October 2013
Kent Elastomer Products’ extrusion facility in Mogadore, Ohio, has been honored as a Summit of Sustainability award-winner for 2013. Awards are given in conjunction with the City of Akron, Summit County, Keep Akron Beautiful, Greater Akron Chamber and ReWorks.
Winners showcase the best examples of sustainability pertaining to commercial energy efficiency, waste reduction and employee engagement. Kent Elastomer Products was awarded in the category Mid-size Companies with 25 to 249 employees.
In a five-year period, Kent Elastomer’s Mogadore facility:
- Reduced garbage dumpster loads from five per week to one.
- Reduced annual water use from 1.7 million gallons to 280,000, an 84 percent reduction.
- Reduced electricity use by 13 percent.
- Cut isopropyl alcohol usage from 917 gallons monthly to 525 gallons. (Isopropyl alcohol is a crucial part of the extrusion process.)
Other initiatives have reduced scrap from the manufacturing process and eliminated 55,000 kilowatts per year.
Employees are active participants in redefining Kent Elastomer’s culture as one of sustainability, holding monthly meetings, offering their ideas and taking ownership of the process.
“Employees are the true experts in their jobs,” said Greg Graham – Manager, Mogadore Operations. “Now, they are involved throughout the improvement process, from originating an idea to implementing and sustaining the change.”
About Kent Elastomer Products
Kent Elastomer Products, Inc. offers solutions for the global medical market, as well as dental, food and beverage, sports/recreation, laboratory, and industrial markets worldwide. We supply products directly to OEMs and through distributors. In our history, we’ve evolved from a rubber latex tubing manufacturer into a diversified supplier of thermoplastic elastomer tubing, dip-molded products, PVC tubing, latex-free Free-Band® tourniquets and more – all USA-made.
Headquarters, latex and custom-dip operations are located in Kent, Ohio. Extrusion operations are located in Mogadore, Ohio. Assembly, quality and shipping operation are located in Winesburg, Ohio.