Sustainability Initiative Program

By C.A. Lawton | September 20, 2012

The C.A. Lawton Co. Participates in the Wisconsin Sustainability Initiative Program – Investments will result in improved efficiencies and a reduced environmental footprint.

Media Release

September 20, 2012 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact Patrick Kotowski

Director of Business Development

(920) 983-4091

pkotowski@calawton.com

De Pere, WI – The C.A. Lawton Co. (Calco) has been awarded a grant to increase its financial and environmental performance through the Wisconsin Profitable Sustainability Initiative (PSI), which is funded by state grants from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. PSI is also supported by a federal grant from the State Energy Office awarded by the Department of Energy through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Calco will use the grant among other things to invest in air compressors and new lighting, which will be more efficient, resulting in an ROI of less than 2 years. The projects were identified by a team of experts from Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WMEP), Focus on Energy, SCS BT Squared (a civil and environmental engineering firm), and Calco. While each project offers the benefit of reduced energy consumption, the benefits from the new compressors also include less maintenance and increased tool life.

When planning for the future, Calco utilizes an environmental management system, which measures the potential ecological impact of its actions. The system is part of an ongoing effort to reduce waste, re-use or recycle materials, and select and use materials from suppliers that are environmentally aware in their business activities and minimize energy consumption.

“We strive to do what’s ‘right,’ and we use our status as a family business with a long history to think about our business over the long term. There are times we can measure our ‘paybacks’ in decades rather than months and years or occasionally forego individual payback in the name of societal benefit,” said Alex Lawton, president and CEO of Calco.

About the PSI Program

With an emphasis on return on investment, the PSI program is about improving the bottom line and is clearly a different approach compared to most sustainability initiatives. When presented with attractive returns, participants have made significant investments in projects that have exceeded $1M. Most projects break even in approximately 12 months, with many achieving breakeven in less than 8 months. The PSI program impacts small and mid-size manufacturers and includes a comprehensive review of the entire product life cycle. The approach yields improved financial and environmental performance by providing innovative solutions through a process of quickly identifying and assessing opportunities in areas of material use and production processes, which includes product quality and design.

About The C.A. Lawton Co.

The C.A. Lawton Co. is ISO 9001:2008 certified and has well over a century of experience as a leading manufacturer of industrial components, employing approximately 150 people between two facilities in De Pere, WI. Its integrated business includes patternmaking, casting, and machining capabilities. The C.A. Lawton Co. provides large iron castings and machining for domestic manufacturers in the HVAC, municipal pump and valve, oil & gas, mining, and power generation industries. The C.A. Lawton Co.’s customer base includes such companies as General Electric, IR/Trane, Metso, and Siemens.

For media inquiries contact Patrick Kotowski at 920-983-4091.

 

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