US plant goes green with power
Atlas Copco Industrial Assembly Solutions' facility in New Hudson in the U.S. manufactures the Henrob self pierce riveting product lines. It was the first company to subscribe to a new energy program called MIGreenPower offered by electric power supplier DTE Energy. As a result the plant is now using 60% renewable energy and has been featured in DTE Energy's “EnergySmarts for Michigan” business magazine
Subscribing to the MIGreenPower energy program enables the Atlas Copco Henrob plant to purchase a percentage of its power from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar farms – two of the most affordable clean energy sources available. Using 50% renewable energy Currently 50% of the plant's energy requirement is being supplied under MIGreenPower. Although initially quite costly, the program costs substantially less than installing solar panels or wind turbines on company property. Other sustainability initiatives Other initiatives at the plant include recycling post-industrial materials and reducing energy usage when possible. Oil, scrap metal, drums, paper, batteries, and plastic are recycled and a significant amount of the plant's lighting has been converted to LED. The facility is also saving energy by installing energy-saving lighting controls reducing energy usage by an amount that would power more than 57 average Michigan homes annually.