Taking yet another step to succeed with sustainability in mind, CooperVision has converted its three Rochester, N.Y.-area sites to 100% renewable electricity usage. These include the Scottsville contact lens manufacturing plant, the West Henrietta global packaging and distribution operation, and the Victor commercial center.
CooperVision worked with consultant Power Management and Constellation, an Exelon company, for the Rochester-area renewable electricity supply.
The company began moving to electrical power using renewable energy certificates (RECs) two years ago in Rochester. The sites now completely rely on wind-derived electricity via RECs, a choice made by CooperVision because of wind generation’s prominence in New York State.
“Making the switch to 100% renewable electricity was the right thing to do as we continue to invest in upgrading our Rochester facilities,” said Myles Ott, Environmental, Health & Safety Engineer at CooperVision. “It reflects our commitment to the environment, health, and well-being of our employees and the local community, as well as complementing many of our customers’ and partners’ sustainability efforts.”
As part of ongoing renovations at the Scottsville site, which manufactures made-to-order contact lenses worn by people worldwide, the company has made several other enhancements. These include LED lighting installations, incorporation, of natural lighting in the cafeteria, and the introduction of variable-speed motors for reduced power consumption, as well as significant gains in materials recycling.
Likewise, the 275,000-square-foot West Henrietta distribution site, which at any given time stores more than 120,000 different contact lens products, has made several sustainability advancements. The massive warehouse was retrofitted with new energy-efficient LED lighting, covering 95% of all spaces. It recently obtained zero waste-to-landfill status, with 90% of materials recycled and the remaining 10% converted to energy.
The Victor site, opened in 2015 in the town’s High Point development, houses employees in marketing, sales, finance, information technology, customer service, and supply chain management. While it benefitted from sustainable design practices incorporated during its construction, the commercial office continues to implement additional gains through smart sourcing initiatives. These include moving to reusable utensils, as well as biodegradable paper products and coffee pods.
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