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CGPP Report 2004/27

AT A GLANCE
Having already succeeded in reducing its
production-related solvent usage by 60-70%
per annum, (thereby complying with its IPC
license targets), Tretorn Sports Ltd set out to
achieve an almost 100% reduction in on-site
solvent usage.
Solvent usage mainly occurs at the point in the
tennis ball manufacturing process where the felt
pieces are applied to the rubber core of the ball.
The CGPP project team set out to design an
automated assembly process that would replace
the traditional solvent-based adhesive with a
thermoplastic rubber adhesive.
In particular, the new process would be
designed to incorporate the twin operations of
positioning the felt pieces on the rubber core in
the correct orientation and applying the hotmelt thermoplastic adhesive between the core
and the felt. By using this alternative assembly
process, the CGPP project team believed that it
would be possible to reduce annual solvent
usage from 70 tonnes to approximately 5
tonnes i.e. just 6% of the original usage figure.

TRETORN SPORTS LTD

TRETORN SETS OUT TO ACHIEVE ALMOST

100% REDUCTION IN ON-SITE SOLVENT
USAGE
AIMS OF THIS PROJECT

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Following Tretorns success in reducing

The fine-tuning of the automated

production-related solvent usage by up to

assembly process involved two major

70%, the Cleaner Greener Production

development phases:

Programme (CGPP) project team set out to

(i) The development of a hot-melt

achieve an almost 100% reduction in on-

adhesive material.

site solvent usage.

(ii) The construction of an automated

The team recognised that the achievement

mechanical assembly method.

of this objective would necessitate the

implementation of radical changes in the

Traditionally, hot-melt systems comprise

Printed on recycled paper using water based inks

companys overall tennis ball

thermoplastic rubber (TPR) material;

Tretorn Sports Ltd is the Irish subsidiary of the

tennis ball manufacturing multinational, which
was founded in Sweden in 1891. In 1999, the
Swedish parent company was acquired by the
PUMA Group.

manufacturing process. Specifically, it

styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS); rosin

would require the design and

ester, and an aromatic resin. They also

implementation of an assembly operation

contain other viscosity modifiers and

The pressureless Tretorn tennis ball comprises a

predominantly rubber core covered with felt
fabric. Traditionally, the felt was glued to the
rubber core by means of a 50% solids solventbased adhesive system. However, in the late1990s the company developed an alternative
100% solids adhesive system: full-scale
production, using this system, began in 2000.
As a direct result of this process change, which
is based on the use of thermoplastic rubber
(TPR), Tretorn achieved a reduction of up to
70% per year in solvent usage.

incorporating the physical presentation of

stabilisers: in the case of this CGPP pilot

the core and the felt pieces; the assembly

project, the production team chose a

of the felt pieces, and the final application

TPR with a low styrene content, low

of adhesive material through appropriate

diblock and high-cohesion properties.

cavities.The possibility of including the

In order to evaluate the melt-processing

seam adhesive was also considered: this

capability of the TPR material, a

would reduce the number of stages in the

laboratory-scale test jig was designed

Up to late 2003, the company employed 80

people at its Portlaoise plant. Unfortunately
however, due to downward price pressure in
the tennis ball market, it could not sustain
manufacturing in Ireland, and in early 2004, the
plant and technology were purchased by Vega
Balls Manufacturing Ltd.

tennis ball manufacturing process, thereby

and manufactured. This facilitated an

yielding reductions in labour costs and

alternative method of assembly, with

savings in materials usage.

the potential for precise application of

the felt pieces, while facilitating the

One of the key factors that contributed to the

negotiation of a successful sale of the Portlaoise
plant was the adhesives technology that was
developed by the Tretorn CGPP project team:
Vega hopes to use this technology in its soccer
ball and basketball manufacturing process.

BETTER BUSINESS IN A BETTER IRELAND

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retrofit of an adhesive delivery system.

ACHIEVEMENTS

In addition, the jig provided a method of holding and

rotating the rubber core while simultaneously applying the

The CGPP project team successfully developed a hot-melt

TPR film and felt pieces.

adhesive system that would be a suitable replacement for

Tennis balls manufactured in this way meet criteria such as:

the original solvent-based system.

a) adhesion strength
b) durability
c) resilience

In addition to the environmental benefits accruing from the

elimination of on-site solvent usage, the new adhesive is
thermoplastic (as opposed to thermoset). Moreover,

d) playing performance

because it is a recyclable material, it will lead to reduced

e) ability to process

demand for production-related material as well as reduced

on-site and off-site waste generation.

This CGPP project was managed by an on-site team, using

additional resources allocated to Tretorns on-site Research
and Development Department.

Two methods of applying the hot-melt adhesive were

considered: a) roller coating, and b) a hot-melt application
gun with screw pump and heating chamber.
Following a series of experiments, the CGPP project team
found that the temperature at the point of the application
of the adhesive (i.e. the instant of contact between the
rubber core and the felt piece) had a direct bearing on the
final bond strength. Moreover, once the appropriate
temperature was maintained, excellent bond strengths were
achievable: these were comparable with the results obtained

Fig 2. The final product: tennis balls

when a solvent-based system was used.

