Cement plant celebrates first ISO 50001 certification in North America

St Marys Cement Inc. is enjoying its 100th year in the construction industry this year and took the time to celebrate another historic milestone in the company’s history on June 7.

Company executives, local politicians and community leaders, travelled to St Marys Cement Inc.’s Bowmanville plant in Bowmanville, Ont. for an official celebration of the facility obtaining the first International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) ISO 50001 certification in North America – a voluntary international standard developed by ISO that offers industrial plants, commercial, institutional and governmental facilities requirements for energy management systems and establishes a framework for managing energy.

St Marys officially registered as the first North American recipient of ISO 50001 on November 15, 2011.

Erik Madsen, CEO of St Marys Cement Inc., Votorantim Cimentos North America, was on hand to accept the ISO certificate from Michael Delisle, CEO of International Certification Services Inc. (ICS). Madsen stated that the conservation elements of ISO 50001 certification will assist the company in obtaining more than $1 million in savings in 2012.

“St Marys identified the benefits and embraced the certification process early,” stated Madsen. “The ISO 50001 program and cement plants are a logical fit. Our Bowmanville plant has a rated capacity of over 1.8 million metric tonnes of product, operates 24/7 and consumes significant amounts of energy. Managing these energy costs is a no brainer – it is good for the environment and our bottom line.”

Fabio Garcia, operations manager for the Bowmanville facility, stated that the process that led to the certification did not happen overnight.

“The origins of this certification can be traced back to 2005 when we were given the green light by senior management to move forward with an integrated strategy to reduce the plant’s energy consumption,” said Garcia. “This quickly became an initiative supported, and made possible, by all of our employees.”

Mayor of Clarington Adrian Foster praised the company for embracing ISO 50001. “The initiative to embrace this type of program is part of what makes St Marys a valued member of our community,” said Foster. “Not only is it a large employer in the region, but it is a continent-wide leader for manufacturers, demonstrating a strong commitment to sustainability and energy conservation in a very competitive economic environment.”