Kimberly-Clark Transforms DC Operations

Following a successful pilot in place with Kimberly-Clark Corporation, GENCO Supply Chain Solutions purchases 25 GenDrive hydrogen fuel cell power units from Plug Power Inc. for use in lift trucks. The GenDrive units will power the lift trucks at the 450,000-square-foot distribution center in Graniteville, S.C. that GENCO operates for Kimberly-Clark.

 

Funding was provided as part of a $6.1 million award made to GENCO in April, 2009 by the U.S. Department of Energy through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to accelerate the commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell units and create jobs in fuel cell manufacturing, installation, maintenance and support services. Through this award, GENCO will deploy more than 350 GenDrive units at Kimberly-Clark and other companies.

 

This sustainable solution eliminates the demand and cost of electricity and significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, toxic lead-acid is removed from the workplace and replaced with hydrogen, which generates water as a byproduct.

 

"Kimberly-Clark continues to explore new ways to increase safety in the workplace and to minimize the impact of our operations on the environment," says Joe DeYoung, Kimberly-Clark distribution operations manager for North American Consumer Products. "Our pilot at the Graniteville site has been very successful, and were pleased to be able to partner with GENCO and Plug Power in expanding hydrogen fuel cell technology to the entire lift truck fleet at this facility."