Molex Incorporated on April 7 announced that its facility based in Maumelle, Ark., was awarded the 2009 Conservation Award as Environmental Large Business of the Year for its successful recycling program and for decreasing the amount of solid waste in landfills. The award is the latest recognition of Molex’s commitment to preserve the global environment via ECOCARE, the company’s sustainability program.
“Preserving the global environment is an important part of being an outstanding corporate citizen,” said Joel Eurich, global environmental, health and safety (EH&S) manager, Molex Incorporated. “We must carefully consider environmental impacts during the design and manufacture of our products to ensure we are doing our part to continually improve our environmental performance.”
Molex recycles 91 percent of all the waste that leaves its Maumelle location. The facility has been leading environmental initiatives since 2005, when it received ISO 14001 certification in support of improving environmental performance. Beginning with the recycling of white paper, mixed paper, aluminum cans and corrugated cardboard, the facility found alternative ways to use the waste, for example, in fuel and energy programs. To encourage employee participation, the facility partnered with the Arkansas Children’s Hospital and developed “Cans for Kids” with all proceeds from aluminum can recycling going to the hospital. In 2008, Molex reduced the plastic waste from its injection molding process by 350 tons per year by partnering with another company that was able to reuse scrap plastic material in their manufacturing. The same year, the facility implemented a program to reclaim electroless copper and nickel, pulling 200 to 250 tons per year out of the landfill stream.
In addition to the Arkansas Sierra Club Award, Molex has received the following recognition for its sustainability initiatives:
· Molex was named as the 2007 Corporate Recycler of the Year by the Arkansas Recycling Coalition and as the 2007 Corporate Conservationist of the Year by the Arkansas Wildlife Federation. In April 2008, the Maumelle facility was nominated as a top-five finalist for the Arkansas Environmental Stewardship Award by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality
· More than 90 percent of Molex’s facilities are certified to ISO 14001.
For additional information on Molex sustainability initiatives, visit www.molex.com/eco-care.html.
About Molex Incorporated
Molex Incorporated is a 70-year-old global manufacturer of electronic, electrical and fiber optic interconnection systems. Based in Lisle, Ill., the company operates 45 manufacturing locations in 17 countries.
