Croda Ramps Up Environmental Efforts at Atlas Point with Solar Panel Installation

Sen. Tom Carper; Rep. James Johnson; David Small, DNREC deputy secretary; Steve Foots, Croda International Plc group chief executive; and Kevin Gallagher, president of Croda Inc., broke ground on a US $2.3 million solar installation project at the company’s Atlas Point facility in New Castle, Del., USA.

The 777kW project, expected to be completed by year-end, will reside on 2.5 acres of the plant property and will generate approximately 5% of the site’s electricity – equivalent to the power consumed by 130 homes. Additionally, the solar panels will reduce the site’s annual CO2 emission by more than 1.381 million pounds – the approximate equivalent of CO2 emitted by 1,345 flights from New York to Los Angeles.

Croda has partnered with EnterSolar to procure solar panels manufactured in Delaware and installed by Delaware labor. The solar installation is one of several sustainability initiatives at Croda’s Atlas Point facility. Earlier in 2013, Croda began channeling methane gas from a nearby landfill to power more than 70% of the Atlas Point manufacturing operations with a combined heat and power (CHP) unit. Later this year, the facility expects to receive certification by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil for its advanced initiative to support sustainable palm oil and palm kernel oil derivatives in the manufacture of its specialty ingredients.

“Our objective is to make sustainability a point of differentiation for our business. We are confident this strategy will generate even greater benefits for the environment in which we operate, for the communities of which we are a part, and for the people with whom we work,” said Gallagher.

Since acquiring the plant in 2006, Croda Inc. has invested US $100 million in upgrades to the facility. Over the next three years, Croda plans to invest US $50 million more in upgrades at Atlas Point to enhance and expand the site.

“I applaud Croda’s investment in Delaware, both environmentally and economically,” said Delaware Governor Jack Markell. “Since acquiring Atlas Point in 2006, Croda has made a substantial investment in upgrading and enhancing the facility to benefit the local community and the environment, and enhance our economy by bringing jobs and business to our state.”

Croda was ranked 25th in the 2013 "Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations” report, compiled annually by Corporate Knights.

Check back with Cosmetics & Toiletries for a future link to Croda's video of the solar installation project's ground breaking.

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