Ginger Singh-Kauldhar
New etching bath
Earlier this year Tomlinson expanded its etching facility by adding a second large etching bath thereby doubling our etching capacity and capability, and delivery and installation of a third is scheduled for October 2025 to support continued growth in this area of the business.
With chemical etching comes Tomlinson strong commitment to corporate responsibility and safe environmental practices. All waste chemicals and metals, including swarf, continue to be collected and responsibly disposed of or recycled in the following ways:
The etching process produces nitric acid waste of approximately 12000 litres per month. This is collected onsite by our partner Tradebe by way of pumping straight out of IBC’s. This is a recent change and now means we do not have to purchase unnecessary IBC’s, in turn reducing our plastic footprint. The nitric is taken to a chemical treatment site and recycled.
Magnesium swarf waste has become a bigger concern of late due to it’s hazard potential. In days gone by swarf could just be placed in a cage and collected by a waste carrier. However, it now legally has to be placed in drums of no more than 10kg. These drums have to be UN approved and fireproof. Tomlinson fill approx. 50 of these drums per month which are then collected by a licensed waste carrier and taken to the only site of it’s kind in the UK that can recycle this safely.