for a large roll-off dumpster. The GS48L has a 125HP fan with a silencer to help with the noise level concern with the surrounding homes. John says, “The dust collector works very well and has no problems with noise.” The GS48L also has explosion venting, a Flamex® spark detection and extinguishing system, abort damper system and a final filter for returning air back into the plant for a safe work environment. It is operating at 31,200 CFM @ 16” SP with a 2:1 air to cloth ratio. The dust collector also has three hoppers to provide even distribution into the dumpster with rotary airlocks on each hopper.

A router exhaust hood is connected to the exhaust system.

John says, “The wood dust is being picked up very well from all of the pickup points, the automated saw and router machines!” As of September 2010, the GS48L has been in operation for almost 4 years. The HemiPleat® cartridges were just recently changed out since their original installation back in 2006!

Camfil Farr APC's Gold Series® dust collection system is capturing the dust from Colony's woodworking machinery.