Stryker invests $4.7 million to produce its own energy

With an investment of $4.7 million, the Stryker plant in Arroyo is building a cogeneration plant to achieve energy independence and halve it. carbon emissions.

“This project will make our operations more competitive in many aspects, including financial benefits and increased flexibility during atmospheric events,” said Vicente Nazario, Stryker’s director of manufacturing in Puerto Rico.

The claim is based on the fact that the project, the largest of its kind among any Stryker facility in the world, It will save the Medical Products Company an estimated $1.4 million annually in electricity costs.

As indicated, construction of the Combined Heating and Power Plant (known as CHP, in English) began this month and will be ready by February 2023.

The project consists of two natural gas generators, a storage station for this fuel and additional cooling equipment.

Although it will operate independently, it will be connected to the electric power authority grid in case of emergency.

“If our factory can operate at full capacity after a major emergency, we will be able to help the community quickly. For example, after Hurricane Maria, Stryker tasked its suppliers with revitalizing its immediate community,” Rafael Alvarez, Stryker’s director of engineering, stated in written statements.

Puerto Rican companies involved in the project include Teksol, SCA Consulting Engineering and MDM Consulting Group. At the stage of contracting to supply natural gas, Nazario confirmed that “the obligation is to be a Puerto Rican company.”

“We are looking closely and evaluating how it can be combined with solar generation. It will be the next step,” said the CEO, who prior to taking this role worked in Northwest at Honeywell.

To this have been added energy efficiency initiatives aimed at continuing to contribute to the company’s plan at the global level The goal is to reduce 20% of carbon emissions by 2024 and be carbon neutral by 2030.

Stryker, with over 30 years in business in Puerto Rico, has a workforce of approximately 1,150 employees. Arroyo factory focuses on manufacturing various sterile products for surgical use.

Cedar: “It’s something that will go on.”

In a separate interview with the Minister of Economic Development and Trade (DDEC), Manuel Cedriestimated Stryker’s investment as “further evidence of the commitment to remain in Puerto Rico.”

“This energy independence gives the company flexibility,” he added of business continuity and rapid response in the event of a disaster.

In turn, he noted that the decision to produce their energy in this case and other cases of large operations responds both to mitigating costs, aligning with environmentally friendly initiatives and “to improve the quality of the energy they receive.”

While Stryker did so, he pointed out that many heavyweight players like cooperationAnd the Medtronicand Baxter, HPE, and several other locally owned companies.

He stressed that the trend he expects will continue to affect income for private LUMA and the Electric Power Authority: “It is something that will continue.”

This responds to the fact that, as shown, 40% of Puerto Rico’s energy bills correspond to the commercial sector, “but 40% in dollar terms are higher than the remaining 60% of bills, because industrial consumption is much higher.” .