Michigan Manufacturer Saves more than $700,000 while Reducing PPE Waste with Innovative Cleaning & Recycling Program

JACKSON, Mich., Sept. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- At a time when manufacturers are under increasing pressure to reduce operating costs while meeting sustainability goals, Libra Industries is helping companies accomplish both through its PPE Cleaning and Recycling Program.

For manufacturers, managing personal protective equipment (PPE) is a necessary expense, but replacing gloves and other protective gear after every use can quickly drive-up costs and generate significant waste.

Thai Summit America faced that very challenge. With nearly 900 employees working across three shifts, the automotive stamping and assembly manufacturer sought a smarter way to manage PPE without compromising worker safety or environmental performance.

The result: In 2025 alone, the program generated approximately $707,000 in documented cost savings while extending the life of its PPE while reducing waste.

"The biggest benefit has been seeing that safety, cost savings, and sustainability don't have to compete with one another," said Jason Street, safety manager at Thai Summit America. "Libra's program has helped us extend the life of our PPE while giving us measurable results that we can track through quarterly reporting."

Rather than disposing of PPE after a single use, items are professionally cleaned, inspected, and safely returned for reuse, extending their usable life four to five times before replacement is necessary.

"One of the things I appreciate most about the program is the transparency," Street said. "Every quarter we receive detailed reports showing our cost savings and the impact of the program. It gives us confidence that we're making decisions that benefit both our employees and the company."

Thai Summit's experience reflects what Libra Industries has seen across its customer base. By helping manufacturers extend the life of reusable PPE, the company enables organizations to lower operating costs, reduce landfill waste and gain measurable data to support their sustainability initiatives.

"Our goal isn't simply to clean PPE," said Tim Lightner, president of Libra Industries. "We're helping manufacturers rethink how PPE is managed across entire organizations. When companies move away from single-use practices and adopt a standardized reuse program, the financial and environmental benefits can scale across every facility."

Thai Summit is among nearly 200 companies nationwide that partnered with Libra Industries over the past year for PPE cleaning and recycling services, reducing waste while lowering the total cost of PPE ownership.

"As manufacturers continue to face rising material costs and increasing environmental expectations, we're seeing more organizations recognize that sustainability and profitability can work together," Lightner said. "Programs like this allow companies to make measurable progress on both."

Libra Industries professionally cleans, restores, inspects, and recycles gloves and other reusable PPE for manufacturers across the United States. In addition to extending the life of safety equipment, the company's standardized process provides customers with environmental reporting, compliance support, and cost-savings tracking to help organizations make informed operational decisions.

To learn more about Libra Industries' nationwide glove and PPE cleaning and recycling services, or to start a risk-free trial, visit: https://www.librami.com/readyship-glove-and-ppe-recycling 

About Libra Industries
For more than 57 years, Libra Industries has been a national leader in professional glove and PPE cleaning and recycling. Serving organizations across the United States, Libra Industries delivers safe, compliant, and data-driven PPE solutions that reduce costs, protect workers, and minimize environmental impact. To learn more about Libra Industries, visit librami.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Devon Roof
Epic Blue Marketing
517-474-1573
[email protected] 

SOURCE Libra Industries Inc.