Beauty packager Aptar reaches energy management milestone
Today’s beauty consumers want to support responsible, conscientious brands. And as a result zero-waste (and now even subzero-waste), water-free, Fairtrade, and give-back brands are plentiful in the marketplace.
In support of these brands and to ensure their own sustainability, suppliers like Aptar are adjusting their businesses to be more efficient.
Precedent setting
For Aptar, this is the first facility in the US to be certified ISO 50001 according to the International Standard for Energy Management Systems. Though, “as of December 1, Aptar has certified sixteen sites in Europe,” according to a company media release.
Beth Holland, Aptar’s vice president of operational excellence, EHS and sustainability, highlights the importance of having a first certification here in the States, saying, “This is an impressive achievement as the Wisconsin facility is setting the pace in energy management for our North American locations.”
The company has some 9 manufacturing facilities in the US (as well as a number of offices, sales, and information facilities). And presumably those other sites in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, etc. will eventually be updated to meet the ISO 50001 standard as well.
Joint effort
Aptar had some help reaching this energy management milestone. And importantly, the ISO 50001 certification isn’t a fixed accomplishment; it’s something of a moving target, an approach to energy use that companies take to keep improving over time: “The standard aims to help organizations continually reduce their energy use, and therefore their energy costs and their greenhouse gas emissions,” according to the Wikipedia synopsis of ISO 50001. (Learn more about the specifics of this certification standard here on ISO.org.)
To meet the certification standard at its Mukwonago, Wisconsin, manufacturing facility, Aptar—a member of the Focus on Energy’s Strategic Energy Management (SEM) Leaders initiative since 2016—worked closely with We Energies, the region’s electricity and natural gas service provider.
People power
And of course, Aptar employees at the site we’re integral: “We couldn’t have done this without our team members and backing from management. The guidance we received as an SEM Leader kept us focused and on track,” Gary Schleicher, plant engineering manager at Mukwonago, tells the press.
Don Gall, Focus on Energy’s Advisor to Aptar, adds, “The entire Aptar energy team has done a really nice job identifying and implementing both capital and operational energy improvement opportunities.”
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Deanna Utroske, CosmeticsDesign.com Editor, covers beauty business news in the Americas region and publishes the weekly Indie Beauty Profile column, showcasing the inspiring work of entrepreneurs and innovative brands.
