Environmental Progress - Winter 2000

Environmental Management:
A New Perspective

ITT Industries - McDonnell & Miller

Chicago

ITT Industries - McDonnell and Miller, in the northern area of Chicago, is the leading manufacturer of electronic and mechanical boiler controls in the U.S. They have turned the concept of teamwork into a driving force for environmental excellence and cost savings at the facility.

Several years ago, the company recognized business value in getting mercury out of their products, so they brought together their managers for marketing, purchasing, product engineering, quality, manufacturing and general management. They refined the snap switch as an alternative to the mercury switch and now use them in 50 percent of their products. Although the snap switch is just as reliable, some customers (boiler manufacturers) still prefer mercury switches. ITT McDonnell & Miller is working to show their customers the value of using the newer mercury-free switch so that they can continue to move their product line in that direction.

In 1996, the company’s Environment and Safety Manager, Jeff Melo, began to investigate ISO 14000 as a way to incorporate environmental activities into production and raise environmental awareness among employees. In early 1997, a steering committee convened to learn about ISO, made up of the hazardous materials staff, engineers, managers, supervisors, the comptroller, union committee member and the environment and safety manager. Over several months, the committee developed a list of environmental aspects based on company products and processes, set goals, developed action plans, established procedures, educated other staff, and passed their certification audit in November 1997.

ITT McDonnell & Miller has not rested on its laurels after achieving ISO 14000 certification. Instead, it uses its environmental management system (EMS) as a tool for continuous environmental (including energy) improvement. The company organized teams to tackle specific environmental aspects, such as machine coolants, volumetric gas use, VOCs in paint, paper and print, test racks (related to water consumption) and energy usage company-wide.

By 1998, they had reduced hazardous wastes by 92.4 percent (surpassing the goal of 50 percent), electricity use by 10.6 percent (instead of the 5 percent goal) and water consumption by 24.1 percent (instead of the 3 percent goal). One team is currently looking at the possibility of leaving some heating system products unpainted, eliminating xylene and ethylbenzene emissions and several process steps that generate waste.

The application of ISO 14000 as a tool has been successful in reducing energy usage at the facility. Larry Kocen, plant engineer, championed energy conservation efforts such as the “relamping” of offices and manufacturing areas with more efficient lighting; installing energy efficient windows, programmable thermostats and more efficient air compressors; and establishing a formal Energy Management Program to look at all aspects of energy use at the facility.

ITT Industries shows no sign of slowing down in its striving toward environmental excellence. They are one of the first 200 (out of 3,000) applicants accepted to be part of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. They are looking into product engineering to determine product impacts on the environment, experimenting with renewable energy alternatives and examining their influence on their suppliers to encourage better environmental awareness and improvement.