Plumrose USA Honored with Distinguished Award

On December 10, 2013, in Randers, Plumrose USA's new establishment in Council Bluffs was recognized as the sustainable plant of the year. This is a highly esteemed award that all those involved in the project can take pride in. Dave Schanzer, the CEO, explains that they have incorporated considerations of water and energy consumption, recycling, and global footprint into every decision made during the planning of the facility. This has led to significant changes, including saving millions of gallons of water annually. Even smaller initiatives, like dual flush toilets and waterless urinals, have contributed to reducing water usage from daily employee restroom breaks. The most substantial decrease in water usage comes from reusing water in the company's cooking/chilling process. By sterilizing water with UV filters for reuse, the water consumption is reduced by 80 percent, which also saves natural gas as the water doesn't need to be reheated. This has resulted in a reduction of natural gas consumption by 20,000 MBtu annually, a significant improvement. Schanzer says that the figures were impressive on paper, but they are even more so now that production has started and they can see the actual energy reduction. This has led to a significant decrease in their carbon footprint and their water and natural gas costs. In addition to environmental benefits, Plumrose's advanced new factory also benefits its employees. Robots are used for heavy lifting at Council Bluffs to spare employees from such tasks. Schanzer explains that this is a win-win situation where they utilize the strengths of robots for heavy lifting and repetitive tasks that were previously part of the job. These robots are designed to use minimal energy while performing repetitive tasks that could potentially harm employees. As the products are transported from the factory in trucks that have been modified to reduce fuel usage, Schanzer takes pride in knowing that the products from Council Bluffs are produced in the most environmentally friendly manner possible. Schanzer expresses his pride in their team and their supply partners who contributed to the design, construction, and start-up of the facility. He extends his gratitude to everyone involved in building the facility and shares the award for the sustainable facility of the year with them. In addition to sustainability, the team at Plumrose has other reasons to be proud. The plant is also highly efficient. Besides being recognized as the most sustainable plant in the US, the Council Bluffs facility was also a runner-up in the plant of the year competition, where all factors are considered.