In 2016, Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC diverted 96.4% (over 22 million lbs.) of material waste from landfill disposal, as the company closes in on its goal of becoming 100% landfill-free by 2020. Bendix also made gains in its quest to reduce 10% of its energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions, each by 2019 from a 2014 baseline.
“Environmental responsibility is a core commitment at Bendix, and the progress we’re making is a testament to the sustainability mindset all of us have here,” says Maria Gutierrez, Director of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability. “This kind of personal investment matters a great deal as Bendix develops and acts on strategies to meet our green targets. These efforts can make an important difference in our business, the communities we call home, and the future of our planet.”
Bendix has an effective two-step plan to increase its waste diversion efforts Year over Year. Step one targets diversion of only industrial waste. Four Bendix facilities are already industrial waste landfill-free, and an additional four facilities are scheduled to follow and reach this milestone in 2017. The second step targets diversion from landfill of all remaining waste, including general trash and cafeteria waste. The company is well on track to reach this overall goal to be landfill-free by 2020.
According to Gutierrez, key waste diversion and recycling programs include trash audits (called dumpster dives) that identify remaining opportunities in the Bendix recycling programs; instituting returnable packaging with suppliers whenever possible; and creating a business case to go landfill-free by utilizing waste to energy facilities.
At Bendix’s Elyria headquarters, a pilot program recycles organic food waste from the on-site cafeteria by composting through a local nursery. The company continues to research cafeteria organics composting as a recycling alternative for other Bendix locations as well.
Innovations in Energy Efficiency
Company-wide, Bendix saved more than 6.3 million kW hours – translating to a savings of $383,700 – through implementation of energy-efficiency projects over the last 24 months. One site, the Bendix plant in Bowling Green, KY, has already reached its 2019 goal for 10% reduction in energy consumption.
The savings are due in large part to the company’s continued improvement of lighting efficiency, and a focus on the primary energy consumers – HVAC and compressed air. With efforts well underway, the company aims to be 100% lighting efficient by 2018.
Bendix is also engaged in another important initiative by standardizing its energy submetering system and reports. Submetering is the installation of metering devices with the ability to measure and identify the energy usage of the major energy consumers within each facility. The company’s real-time data collection drives efficient management of energy demands, as well as peak and down times. Bendix has added energy submetering at its Elyria headquarters, as well as its Acuña, Mexico, and Huntington, IN, campuses. It plans to implement submetering at all manufacturing locations by 2019.
