Georgia Governor Visits Shaw's Waste to Energy

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Georgia Governor Visits Shaw's Waste to Energy
Dalton, GA, June 21, 2006--Shaw Industries yesterday welcomed Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue to Shaw Plant 81 and the Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Plant on June 20. Shaw, named “innovative and creative” by the governor, is the only company in the nation to boast the WTE facility which uses carpet and wood manufacturing waste to steam energy through a process called gasification. This unprecedented energy conservation technique will power nearly 70 percent of Plant 81. Vance Bell, executive vice president, thanked the governor for his support of the carpet industry and overall northwest Georgia region on behalf of the 23,000 Shaw employees in the state. Concluding the tour and demonstration of the facility, the governor encouraged Shaw employees by praising the ongoing efforts to conserve energy. “Projects like these save, serve and give value to the state of Georgia,” Governor Perdue says. “I try to model the state government after these same principles. This plant helps Shaw win by saving money and showing concern for the environment.” Developed in cooperation with Siemens Building Technologies, the conversion process works by turning manufacturing carpet waste and post-consumer carpet waste along with wood flour (dust generated from trimming during laminate manufacturing), into steam. This steam then provides power to Plant 81. The project with three years of planning and nearly one year of operation underway will eventually save up to 2.5 million dollars per year at the plant. Gary Nichols, the Shaw energy manager that heads up the project, says the facility is estimated to convert approximately 14,100 tons of combined post-industrial and post-consumer carpet waste, and 9,000 tons of wood flour per year. The company is studying ways to use the remaining waste by-products, such as recovered post-consumer filler, that result from the conservation process. Nichols is optimistic that Shaw will discover uses for these materials and other energy saving operations. According to Steve Bradfield, Director of Corporate Environmental Affairs, the gasification facility is a demonstration and move towards Shaw’s commitment to the future. “Shaw is the main entrance to the carpet capital of the world,” Governor Perdue stated.


Related Topics:Shaw Industries Group, Inc.