Sustainability Home  > Zeeland, Michigan

Facility Information

ZEELAND, MICHIGAN
MEAD JOHNSON NUTRITIONALS

Facts and Figures Top of Page

  • Mead Johnson Nutritionals began operations in Zeeland, Michigan in 1924. The facility has grown during the decades to its current size of approximately 40 acres and 500,000 square feet.
  • The facility, known as the Zeeland Supply Chain (ZSC), produces powdered infant formula products for domestic as well as international markets. In addition to the familiar Enfamil line, innovative products such as Enfamil Lipil and Human Milk Fortifier have expanded the nutrition offerings of ZSC.
  • The plant is a major base supplier to international markets in Mexico and China
  • In 2004, the plant completed a $20 million replacement of its Hypoallergenic Base and Hydrolysate Drying system.

Economic Development Top of Page

  • Capital investment totals: $4.9 million annually for the past four years.
  • Contribution to tax base: $2,000,000 annually.

Community and Social Progress Top of Page

  • ZSC employees volunteer their time tutoring middle school students in math, visiting elderly people in nursing homes, mentoring young girls through Girls on the Run program, coaching soccer and little league baseball teams, and participating in the American Cancer Society Walk for Life. Employees also mentor robotics teams at the local high schools.

Civic Activities Supported

  • Mead Johnson annually supports organizations such as The United Way, American Cancer Society (Relay for Life), Holland Tulip Time, Zeeland FIRST Robotics, Zeeland Pumpkin Festival, Zeeland Leading Program, and many other local organizations.
  • The Zeeland Supply Chain supports and participates in a community-wide effort to reduce phosphorus in the local watershed. The environmental coordinator is a member of the Watershed Technical Committee. The goal to reduce phosphorus in the watershed by 75% focuses primarily on non-point sources, which are responsible for 91 percent of the annual phosphorus load.
  • The ZSC staff participate with Zeeland Public Schools to provide students with learning opportunities and an understanding of the Watershed and wetland environments. In 2005, Mead Johnson contributed $500 to support the purchase of materials for the school's environmental curriculum.
  • In 2005, Mead Johnson donated $250,000 to support the construction of the new Zeeland Community Hospital.

Awards and recognition

  • As a member of the Ottawa County Local Emergency Planning Committee, a Declaration of Tribute was received from the State of Michigan, which recognized the LEPC's leadership in emergency planning for public safety.

Support to local emergency response organizations

  • ZSC participates in a number of activities with community and business emergency response organizations. Fire, emergency medical responders, and local hospital officials participate in site reviews. The EHS staff participate in the Ottawa County Local Emergency Planning Committee.
  • To enhance countywide emergency communications, Mead Johnson supported the installation of an emergency radio repeater at the Zeeland Supply Chain.

Safety

  • The Zeeland Supply Chain has a behavior-based safety (BBS) program to improve the overall safety culture at the plant. Hourly employees manage the BBS program. The site reached its goal of 3,000 observations in 2005.
  • Accident awareness is provided with the use of TV monitors in the plant lunchrooms, a safety statistics sign at the entrance to the employee parking lot, and safety updates at quarterly employee meetings.
  • A Safety Team is a primary vehicle for communicating and implementing safety programs at the ZSC. In 2006, the site initiated a nightshift safety team (in addition to the resent day-shift safety team) to provide more opportunity for nightshift employees to be involved in safety.
  • A comprehensive accident reporting and correction tracking system has been instituted. The system includes reporting of near misses to reduce the potential for accidents.
  • The Zeeland Supply Chain provides orientation for construction contractor employees in the areas of safety and the environment to provide them with the knowledge of critical plant requirements and practices.

Environmental Performance Top of Page

  • Members of the ZSC Safety Team conduct bimonthly safety audits of all departments. The audits are entered into an electronic safety audit database, which provides documentation and follow-up information.
  • The Zeeland Supply Chain provides full on-site treatment of waste water generated by facility operations.
  • The Zeeland Supply Chain is joined in supplying powdered infant formula by plants in Delicias, Mexico and Nijmegen, Netherlands. Safety and environmental information is exchanged in partnering to optimize EHS programs, as well as production capabilities.
  • A comprehensive HAZOP review was completed on the new "hot process" system that is being implemented in 2006.
  • In 2005, Job Safety Analysis were completed on all production, maintenance and warehousing jobs.

Major EHS impacts of the site and actions taken or planned to reduce these impacts

  • ZSC recycles a variety of materials, including plastics, paper, metal, and pallets; natural resources conserved as a result of the these recycling efforts include nearly 5000 trees, over 26,000 gallons of oil, over 224,000 KWh of electricity, and over 3,400 cubic yards of landfill space. Additionally, emissions and energy usage are also conserved. ZSC also supports the beneficial reuse of powdered and liquid materials that can not be utilized for production purposes where appropriate.
  • Replacement of lighting fixtures resulted in improved lighting while reducing power consumption by over 33,000 kWh per year.
  • The Zeeland Supply Chain's Quality Assurance group implemented five analytical changes in 2005 that reduced hazardous material usage.
  • The plant's new "hot process" system will provide significant water and energy savings. The project will be completed in 2006.
  • In support of the BMS 2010 sustainability goals, ZSC EHS supports the site's Business Excellence efforts in the reduction of impacts to the environment.

Land conservation / habitat protection/ endangered species activities

  • As a part of an expansion project, the Zeeland Supply Chain purchased land for and developed a wetlands learning center. The learning center was given to the Zeeland Public Schools for use as an outdoor classroom. The wetlands learning center is over 15 acres in size, and was developed to support a wide range of plant and animal life. Mead Johnson continues to support the Zeeland Public Schools in utilization of the area for classroom activities.

This facility is required to report annually on releases of toxic chemicals to the air, water, and land under Section 313 of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA). This website contains links to the U.S. government's toxic release inventory (TRI) database.

Facility Contact Information Top of Page

+1-616-748-7100


Last updated August 4, 2008 . Italicized product names are registered trademarks of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company or one of its divisions or subsidiaries. Copyright © 1998-2006 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Your use of the information on this site is subject to the terms of our Legal Notices.

 

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