Toray Plastics launches second cogeneration power facility

WITH A $22.7 MILLION INVESTMENT, Toray Plastics (America) now has two cogeneration systems at its Quonset Business Park manufacturing facility, which are expected to produce 145 million kilo-watt hours and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 25,000 tons annually. / COURTESY TORAY PLASTICS (AMERICA)
WITH A $22.7 MILLION INVESTMENT, Toray Plastics (America) now has two cogeneration systems at its Quonset Business Park manufacturing facility, which are expected to produce 145 million kilo-watt hours and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 25,000 tons annually. / COURTESY TORAY PLASTICS (AMERICA)

NORTH KINGSTOWN – Toray Plastics (America) Inc. held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 25 to celebrate its new second cogeneration system at its 70-acre campus in the Quonset Business Park.

The ceremony was hosted by Mike Brandmeier, Toray Plastics president and CEO, who welcomed Kazuo Morimoto, chief executive representative to the Americas, Toray Industries (America) Inc.; Tsutomu Himeno, consul general of Japan; Gov. Lincoln D. Chafee; R.I. Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed; R.I. House Speaker Nicholas A. Mattiello and John Isberg, director of community and customer management, National Grid Rhode Island.

The new cogeneration system produces electricity and steam for the Torayfan polypropylene film division and steam for the Lumirror polyester film division.

It was operational in August and will enable Toray to continue uninterrupted manufacturing during unexpected local power outages during severe weather conditions.

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The first cogeneration system was installed in 2003. Combined with the new facility, they will produce 145,000,000 kWh and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 25,000 tons annually.

During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Brandmeier talked about the kind of investments a business needs in order to compete in a global economy.

“We need to continue to be at the cutting edge of new technology. We need to find ways to make new investments that shore up our cost structure, that allow us to expand in a high cost area, and yet still be the lowest cost producer,” he said.

He cited two examples in the United States: a $2 million investment in 2011 in its solar energy farm and the $23 million investment in the new cogeneration facility, which was paid for by Toray and with funds from National Grid’s energy efficiency program, developed in collaboration with the state of Rhode Island.

Chafee said, “This new combined heat and power facility will lower energy costs, reduce air pollution and support local jobs. Working with businesses such as Toray to achieve these benefits has been one of my administration’s highest priorities, and I am thrilled to see the plant come on line.”

Toray Plastics (America) Inc. is a leading manufacturer of polyester, polypropylene, bio-based films, and metallized films for flexible and rigid packaging, lidding, graphic, industrial, optical and electronic applications. The company is a subsidiary of Toray Industries Inc., which makes synthetic fibers and textiles, carbon fibers, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and high-performance films, which has annual sales exceeding $19 billion.

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