Charlotte-based nonwovens producer Polymer Group Inc. (PGI) recently was awarded a 2010 Regional Advanced Manufacturing Award in the Green Process category from the Centralina Economic Development Commission. The honor recognizes PGI's elimination of chemicals in its cooling process at its Mooresville, N.C.-based plant -- a measure implemented in response to reduced water supply during a drought and because of concerns about the environmental issues arising from process wastewater entering the Mooresville wastewater system.

A team of 20 PGI associates worked with team leader Jeff Ward, reliability engineer and green project leader, to devise a way to eliminate the chemicals usage.

Projects demonstrating outstanding environmental stewardship in an advanced manufacturing environment are eligible for the Green Process award. Judging is based on environmental impact, business impact and employee involvement, scope of project, sustainability, and originality.

"At PGI, we recognize the world's increasing challenge to meet growing global demand for water, food and energy," said John Heironimus, chief sustainability officer.  "This project is just one example of how we continue to raise the sustainability bar for ourselves and our industry. We are honored to receive this award and I am proud of our PGI employees who are fully engaged and working together to meet our sustainability goals."

PGI reports other "green" milestones the company reached in 2009 include increasing its use of recycled materials and reducing its carbon footprint, water usage, raw material consumption and solid waste generation. The company also was recognized recently as one of America's "greenest" companies on a Green Magazine Television Earth Day Special, and was voted a world leader in sustainability reporting by stakeholders in the 2010 Global Reporting Initiative Readers' Choice Awards.

July 13, 2010