Dec 8 2009
Americhem Inc., a global provider of custom color and additive solutions for polymeric products, has implemented lighting improvements at three of its plants, plus its world headquarters location, improving lighting efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions -- resulting in a reduction of the company's carbon footprint.
Americhem's Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, manufacturing plant replaced metal-halide lighting fixtures in its plant, labs and other common areas with high-efficiency fluorescent fixtures. The lighting upgrade resulted in a 56 percent reduction of energy consumption and related emissions. Light levels improved overall by 40 percent, according to light readings taken after the installation. This will enhance employee safety as a result.
"This project made a lot of sense for Americhem," said Ryan King, plant engineer at the Ohio facility. "We were able to improve the work atmosphere, while helping protect and sustain our environment, which reinforces our commitment to our employees and our community. But it also creates significant energy savings, which helps us control costs."
Americhem's Mansfield, Texas, manufacturing plant recently completed a similar conversion. The plant's new high-efficiency fluorescent fixtures should yield similar cost, and environmental savings, as well as safety enhancements. The company's plant in Manchester, United Kingdom, is nearing completion on a lighting upgrade that will result in a 70 percent reduction in annual lighting bills, in addition to efficiency improvements reducing electrical use.
The company's Cuyahoga Falls headquarters and central R & D facility has installed high-efficiency fluorescents in the research area. The 35 percent reduction in kilowatt hours and its related cost savings will be enhanced when the program is extended to the building's analytical labs in the near future.
Americhem will evaluate green lighting initiatives for its Concord, N.C., plant over the next six months.
"Our constant pursuit of green improvements to our facilities is indicative of Americhem's commitment to triple bottom line improvements," says Gary Dale, Americhem's director of manufacturing for North America. "Yes, these improvements can have a major impact on our financial health, but they also help us enhance our social and ecological performance as well."
Other recent green enhancements include the total elimination of the use of CO(2) in all Americhem plant manufacturing processes by March 2010. The Ohio manufacturing plant replaced two 350-gallon steam fueled hot water tanks with two 60-gallon direct natural gas fired heaters. The new heaters are 99 percent efficient and will significantly reduce natural gas use.
Source: http://www.americhem.com/