Toll blending, also known as toll milling, contract manufacturing or custom processing, involves the custom mixing and processing of a customer’s product for a fee or “toll”.  These services are provided on various products, especially those with intensive processes and complex formulations, particularly in specialty chemicals industries.

The custom blending and milling of specialty chemical products like paints, pharmaceuticals and personal care products require the use of costly specialized equipment.  Knowledge of engineering processes is also necessary for the effective execution of formulation during production.

Contract agreements vary depending on the services provided.  Some blending companies are solely responsible for the processing of materials provided by the customer.  Others are contracted for the complete manufacture of a finished product, which requires additional services including investments in supplies, packaging, labeling, storage of raw materials and goods, and transportation.  Confidentiality agreements are usually in place and customers pay for services based on the volume of goods produced.

Benefits of Toll Blending

Manufacturers may not have the resources necessary to make products in their own facilities.  Capital investments in specialized equipment, facilities, labor and energy can be cost prohibitive for in-house operation.  Already equipped with machinery and knowledge, blending companies can provide manufacturing services for batches of various sizes from small laboratory trials to full-scale production batches.  The outsourcing of toll processing services can offer significant savings over in-house production.

The blending of products and chemicals can have intricate formulations with complicated processes requiring a series of steps that can take days or weeks to complete.  Any errors in formulation can ruin an entire batch, including the loss of time and money.  Toll processors provide consistency and quality control to prevent loss and ensure efficient production at the maximum yield.

Additional benefits of toll production include:

  • More cost effective than in-house production
  • Availability of a variety of process equipment to accommodate various industries
  • Technical support and knowledge of processes
  • Quality control and consistency
  • Reduction of particle size to submicron and nanometer ranges
  • Flexibility to adjust formulation or production volume
  • Ability to customize equipment and processes to customer’s specifications
  • Experienced in dealing with volatile or hazardous materials
  • Compliance with regulatory requirements
  • Eliminates investments in equipment and other related expenses

Custom Milling & Consulting LLC, offers custom blending, milling and mixing services for applications in a liquid medium for a variety of industries including paints, inks, coatings, adhesives, sealants, composites and other specialty chemicals.  The company also manufactures a complete line of process equipment for the particle size reduction of wet milling/mixing applications including horizontal media mills, basket mills, double planetary mixers and ram discharge presses.  As an established leader in process equipment and services, CMC will continue to provide customers with the latest innovations in media mill and dispersion technology for finer and finer particle sizes, maximum yields and superior quality.