Atlas Copco Drilling Solutions proactively demonstrates its commitment to the environment by investing in both technology and people, while benefiting the company’s bottom line.

  The drilling equipment manufacturer spent nearly $1 million on lighting and more efficient air-conditioning systems that reduced electrical use by 25 percent. Atlas Copco installed a motion-detection system that controls warehouse lighting, resulting in a savings of 2.4 million kilowatt-hours in one year.

  As a manufacturer, the company tests its drill bits on huge blocks of granite, which led to scrap waste. The company sought an end-use of the materials with an organization that repurposes the scrap for road-base. A mulch manufacturer also reuses Atlas Copco’s wooden crates and wood pallets and their cardboard is recycled into other paper products. By recycling materials, Atlas Copco’s reduced its solid waste disposal amount by 65 percent. Management also found ways to cut water usage by 18 percent. Because of the savings, the company believes it will recoup its entire investment in less than three years.

  After starting its own environmental management system (EMS) and experiencing measurable benefits to both the environment and operational costs, Atlas Copco partnered with the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center to take the lead in promoting EMS to suppliers. Through this partnership, the company hosted two training workshops, in cooperation with other organizations, which guided suppliers through the ISO 14001 requirements and taught them how to form an EMS.

  Atlas Copco’s commitment to conducting business in an environmentally responsible way has earned it the distinction of being one of “The 2007 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World” by a leading business analyst. Through the good works of this one company, Atlas Copco has spread the message that it is possible and valuable to balance business activities while protecting the environment.