HARBEC, Inc. Establishes Water Neutrality Goal for 2015

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - March 20, 2015 - PRLog -- Less than two years after achieving carbon neutrality, HARBEC, Inc. (http://www.harbec.com/)  announces that it is on track to becoming a water neutral manufacturing operation by the end of 2015. HARBEC, Inc. established its ambitious goals for carbon and water neutrality over the past five years.

Located in Ontario, NY, HARBEC, Inc.’s mission is to provide tightly tolerance prototypes, tooling, machined components and quality injection molded parts in a sustainable manner with a social conscious. HARBEC’s 50,000 square foot manufacturing facility operates three shifts, six days a week. HARBEC’s manufacturing capabilities include a diverse set of specialized equipment, including injection molding machines, CNC machining centers, CNC lathes, EDM machines, 3D printers, one metal molding machine, and a range of other specialized machines. The manufacturing facility intakes approximately 3.64 million gallons of water annually of which 33% (1.2 million gallons) comes from rainwater and 67% (2.44 million gallons) is metered municipal water used for industrial processes and in-facility water requirements.

After more than 15-years of proactive “eco-economic” operational efficiency improvements at its manufacturing facility, HARBEC, Inc. continues to create value to its business by advancing opportunities in sustainable manufacturing.

The 2015 theme for The UN World Water Day (http://www.unwater.org/worldwaterday), is 'Water and Sustainable Development'. Water is a global issue that is linked to so many areas including: health, nature, urbanization, industry, energy, food, and equality.  To achieve water neutrality in the industrial sector, HARBEC has had to first establish a baseline of its water demand and use. In addition, 2015 HARBEC became a “Water Performance Pilot Partner (http://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2015/01/f19/Better...)” through the USDOE Better Plants Program (https://www4.eere.energy.gov/challenge/partners/better-buildings-better-plants/harbec). Combined with its Water Neutral goal, HARBEC commits to track water use and share data with USDOE as it puts water savings and management measures into place and documents its water savings performance. HARBEC is also a U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) Better Plants Challenge Partner where HARBEC has established a goal to reduce its plant energy intensity 25% by 2021 (from a 2010 baseline).

To accomplish its water neutrality goal, HARBEC has and continues to pursue a number of specific initiatives including:

•        Partnering with U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge to conduct a Water Savings Pilot at HARBEC’s 50,000 sq.ft. manufacturing facility.

•        Monitoring and measuring its facility water use.

•        Assessing water demand and establishing a clear baseline of how, where, and for what purposes, water is used throughout its facility.

•        Developing targeted water conservation, efficiency, and management strategies. Water efficiency, management, and conservation strategies deployed to date include:
  - Creating an 800,000 gallon rainwater collection and water retention pond.
  - Eliminating the use of cooling towers as a manufacturing process requirement.
  - Metering water use at strategic places within the manufacturing facility and processes.
  - Adopting a closed-loop Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system which recirculates water throughout the facility for thermal energy transfer.

Bob Bechtold, President of HARBEC remarks, “Partnerships, innovation, and resourcefulness have cornerstones of our 15-year journey in sustainable manufacturing. HARBEC is more efficient, innovative, and stronger today as a result of our pragmatic efforts and determination to evaluate eco-economic opportunities that add value to the business. By reducing our demand for precious water resources, HARBEC furthers its longstanding commitment to our employees, our customers, and our community – that we continuously strive to improve our performance for today and for a better tomorrow.”

ABOUT HARBEC

Founded by Bob Bechtold in 1977, HARBEC’s mission is to provide tightly toleranced prototypes, tooling, machined components and quality injection molded parts in a sustainable manner with a social conscience. HARBEC provides superior customer service, satisfaction and timely delivery of custom engineered solutions. HARBEC proudly foster an atmosphere of encouragement and respect for the health and prosperity of their customers, employees, and the global community.

HARBEC provides capabilities and solutions for the consumer products, sporting goods, defense/aerospace, transportation, medical, marine, and energy industries. HARBEC has capabilities in the use of innovative materials, problem-solving, and working with R&D and commercial organizations on unique prototypes or engineering and manufacturing groups on high volume production. HARBEC has capabilities for short (1-to-100 parts) or longer run (>1M parts) production.

HARBEC is certified as an ITAR, ISO9000-2008, ISO14001, and ISO50001/SEP Company, demonstrating its use of “eco-economic” decisions and policies designed to ensure that its activities are sustainable. HARBEC has developed and implemented technical and process solutions to offset emissions, utilize waste and conserve resources. HARBEC reached its goal of “no carbon footprint” in 2013. Currently, the facility has a 250kW and 850kW wind turbines and operates a twenty-five microturbine combined heat and power plant which generates electricity and provides thermal energy to meet the heating and cooling requirements of the facility. For more information, please visit: www.HARBEC.com.