Press Release: Introducing Low VOC Wash SCAQMD Rule 1171 Compliant

Nova Pressroom Products LLC has announced the availability of a newly formulated, two-step press wash that is fully compliant with Rule 1171 which goes into effect on January 1, 2008. The purpose of this rule is to reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), as well as other air contaminants, ozone-depleting or global-warming compounds used, stored or disposed of within the South Coast Air Quality Management District in California. The regulation covers many types of businesses that use a solvent cleaner, perhaps most notably printing operations. This new two-step NOVA blanket and roller wash system, N-471 Wash and N-472 Rinse Away, contain less than 100 grams/liter of VOC as required.

A Technical Advisory Committee of printers, press product manufacturers and the Printing Industries of Southern California (PISC) participated in the development of the standards used for Rule 1171 over the last 6 years. Ray Brady, Vice President of Technical Services for NOVA and formerly Technical Director for Fujifilm Hunt Chemicals, served on the Committee and heard firsthand the concerns of Southern California printers. Mr. Brady has formulated these products to provide a user-friendly solution that works while adhering to the tough environmental requirement and needs expressed by the printers.

Paramount to meeting the challenge of reduced VOCs, was formulating a system that would clean the blanket and rollers efficiently and would rinse clean with water. The N-471 Wash is a vegetable ester based material with a surfactant that optimizes ink-cutting performance. The second step, low VOC product N-472 ensures that the oily residue inherent in the vegetable based wash will be completely rinsed from the rollers.

“Obviously printers wanted a system that would clean as effectively as solvent washes without increasing maintenance turnaround time,” stated Mr. Brady. “Minimizing downtime keeps costs acceptable. Another important key characteristic of the N-471 is the property of oxidation stability. Many low VOC products offered are made from highly-unsaturated vegetable ester solvents that will oxidize, making solvent soaked rags subject to spontaneous combustion. The N-471 is composed of a special blend of vegetable esters that are oxidatively stable and not subject to this serious safety issue.”

Nova Pressroom Products LLC was inaugurated in February 2007 to manufacture and market a full line of Blanket and Roller Washes for the Graphic Arts Industry worldwide. The company markets its products through a network of dealers in the US, Canada and around the world.

Independently owned and operated, NOVA has gathered together an industry-leading technical team with over 60 years of formulating, problem-solving and regulatory experience. With its broad technology-base, NOVA will focus on manufacturing safer and environmentally-compliant products for manual usage and automatic blanket and roller wash equipment. NOVA specializes in formulating low VOC and high flashpoint products

Ronald J. Rose, President of NOVA, is well-known within the Graphic Arts Community and brings over 30 years of corporate and independent business experience to the company. Mr. Rose was Vice President of Sales at Anchor LithKemco in Orange Park, Florida, as well as Vice President of New Business Development at Fuji Hunt in Allendale, New Jersey.

“We are extremely fortunate to have Ray Brady as part of the NOVA Technical Team and his service on the SCAQMD Rule 1171 Advisory Committee gave our company unique insight into the concerns of the printing community in Southern California,” commented Mr. Rose.

Mr. Brady brings 23 years of experience formulating advanced solvents products with FujiFilm Hunt Chemical USA in Orange Park, Florida, where he most recently served as Technical Director Pressroom Products. Ray Brady is highly regarded throughout the industry as one of the most knowledgeable designers of safer, high-performing press washes that meet the increasingly stringent environmental regulations imposed in many states throughout the U.S.

“Ray Brady is a unique individual in today’s printing industry, combining an advanced chemistry degree from the University of Florida along with years of practical experience working along side hundreds of printers across the country. He is responsible for formulating a majority of the most widely used low VOC washes and approved washes for the major manufacturers of automatic blanket wash equipment,” stated Mr. Rose.

Nova Pressroom Products business goal is to make safe, effective and environmentally-friendly products delivered on time at a reasonable price.

To contact Customer Service or a NOVA Technical Staff member call 1-904-292-2554 or visit the website at http://www.novapressroom.com/.

Originally published: December 1, 2007.