Monroe Litho to be powered by wind
Rochester, N.Y. printer to be one of first in nation
Monroe Litho, a commercial printing company in Rochester, N.Y., has signed a contract to purchase 1.8 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually that is powered by wind-generated sources.

“We’re one of the first commercial printers in the United States — and one of the first local businesses — to go with 100 percent wind power,” said Chief Executive Officer Chris Pape. “This is a huge commitment, and it’s one example of our plans to improve and protect our environment.”

Monroe Litho’s annual wind power purchase will offset approximately 2.5 million pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) that would have been released into the atmosphere through conventional power generation. This is the equivalent of planting 134,000 trees and eliminating 1.7 million miles of automobile driving or taking 140 cars off the highway every year.

“More and more, what’s good for the environment is good for business,” Pape said.

While wind-generated power is more expensive, Monroe Litho has taken steps to offset these costs by increasing productivity — and adding new, more efficient equipment. This includes the addition of a new six-color 40-inch Heidelberg Speedmaster CD 102 press, which is considered “the most productive press in its format class” according to Heidelberg.

“We think differently from most printers,” Pape said. “We take corporate responsibility very seriously. Going to 100 percent wind power was the next logical step in our environmental efforts.”