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WO RLD-CHANGING IDEAS >>
“ It ’ s not just a complete waste ,” Mooney says . “ We ’ re generating electricity while securely disposing of our customer ’ s image .”
The Indigo presses print faster than ever before , and release far fewer volatile organic compounds that harm the environment . After going through several disposable rubber blankets — a cylindrical part that helps the ink transfer onto the paper — the presses were refitted by HP with a ceramic blanket that can be used much longer without replacement . The Indigo machines recycle their own oil , cleaning it for reuse on other machines or elsewhere in the facility , saving on cost and waste .
Another new effort launched in Plano is allowing both Shutterfly and HP to eliminate waste from the Indigos ’ bulky ink cartridges . When running at full speed , the Indigo machines need to replace cartridges every couple of hours and can go through as many as 20 cans a day . During the holiday season , when the whole fleet of printers is running 24 hours a day , that ’ s a lot of cartridges being used and replaced .
Shutterfly had the idea in 2020 to recycle the ink canisters by sending them back to HP for cleaning
Clockwise from above : Books moving from the print binder to the trimmer ; rolls of paper to be donated to local schools and nonprofits ; facilities manager Garrett Herber taking books off the saddle stitcher ; stacks of Shutterfly boxes in the factory ; employee JP Martinez prepares a roll of paper before loading it into a press . and refill . The large plastic canisters can be reused , but still have residual ink that needs to be cleaned and processed . After some trial and error , HP restructured the recycling program , which started in Plano this past June . In just a few months , it had diverted over 3,500 pounds of material from the landfill . And that ’ s during the plant ’ s slow season .
“ Shutterfly has been pushing the boundaries , together with us , of what can be done in this space ,” Sokol says .
Meanwhile , the lobby in Plano is full of Shutterfly products on display , many featuring family photos provided by employees , and a rack of sample cards for all occasions from test runs of the presses . Any employee can pick up a card on their way out the door to use for their next special event . It ’ s another way Shutterfly works to eliminate as much waste as possible .
AS ONE OF THE HUGE PRESSES continues to roll , prints begin shooting out , shiny and a little bit warm . They ’ re the pages from a family ’ s photo book , a custom keepsake . There ’ s a trip to New York City and days at the beach , visits to grandparents and family dinners . A wedding invitation . Dance recitals .
With a soft whoosh , each memory lands on the printer ’ s tray , ready to be trimmed , bound , shipped , and cherished . For another view of the Shutterfly plant , turn the page . J