Visteon Continues to Build a Better Environment With Global Efforts to Go Green
29 September 1999
Visteon Continues to Build a Better Environment With Global Efforts to Go Green
DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 28 -- Visteon Automotive Systems'
commitment to environmental stewardship is drawing international praise.
The organization's push to adopt global ISO standards, reuse post-consumer
scrap, design for disassembly and recycling, and embrace new green
technologies has resulted in several recent environmental industry awards in
North America and Thailand.
Visteon's Sheldon Road plant in Plymouth, Michigan is the first Visteon
plant and twelfth facility in the state of Michigan to receive the Michigan
Clean Corporate Citizenship Award (C3). The Indianapolis, Indiana plant has
been recognized by the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable for
implementing an oil-free, dry whirling process to cut industrial gears.
Additionally, Visteon Thailand Ltd. received honors from the Thailand Ministry
of Industry for its contributions toward preservation and protection of the
environment.
"Visteon is the leading environmental automotive supplier in the world,"
said Craig Muhlhauser, president, Visteon. "We are committed to offering
consumers the cleanest, highest quality, most efficient automotive systems
available and continue to dedicate our global resources to programs that raise
the bar on green in the vehicle industry. We are aggressively working to
address the environmental requirements of our global customers with advanced
technology, environmentally-sensitive materials and green industrial
processes."
SHELDON ROAD PLANT
In order to qualify for C3 designation, the Sheldon Road Plant had to
adopt a strong environmental management system, a facility-specific pollution
prevention program, and show a consistent record of compliance with applicable
environmental requirements.
Sheldon Road's Clean Corporate Citizenship award is valid for one year and
can be renewed annually.
"We take environmental and wildlife preservation very seriously at our
plant," said Lou Whitlock, Sheldon Road plant manager. "Our team works very
hard in making sure we are doing everything we can for the environment, and
it's great to see that our efforts paid off."
The Sheldon Road facility is a world leader in the use of post-consumer
recycled plastics. All components manufactured at the plant have a 25 percent
post-consumer recycled plastic content. Last year, Sheldon Road recycled 65
million pounds of post-consumer plastic in the form of soft drink bottles and
plastic bottle caps.
Sheldon Road's hourly and salaried workforce also formed a wildlife
committee in 1994 and has developed a wildlife sanctuary on plant grounds.
The sanctuary, which includes wildflower plantings, birdhouses and nesting
boxes, has been certified by the national Wildlife Habitat Council as an
innovative, sustainable corporate model for wildlife habitat development on
private property.
Opened in 1967, the 1.1 million square foot Sheldon Road facility
manufactures heater and air conditioner assemblies, aluminum heater cores,
aluminum radiators, and heater and air conditioner controls.
INDIANAPOLIS PLANT
The National Pollution Prevention Roundtable will award the Indianapolis
Plant third place in the 1999 Most Valuable Pollution Prevention Awards for
their steel whirling process.
Used for the manufacture of threads, this dry machining process eliminates
the use of lubricating oil to cut steel, thereby reducing the amount of air
pollution and risk of fire at the plant. The elimination of lubricating oil
has reduced particulate emissions by 18.02 tons and approximately 50,000
gallons of oil per year. This machining process also produces less chip waste
and reduces the annual disposal quantity of "swarf," or chips, shavings and
fine particulates that are removed as a result of grinding.
"Our management is absolutely committed to waste minimization and
pollution prevention. We continue to find innovative ways to insure that this
commitment thrives," said Juergen Weber, Indianapolis plant manager. "Our dry
whirling process is a win-win for everybody. It not only improves the health
and safety conditions within the plant, but helps protect the environment as
well."
Ron Shetterley, the Indianapolis manufacturing engineer who drove the
development and implementation of the process and Tom Kolbus, chemistry and
metallurgy supervisor at the Indianapolis facility accepted the award on
behalf of Visteon at a September 22, Washington, D.C. ceremony.
Opened in 1957, the 2 million square foot Indianapolis facility
manufactures powering steering pumps, RCB gears, rack-and-pinion gears and
steering columns.
VISTEON (THAILAND) LTD.
Visteon Thailand received a national governmental award based on their
environmental stewardship in the following areas:
* Environmental policy and organization
* Production planning that minimizes environmental impact (recycling and
selecting environmentally safe material)
* Pollution control technology and waste management
* Pollution and waste disposal process
* Plant area landscaping and environmental control
* Internal audit results
* Employee participation
* Energy conservation
* Future plans for environmental continuous improvement.
Each facility that applied for this designation underwent an audit at its
site by the award committee. Qualified facilities had to pass a series of
vigorous environmental standards and assessments.
"We are very honored to receive this award from the Thailand Ministry of
Industry," said Clark Cruze, managing director of Visteon Thailand Ltd.
"Although we've only been open for a year, this award proves that we take the
environment very seriously. We will continue to do everything we can to make
sure our operations comply with Thai regulations and beyond."
"Our employees received training on waste reduction and other
environmental protection methods, and we're very proud of their efforts and
commitment that led up to this award," said Nattaporn Kongmuang, Visteon
Thailand Ltd. Environmental Associate.
Visteon Thailand Ltd. formed an environmental committee of employees from
different areas within the plant to improve the management of the facility.
The plant also created a communications board that provides its employees news
about the environment.
Built in 1998, the 120,000-square-foot Visteon Thailand Ltd. facility
manufactures interior trim, I/P and consoles, alternators and starters,
instrument clusters.
With the global delivery system of more than 125 technical, manufacturing,
sales and service facilities located in 21 countries, Visteon is leveraging
the talents of its 77,000 employees to deliver innovative, consumer-driven
systems solutions to its customers.