Autocam Medical, a global contract manufacturer of precision surgical and medical components and devices, has announced an investment of nearly $2 million in clean technology at its new Global Headquarters in Kentwood, Michigan. This initiative is in alignment with the company’s overall goal of having zero impact on the environment by conserving, reusing, and recycling all materials. Through emerging technology and continuous improvement, the West Michigan company feels its infrastructure commitment to solar technology is the right thing to do and makes good business sense. “Although the goal of zero environmental impact is not new, looking at how to minimize the amount of electricity and using solar for generating energy is the next step forward for our company,” said John Kennedy, founder and owner of Autocam Medical.
The privately held company is investing heavily, starting with roof-mounted solar power systems, and following up with a 1.5-acre solar farm generating over 1MW of power for the new Kentwood Headquarters to reduce its carbon footprint and ease consumption on the power grid. Other initiatives include state-of-the-art cooling systems to capture manufacturing process heat and redirect it into climate control systems, further reducing power consumption. Kennedy said most people would be shocked if they knew how much the company spent on air conditioning in the plants. “It costs us lots of energy to get rid of the processed heat. The reclamation of heat alone will reduce our energy consumption by over 16%,” he said. The company says it is also presently investigating retrofitting its existing Kentwood manufacturing facility with the same energy efficiency strategies.
The brand-new global headquarters and manufacturing facility is located at Broadmoor Street and 36th Street in Kentwood, Michigan. The 120,000 Sq. Ft. facility features state-of-the-art technology and equipment built to Autocam Medical specifications and proprietary processes and is equipped to accommodate its growing portfolio of medical manufacturing contracts.
The company’s exponential growth is a reflection of its commitment to building a socially and economically sustainable business, as well. In addition to outfitting the site with the latest equipment, the company plans to continue expanding its workforce in an effort to further respond to its influx of business. In fact, they have already increased their staffing efforts significantly and plan to hire over 250 additional employees at the new site.
Kennedy attributes the company’s continued growth to its culture, which values “employees for what they bring in their heads, not necessarily their hands” and “strives to make everyone feel like they want to be part of the organization.”
The newly-constructed facility and innovative equipment installed at the site will not only enhance the company’s ability to serve a larger number of customers, but will also provide employees with the tools they need to solve problems and implement their ideas more efficiently.
