Great Western Malting Vancouver plant has been recognized by the Association of Washington Business (AWB) with the Green Manufacturing Award, which acknowledges leadership in areas including maximizing energy efficiency levels, minimizing material waste, reducing an operational carbon footprint, and initiatives that effectively translate green manufacturing into business opportunities. The award is official recognition of an outstanding result.
The Vancouver team has worked hard to reduce the site’s environmental impact through new and innovative technologies, as well as challenging the way they operate.
Electrical savings of more than 3 million kWh/year have been achieved by optimizing the kilning and germination process, which has prevented more than 2,000MT of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere each year.
The site has partnered with the local utilities company and received an incentive check for more than US$700,000, while realizing annual electrical savings in excess of US$195,000.
Projects designed to reduce the site’s water consumption – such as a new humification system to temperate and humidify the air during germination – have resulted in a 90% reduction of annual water consumption.
That’s the equivalent of filling more than 1,600 Olympic-sized swimming pools per year!
It has also simplified and reduced the site’s Environmental Permit complexity by eliminating its non-contact cooling water permit.
During the AWB manufacturing week tour, the team was recognized by Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler and AWB CEO Kris Johnson for their sustainable practices, and got the chance to sign the AWB bus during their stopover in the Port of Vancouver.
The AWB video showing our team on Day 7
