Henry Schein installs environmentally friendly lighting system

MELVILLE, New York--Henry Schein, Inc., a distributor of health-care products and services to office-based practitioners in the combined North American and European markets, has installed new T5 high output fluorescent lamps in its 176,000-square-foot distribution center in Grapevine, Texas.

The lamps replaced the 400-watt metal halide light bulbs previously used, cutting energy usage in half while maintaining a bright lumen. In addition, 220-watt fluorescent fixtures were replaced with 64-watt T8 fluorescent fixtures. This will reduce power usage to one-third while producing an even brighter lumen output than the original lighting.

By installing the environmentally friendly lighting system, the Grapevine distribution center will annually reduce its carbon footprint by 1.2 million pounds of carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas responsible for global warming. The new lighting system also results in a 10 percent savings in electric utility expense for air conditioning since the new fixtures produce less heat than the original lamps.

In addition, the installment qualifies the distribution center for rebates and tax reductions from the local Texas energy company and the Environmental Policy Act, a federal program that encourages people to adopt energy-saving technology.

"The Grapevine distribution center's ability to reduce its environmental carbon footprint through the installation of energy-efficient lighting is an important step given the energy challenges that we currently face," said Stanley M. Bergman, chairman and chief executive officer of Henry Schein. "Our company embraces environmental stewardship as a core pillar of corporate social responsibility, and the proactive steps taken by the Grapevine distribution center exemplify this commitment."

For more information, visit the Henry Schein Web site at Henry Schein.

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