Autocam Medical makes $2M investment in solar energy

A manufacturer made a clean energy investment totaling nearly $2 million at its new global headquarters in Kentwood.

Autocam Medical, a global contract manufacturer of precision surgical and medical components and devices, has installed roof-mounted solar power systems and a 1.5-acre solar farm at its new headquarters and manufacturing facility at Broadmoor and 36th streets.

The solar technology will generate over 1 megawatt of power at the 120,000-square-foot facility and will help the company with its goal of having zero impact on the environment by conserving, reusing and recycling all materials.

“Although the goal of zero environmental impact is not new, looking at how to minimize the amount of electricity and using solar for generating energy is the next step forward for our company,” said John Kennedy, founder and owner of Autocam Medical.

Other clean energy initiatives with the new facility include state-of-the-art cooling systems to capture manufacturing process heat and redirect it into climate control systems, further reducing power consumption.

Kennedy said most people would be shocked if they knew how much the company spent on air conditioning in the plants.

“It costs us lots of energy to get rid of the processed heat. The reclamation of heat alone will reduce our energy consumption by over 16%,” he said.

The company also said it is investigating retrofitting its existing Kentwood manufacturing facility with the same energy efficiency strategies.

The newly constructed facility is equipped to accommodate Autocam’s growing portfolio of medical manufacturing clients. The company plans to continue expanding its workforce and hire over 250 additional employees at the new site.