Menasha to Install Five Wind Turbines at Neenah Complex

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"Our renewable energy project is part of the corporation's support of alternative energy solutions and our focus on becoming a leader in sustainability," said Jim Kotek, Menasha Corp.'s president and CEO. "Earlier this year, we identified sustainability as one of the critical areas in which Menasha must step forward and take a market leadership position. We have now made an important commitment to our community, customers, employees, and shareholders by demonstrating that we are serious about improving the environment by using clean energy sources."

Menasha is purchasing five 20 KW wind turbines from Renewegy in Oshkosh, Wis., which specializes in manufacturing wind energy turbines. The turbines are expected to produce enough electrical power to provide for the basic office needs for the 115 employees at the corporation headquarters and Menasha Packaging.

"Both of our companies—Menasha Packaging, which provides paper-based packaging solutions and ORBIS Corp., which supplies reusable plastic packaging—have been collaborating with our customers to provide innovative packaging and supply chain solutions that help build a sustainable future," said Mike Waite, president of Menasha Packaging. "The turbine project adds wind energy to the list of sustainability projects we have undertaken in our operations over the past couple of years to lessen our impact on the environment. From corrugator upgrades to high efficiency lighting to capturing the latent heat coming off of our corrugators to heat other parts of the building, we've made significant advancements in reducing our carbon footprint." In addition to the renewable energy project, the company is also implementing a number of energy-saving electrical improvements at its Neenah office.

Construction of the five wind turbines for Menasha Corp. will make a total of 20 installations made by Renewegy. Jeff Ehlers, president of Renewegy, said that "we are very pleased to be partnering with Menasha Corp. on the new installations. Wind is the lowest-cost renewable energy source available to us in the Midwest and installations such as this bring increased attention to the opportunities we have to take advantage of a natural resource that will always be here and one that's free to use."

Menasha has received approval from the City of Neenah's Planning Department for the project and has also completed a site assessment. The company expects to begin construction on footings for the turbines by mid-November, and the project will be completed by the end of the year. The turbines will be installed in the greenway between Menasha Packaging's manufacturing plant and its north office building on Bergstrom Road.