Repeat Performance

Patrick Collignon hopes New River Valley plant will replicate Volvo Trucks success in Belgium

When Volvo Trucks approaches environmental impact: Plant improvement, power generation, water heating and heat transfer, use of solar to retain or expel heat, and even a windmill to drive the highway sign are part of the equation. Volvo Trucks, which is part of the Volvo Group, has already reduced CO2 emissions by 25% over the past year with a goal of another 25% over the next year.

The plant, which was purchased by Volvo in 1981, won the Virginia Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award in both 2005 and 2008.  “It is very exceptional for us to have won an environmental award on the industry side,” said Patrick Collignon, VP and GM of Volvo Trucks’ New River Valley Plant in Dublin, VA. “We were the only ones in heavy manufacturing.” (Mr. Collignon’s discussion of clean energy in manufacturing here http://www.vimeo.com/13564144)

“Our passion is new sources of energy stimulated by Volvo’s directives,” said Collignon, who has been general manager of the facility for more than 18 months.  Mr. Collignon moved from Ghent, Belgium to help bring the New River Valley plant to a carbon neutral state, just as he had done with the Volvo truck plant in Ghent. http://www.vimeo.com/13564028

The Volvo Trucks NRV facility is a 1.6 million sq. ft. “fully integrated” production site situated on 300 acres near Interstate 81 – a major artery for truck transport. The plant makes truck cabs using high strength steel, assembles, paints and delivers the completed vehicles. Currently, the facility produces two Volvo truck models – the VN, and VHD.

 Meanwhile, the New River Valley plant in Southwest Virginia recently delivered a Volvo VN 780 model that contained the 300,000th 13-liter engine produced by Volvo Powertrain.

Last year, employees competed in an energy savings contest. As a result, Volvo Trucks installed a new solar powered thermal boiler (replacing a gas powered unit), interior skylights for ambient lighting on the production floor and better bulbs like LED. Improved compressed air efficiencies by avoiding leaks in air lines, reducing water usage by 57% or saving 35 million gallons a year, recycling 100% of waste water adds to the reduction and lower carbon footprint.

Energy conversion now is about heat, electricity and new sources: wind, solar, photovoltaic cells, hydraulic power, and even biomass. No stone is left unturned. Collignon says, “That is what a total conversion is all about.”

“It may take a few more years” to achieve a carbon neutral plant in the U.S., Collignon noted. “Making Green Energy is more expensive – but we owe this to our children and grandchildren.”

For more video on Volvo Truck production, click here:http://www.vimeo.com/13564028

 Mike Smith is a Washington energy blogger who has over 25 years experience in policy and reporting. Volvo Group North America paid Smith a fee for travel to New River Valley to cover this carbon reduction story.