Challenge: Lock manufacturer Medeco’s plating and finishing department was using about 12,000 gallons of water per day, rising to as much as 15,000 gallons per day based on the number of shifts and production needs. Water supplier costs were high and Medeco was identified as a “large” producer of wastewater by the state of Virginia. The company had to find a way to reduce wastewater and water usage.
Solution: Plating and finishing manager Leslie Samuel has taken a practical approach to sustainability improvements and has reduced water usage and cut costs. By capping overflow tanks, turning the water lines off during non-working hours, and optimizing the plating line’s performance so fewer shifts were required, water usage has dramatically reduced from 12,000 gallons per day to just 1,000 gallons.
Result: A common sense approach has led Medeco to reduce the water used in its plating line by 93 percent. The initiatives have not only reduced water costs but also electricity, which together have reduced the operating costs of the plating line by 58 percent over the past two years.
Due to the dramatic reduction in wastewater at Medeco, the state of Virginia has now classified the company as a small producer of waste.
