ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN MANUFACTURING
Brunswick’ s Boat Group and Mercury manufacturing facilities have converted to LED lighting, which uses about 60 % less energy than fluorescent lighting. At the Mercury Marine facility in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, the team has completed LED lighting upgrades across various plants and operations over the past four years. The company estimates new LED lighting has resulted in a combined electricity cost savings of over $ 200,000 per year.
LED lighting was also one of the first changes Yamaha made, along with preventative maintenance scheduling and proper building insulation. And while operations teams have long been part of manufacturing success, their goals have evolved. Today, these teams also evaluate the carbon impact of the machines within their facilities.
Brunswick conducts routine energy audits and has implemented recommendations like adding light sensors, automating temperature controls, detecting leaks, optimizing system pressure, or transitioning away from compressed air tools. Yamaha has also implemented automated controls across its facilities and equipment, reducing overall energy consumption.
Solar power
Brunswick currently has nine buildings with onsite solar arrays, and two more under development. These arrays generate 10-40 % of the electricity required by each building and, combined, produce 2.5 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually, enough to power about 240 U. S. households for a year.
Three Yamaha facilities in the U. S. also use solar energy, including its headquarters, Wave- Runner facility, and Bennett Marine facility.“ As things progress, solar will likely roll out into more locations,” said Joshua Grier, sustainability program manager of Yamaha Motor, noting the improving life cycle of solar panels.
Brunswick has invested in two community solar development projects to help add electricity to the U. S. grid through virtual power purchase agreements.
The 5-megawatt Ledgeview Community Solar Project in Wisconsin, developed by Alliant Energy in partnership with Mercury Marine, became operational in 2024. It includes more than 12,000 solar panels and can generate enough incremental solar energy to power about 1,300 homes annually. Brunswick is also a partner in Vesper Energy’ s 600-megawatt Hornet Solar
Lowrance and Simrad use sustainable, non-plastic packaging.
Project in Texas, which generates enough clean energy to power about 150,000 homes per year. This solar array began commercial production of electricity this year.
Recycling and waste management
Brunswick facilities recycle cardboard, paper, steel, and plastic drums. Pallets are reused or recycled into mulch, and electronics, lightbulbs and batteries are sent to specialized recyclers. Many of its used oils, fuels and certain hazardous wastes are repurposed for energy generation or cement kilns. One Brunswick facility even composts lunchroom waste.
Yamaha facilities also recycle scrap metal and cardboard.“ At our facility in Indianapolis, I think that’ s one of the cooler opportunities to talk about,” Grier said.“ There is a byproduct that cannot be reused for our intended purpose, but it is collected and sent back to the manufacturer and reprocessed into a different product that they can pass on to their chain.”
Mercury Marine’ s Dandenong, Australia facility is partially powered by solar energy.
Reducing plastic
Brunswick and its Mercury Marine, QuickSilver and SeaChoice parts and accessories businesses sell thousands of individual parts. Most products are not in plastic containers,
12 july / august 2025 www. boatingindustry. com