Recycling & Waste Reduction

As a manufacturer of products made from metals, plastics and other recyclable materials, there's immense opportunity for recycling programs in Flowserve plants around the world. The effort does not stop there however, with recycling programs reaching into every office, service facility and training center and with the watchful eye of employees who are empowered to offer suggestions for solutions and new programs.

As a part of annual audits of all Flowserve facilities, resource management and recycling efforts are calculated and rolled up in the company's safety/environmental metrics, and Pollution Prevention/Waste Minimization (PP/WM) opportunities are identified. In 2007, the company reached $4 million in PP/WM savings.

In particular, hazardous waste reduction and elimination is a strong focus for Flowserve. For nearly 20 years, Flowserve and a predecessor company have worked to decrease or eliminate hazardous waste at all locations with great success, generating $41 million in savings over the period, with many facilities generating no hazardous waste. In some cases, the simplest environmentally friendly alternatives were brought to management's attention by empowered associates.

Flowserve also "builds in" resource management during site expansions and upgrades. For example, at the Ahaus, Germany plant, an expanded manufacturing space includes a large water reservoir under the floor that will provide recyclable machine cooling water as well as fire-fighting water, should it be needed.

Flowserve's commitment to a better environment is shown in process improvements, facility infrastructure, asbestos management, elimination of hazardous wastes all realized through an investment of more than $10 million in these projects in the last eight years