“This latest proactive initiative moves our organization forward significantly in meeting our sustainability goals and realizing positive and measurable benefits from ‘green’ operations,” said Poul Jeppesen, President and CEO of SKF USA Inc.

According to SKF, the system’s 409 kW solar array will account for thirty percent of the total power draw at the site and output is estimated to save 500,000 kWh in the first year alone.  As part of its LEED certification, SKF had previously purchased “renewable energy credits” to cover its total electric usage at this facility over the next two years.

The SKF solar-panel system will serve both buildings at the site, including the newly designed and constructed 84,000-sq.-ft. three-story main headquarters facility and the 33,000-sq.-ft. refurbished former manufacturing plant.  The headquarters formally opened in May 2009.

Partial funding for the solar project is being provided by a $346,000 grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Financing Authority and the system will be installed by Tecta America Corp., headquartered in Chicago, IL and with locations nationwide, through its office in Glen Rock, PA.

This is the latest “green-related” development at the USA headquarters.  The building recently earned “Platinum” certification for “Commercial Interiors” under LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), which is a nationally accepted authority cultivated by the U.S. Green Building Council.  The prestigious “Platinum” status is the highest possible level of achievement.

SKF is a leading global supplier of bearings, seals, mechatronics, lubrication systems and services which include technical support, maintenance and reliability services, engineering consulting and training. SKF is represented in more than 130 countries and has 15,000 distributor locations worldwide. Annual sales in 2009 were SEK 56,227 million (USD 8.1 Billion) and the number of employees was 41,172. www.skf.com