Cook Medical announced that it made a $3.4 million (€3 million) investment in new technologies at its site in Limerick, Ireland.
The company plans to put the investment toward renewable and energy-saving technologies in Castletroy, Limerick. This project features a new one-megawatt, ground-mounted solar PV array on the site’s grounds. It also includes 1.2 megawatts of heat pumps to replace existing chillers, an upgrade of electronically commutated fans and a new energy management system.
According to a press release from IDA Ireland — the Irish government’s foreign direct investment arm — this investment comes as part of Cook’s carbon reduction goals. It expects the new technology to increase operational efficiency in Castletroy and offset approximately 50% of carbon emissions.
Cook projects an offset of about 269 tons of carbon annually through this project. Over a 25-year life cycle, it expects to remove a total of 6,725 tons of carbon. Coupled with additional green energy technology, the company anticipates removing 60% of carbon from its Ireland site.
The company said it remains committed to enhancing and maintaining the biodiversity of its Ireland site. Other key reductions include a 19% decrease in the annual import of electricity upon the project’s completion. The company anticipates a 70% reduction in the annual use of natural gas from the installation of heat pumps.
Cook Medical submitted a planning application to Limerick City and County Council. It plans to begin the project “in due course,” if approved.
‘’We are committed to making sustainable choices across our business and reducing our impact on the environment,” said Bill Doherty, EVP and managing director of Cook Medical Europe. “By integrating solar panels into our operations, we’re able to enhance our efficiency while also reducing our carbon footprint.”
The Limerick site, opened in 1996, serves as Cook’s base for European sales and manufacturing. It provides 10% of the company’s global manufacturing and employs about 800 people.
