A TEAM from Borders’ based company Plexus Corp has won global recognition after reducing electricity use by 20% at its Kelso manufacturing site.

They were selected as winner of Plexus’ global BEST (Bringing Employee Successes Together) competition, which drives continuous improvement within the company and shares best practice across global teams.

The prize money from this award USD$12,000 (GBP£8,675) is being donated to Border Search & Rescue, who will put the funds into helping ensure people are able to enjoy the environment Plexus is working to protect.

The Borders team, led by Facilities Engineer Blair Sanderson, Facilities Technicians Michael Johnstone and Neil Jerdan and Facilities Manager Ally Johnston, reduced emissions by finetuning the sites’ energy usage and adapting the systems to perform more sustainably.

More than two thirds (68%) of the Kelso site’s energy use is sub-metered, allowing the team to map out in detail when and where the most energy is used. Blair, Michael, Neil and Ally used this information to investigate the site’s efficiencies and track closely the impact of any tweaks put in place.

The team were then able to increase the efficiency of the site’s heating, venting and air conditioning (HVAC) system alone by 40%, without any impact on the working conditions of the factory floor – including temperature and humidity. As a manufacturer of sensitive equipment, including medical devices, maintaining a consistent environment is essential.

Speaking about the project, Ronnie Darroch, EVP & Regional President of Plexus EMEA said: “We are so proud of our team and the efficiencies they were able to find in our operations. By looking at our activity, behaviours and energy use, the team was able to reduce our electricity consumption by a remarkable 20%. Blair, Michael, Neil and Ally have demonstrated how significant even a small change can be to our emissions. At Plexus, we believe it’s our responsibility to take an active role in safeguarding our environment through work undertaken by our fantastic team, as well as through our Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance programme.”

Bob McKeand, Team Leader or Brian Tyson - Chairman, of Borders Search and Rescue said: “We are delighted to receive this significant donation from Plexus. We are so pleased to have their support to help the Borders Search & Rescue team continue to provide mountain rescue in the southeast of Scotland.”

The Plexus team is planning further emission reduction projects, increasing the proportion of the site’s natural gas that is supplied from renewable sources, transitioning to electric vehicles for site use as well as exploring opportunities to generate energy onsite. Plexus is a member of the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA®) and is committed to helping protect the well-being of the environment.