Eclipse Flagship Factory Goes Green

May 1, 2019  by Laurie Northington in Business Strategy, Industry   

The milestone means that all waste materials from mattress production – including foam and fabric scraps, wood, cardboard and other packaging materials – are now being recycled.

“It took longer than expected to find suitable outlets for all of our materials, but it’s a great feeling to know that we’re doing our part to be good stewards of our environment,” said Stuart Carlitz, CEO. “We kept our employees informed of our progress every step of the way, and they have been very supportive of our efforts.”

Eclipse has contracted with a separate entity to recycle each of its waste products. Foam scraps, for example, are used to make carpet pads, while unused wood goes to a company that grinds it up to produce mulch for landscaping. Eclipse employees have added to the recycling haul by including personal items such as soda cans and office paper.

The catalyst for waste recycling occurred about three years ago when Eclipse completed installation of solar panels on the roof of the factory. The panels produce all of the factory’s electricity needs on most days – saving the company more than $100,000 annually on its electric bill. The success of that program prompted the Eclipse team to begin searching for ways to recycle waste from its manufacturing process.

“Not only has this taught us how to take better care of the environment, it has made us more aware of just how much material is being wasted,” Carlitz said. “It’s too early to calculate the savings, but we’re figuring out ways to create less waste in the beginning, so I’m sure there will be cost savings down the road.”