MC Assembly Introduces New Environmental Initiatives as it Marks Earth Day

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MC Assembly is marking Earth Day by focusing on its recent initiatives to preserve the environment while planning for new green initives, including reducing power consumption with a planned solar panel array for the company's Melbourne, Fla., plant. 

The Florida-based manufacturer has introduced several initiatives to help lead the way for the manufacturing industry to be better stewards of the environment. These initiatives include local volunteering, the introduction of a water recycling system at its Melbourne plant, recycling initiatives companywide, reduced power consumption and on-site nitrogen generation. 

The company's employees are participating in local cleanups while also adopting green technologies in MC Assembly's North American facilities in Melbourne, Boston and Zacatecas, Mexico. 

"We believe in being a positive part of our community and making thoughtful, environmentally friendly contributions to the places we work and live in," said MC Assembly Chief Operating Officer Luis Ramirez. "Our environmental initiatives are aimed at reducing any negative impact to our environment while shrinking our carbon footprint." 

Reducing Power Consumption with LEDs and Solar Panels

In addition to installing smart light switches in all office areas, MC Assembly's Boston facility installed high efficiency LED lighting in its shop floor saving approximately $1,200 per month in lighting costs. MC Assembly's Melbourne headquarters is in the process of purchasing and installing new LED lighting fixtures to replace about 880 current bulbs.

The new LEDs are plug replaceable with fluorescent representing a significant reduction in power usage of approximately 41,200 kilowatt hours per year. Company officials estimate they will save about $4,120 per year in electric costs. There are also plans to install LED lighting in its Mexico facility as well. 

MC Assembly is also planning to install a 60 solar panel, 16,500-watt PV system at its Melbourne headquarters, projected to reduce power usage by 30,000 Kilowatt hours per year and saving approximately $3,000 in electrical costs annually. This system is expected to supply all the energy needs for cafeteria services at the plant. 

Local Beach Clean Up

MC Assembly's "My Community" team recently partnered with Keep Brevard Beautiful for a beach clean-up event. A total of 35 MC Assembly employees and their families volunteered at Pelican Beach for a morning clean-up project. 

"Our team really wanted to participant in an event that would help our environment," said Brian Kingston, MC Assembly Human Resources Director. "Not only was this a great benefit for our local environment but it was great to see the teamwork, comradery and passion the MC employees embraced for our community events." 

Green Initiatives

From the installation of a closed loop water recycling processing system in Florida to recycling all plastics and metals used in the manufacturing shop in Boston, MC Assembly is always looking for ways to become a better steward of the Earth and to preserve natural resources. 

"We consider the environment to be as important of a stakeholder as anyone or anything else," Ramirez said. "We not only want to meet our local, state and federal environmental regulations but we want to strive to exceed those regulations by creating initiatives, many of those driven by our own employees' ideas, to leave our children and future generations a better environment."  

Robust Recycling Programs

All three MC Assembly facilities recycle plastics, cardboard and metals to reduce landfill waste. Last year alone, MC Assembly recycled more than 25 tons of manufacturing material. The company has also invested in equipment to recycle solder dross, reducing the solder waste by 70 percent. 

Reducing Annual Water Consumption by 74%

Last year, MC Assembly installed a Closed Loop Process Water Recycling System in its Melbourne headquarters, reducing annual water consumption by more than 74 percent. The water savings totals more than 3 million gallons annually, reducing waste while reallocating water usage into a more efficient and eco-friendly system. Both the Boston and Mexico facilities also use similar closed loop water systems for the PCBA cleaning process. 

On Site Nitrogen Generator

In electronics manufacturing, nitrogen plays an important role. Nitrogen is used to reduce the oxidation and dross build up in the Ersa and Wave soldering machines and can be used in the SMT machines. In its previous Florida facility, MC Assembly needed to truck in nitrogen every month. When it moved into its new Melbourne facility, instead of moving the nitrogen silo, MC Assembly installed an on-site nitrogen generator. 

"It's more efficient because we're not bringing in trucks on a monthly basis and running additional piping all through the building since the generator is relatively small and local to the machines in the area it's being used," said MC Assembly's Continuous Improvement Manager Dan Prina.

About MC Assembly

MC Assembly, based in Melbourne, Fla., with operations in Billerica, Mass. and Zacatecas, Mexico, is a national leader in the contract manufacturing arena with annual revenues of approximately $200 million. It provides turnkey solutions to original equipment manufacturers and focuses on assembly of medium volume, medium mix printed circuit boards assemblies (PCBAs) and box builds. MC Assembly's capabilities include surface mount and pin-through-hole interconnection technologies, PCB and box build DFM, DFT, DFA engineering, in-circuit, functional and environmental testing, full box-build and direct order fulfillment.