One of the most positive outcomes of this CGPP project has
been the realisation by hot-melt adhesive companies that a
significant proportion of solvent-based adhesive processes
across a range of industries could be replaced by an
alternative process i.e. a hot-melt adhesive system. Since
the pilot project findings have become known, a number of
hot-melt adhesive companies have initiated development
programmes in order to exploit this marketing/sustainable
environmental process opportunity.

Fig 1. Hot-melt materials

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OBSERVATIONS

MORE INFORMATION

The development of the hot-melt material is now at a point

For more information on this project contact:

where it needs to be refined in conjunction with the

appropriate dispensing equipment and the requisite

Roy Bulfin

performance characteristics of the finished tennis ball.

Senior Manager
World Cat Ltd

Tolerances on the ball core diameter proved to be more

Taichung

critical than was originally believed to be the case. (Ball

Taiwan

diameter varies due to differences in natural rubber

properties: this in turn impacts on the machines ability to

Tel: +88 6 422 660212

locate felt pieces with a high degree of precision.)

Fax: +88 6 422 660071

Email: roy.bulfin@puma.com

LESSONS
Although the new production process was not fully up and
running by the time the sale of the Portlaoise plant was
confirmed, the production concept was fully tested, and the
results were extremely positive.

Among the key lessons learned were:

The availability of sufficient research and development

resources would be critical to the successful outcome of
any similar pilot project.

The project team greatly underestimated the scale of the

project: they allocated 12 months to the project,
whereas a timescale of 24 months would have been
more realistic.

Project management skills and communication skills are

critical to the successful execution of projects such as this.
In addition, it would be essential for everybody involved in
such a project to have absolute clarity about what objectives
need to be achieved and what role individual project team
members should play in the achievement of those
objectives.

Website: www.puma.com

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CLEANER GREENER
PRODUCTION IS
the application of integrated preventive environmental
strategies to processes, products, and services to increase
overall efficiency and reduce risks to humans and the
environment.
Production processes: conserving raw materials and
energy, eliminating toxic raw materials, and reducing the
quantity and toxicity of all emissions and wastes
Products: reducing negative impacts along the life cycle
of a product, from raw materials extraction to its
ultimate disposal.
Services: incorporating environmental concerns into
designing and delivering services.

CLEANER GREENER
PRODUCTION REQUIRES
new attitudes, better environmental management, and
evaluating available technology options. We need to take
good environmental practice to the stage where it is an
inherent part of any business operation.

HOW IS CLEANER GREENER

PRODUCTION DIFFERENT?
Much of the current thinking on environmental protection
focuses on what to do with wastes and emissions after they
have been created. The goal of cleaner, greener production
is to avoid generating pollution in the first place.
This means:

Better efficiency
Better business
Better environmental protection
Lower costs
Less waste
Less emissions
Less resource consumption

WHY IS THE CLEANER

GREENER PRODUCTION
PROGRAMME BEING RUN?

The long-term goal is to ensure that cleaner, greener production

becomes the established norm in Ireland. The programme seeks to
promote environmentally friendly business through increased
resource productivity, waste reduction, recovery of materials,
improved efficiency in a product value chain, energy management,
and a change of culture within organisations.
The programme aims are focussed on avoiding and preventing
adverse environmental impact rather than treating or cleaning up
afterwards. This approach brings better economic and
environmental efficiency.

PROGRAMME MANAGERS:
The Clean Technology Centre (CTC) at Cork Institute of
Technology was appointed to manage the programme in
association with OSullivan Public Relations Ltd, and Energy
Transport Actions Ltd, (ENTRAC).
The CTC was established in 1991 and is now nationally and
internationally regarded as a centre of excellence in cleaner
production, environmental management and eco-innovation across
a range of industrial sectors.

WHERE CAN I GET

FURTHER INFORMATION?
This case study report is one of 29 reports
available from the organisations that
participated in the first phase of the Cleaner
Greener Production Programme. A summary
of all the projects and CD containing all the reports
are also available. More information on the Programme
is available from the Environmental Protection Agency
Ms. Helen Walsh,
CGPP,
Environmental Protection Agency,
Richview, Clonskeagh Road, Dublin 14, Ireland.
Tel. 01 2680100
Website

Fax. 01 2680199

www.epa.ie

select link to cleaner production.

Email. ertdi@epa.ie
Printed on recycled paper using water based inks

The Irish Government, through the National Development

Plan 2000 - 2006, has allocated funds to a programme for
Environmental Research, Technological Development and
Innovation (ERTDI).

The Department of the Environment and Local Government asked

the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to run the CGPP as
part of the ERTDI programme. With the programme continuing to
2006 about 60 businesses will be supported to implement cleaner
greener production and to demonstrate their achievements to the
rest of Ireland.