Cardinal Labs Goes Off the Power Grid
Cardinal Laboratories Inc. (Azusa, Calif.) entered a more earth-friendly era on Oct. 29, officially converting its manufacturing and distribution center to 100 percent solar power.
The conversion, a project done with the help of the Solar Partnership Program of the City of Azusa, took Cardinal completely off the power grid. It was an investment, said company president Tony De Vos, but it was a good and socially responsible business move. “Looking at our environment from the big picture point of view, taking steps to get off the power grid and reduce our carbon footprint makes sense for our company, our world and future generations,” De Vos said.
The Cardinal Laboratories building—the first pet industry manufacturing and distribution center to be powered by the sun—is pumping out so much energy that the excess is being sold back to the local utility, according to Cardinal. It’s also the first completely solar-powered facility in Azusa.
The “white roof” is topped by 367 solar panels, made in the United States by Siliken Renewable Energy in San Diego.
In addition, Cardinal replaced a variety of power-drawing items at its facility with new energy-efficient alternatives. The company also replaced its building’s skylights with new prismatic units and added sensors so lights will go out when a room isn’t being used. These changes have reduced the energy load so significantly that Cardinal has been able to install air conditioning in the factory.
“As a leading manufacturer of dog and cat care products for over 60 years, Cardinal is proud to be one of the companies leading the way toward a more environmentally responsible future,” said De Vos.
For more information about Cardinal’s eco-friendly facility, visit www.cardinalpet.com. [December 2009 PET AGE]
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