A new tool developed through our Innovation Center is transforming how tote cleaning is performed, improving efficiency, consistency, and employee safety.

Known as the Tote Flipper, the system was created after field employees identified opportunities to improve a cleaning process that often required more than an hour to complete, a four-person crew, and extensive use of high-pressure cleaning equipment.

Traditionally, totes containing adhesive and resin-based products were cleaned using 10,000–20,000 psi water blasting equipment followed by manual rinsing. The process was labor-intensive, physically demanding, and often required employees to work in awkward positions around high-pressure water.

By listening to feedback from customers and working closely with our Innovation Center team, we developed a solution that fundamentally changes the process.

The Tote Flipper allows totes to be safely inverted during cleaning, enabling residual product to drain naturally rather than collect in the bottom of the container. This simple but effective design improvement has led to significant gains in productivity while reducing physical strain on employees.

The benefits include:

  • Cleaning times reduced to as little as 20–45 minutes
  • Increased throughput and more consistent cleaning results
  • More efficient use of personnel and resources
  • Improved ergonomics by eliminating awkward working positions
  • Reduced employee exposure to high-pressure water
  • Lower noise levels during operation

What began as a challenge identified in the field evolved into an innovative solution that delivers measurable operational improvements. Today, the Tote Flipper is being used in daily operations, and teams are already exploring additional applications for the technology, including chemical cleaning, filter housing maintenance, and small tank cleaning.

This project demonstrates the power of collaboration between field teams and innovation specialists to create practical solutions that make work safer, more efficient, and more productive.