Siegwerk investing more than $1 million in solar energy

Siegwerk Environmental Inks is putting its money where its mouth is, investing more than $1 million in solar energy, which will support the majority of the facility’s electricity demand.

Siegwerk is a printing inks and coatings provider for packaging and labels that serves a range of industries. Originally opening its doors in Morganton in 1979 as Environmental Inks and Coatings, the company was later purchased by Germany-based Siegwerk in 2010.

The project, known as Project HoriSun, is already past Phase 1 and installation is underway at the facility on Quality Products Road in Morganton. The solar panels will be installed in a field near the rear entrance of one of the facility’s buildings.

“With our solar expansion in Morganton, we are bridging the gap between operational excellence and environmental responsibility to meet our customers’ evolving needs,” said Scott Bartlett, head of operations and supply chain at Siegwerk.

Over the lifetime of the panels, Siegwerk expects to avoid over 10,800 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, a number the company compared to 24.6 million passenger vehicle miles or what is absorbed by 162,077 trees grown over 10 years using metrics from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s greenhouse gas equivalencies.

“Investments like Project HoriSun demonstrate how manufacturers in Burke County are embracing innovation and investing in the future,” said Brandon Ruppe, president and CEO of Burke Development, Inc. “These projects strengthen our manufacturing base, demonstrate a commitment to responsible operations, and reinforce Burke County’s position as a place where companies can grow and thrive.”

— JC