Accra-Fab, Inc., the Liberty Lake-based maker of machined components and precision sheet metal, has reported substantial operational savings after a large wastewater-reclamation project completed earlier this year that's intended to make its plating line more environmentally sustainable.

The manufacturer, located at 23201 E Appleway, says in a press release issued late last month that it reduce the amount of wastewater it generates annually by almost 70,000 gallons. The company says it receives a 450 percent return on investment, equating to a savings of about $179,000 annually, after spending about $40,000 on the project.

The reclamation project concentrates on reducing the amount of wastewater created during manufacturing by filtering, cleaning, and reusing acidic water, which is a product of Accra-Fab's manufacturing process. The release says the manufacturer has cut its wastewater to 82 gallons per week from 1,500 gallons per week.

"In our ongoing effort to improve business while being good stewards of the environment, we continuously work on the challenges of reducing waste and improving efficiencies through the implementation of lean programs and processes," Accra-Fab President Greg Konkol says.

The project has been in the works for 1 1/2 years, Konkol says.

The Washington state Department of Ecology says lean-manufacturing programs increase efficiency in manufacturing by decreasing unnecessary steps and processes. Through this process, the department says it helps reduce the amount of waste created by manufacturers.

Konkol says employment at the company, which has been operating here since 1979, is up from last year. He says Accra-Fab has hired about a dozen people this year, mostly for manufacturing. The company currently employs about 180 people.

The company has experienced about a 3.5 percent growth rate in revenue from last year and Konkol says its sales have been rising every year since 2008.

He says he anticipates more growth during the next half of the year, primarily from added processes and capabilities. He points specifically to a new quality certification it announced July 24 and a new machine products division it announced July 9.

"We achieved AS9100C aerospace certification so that we are certified to do work for aerospace companies like Boeing," Konkol says.

Don Bolling, quality manager for Accra-Fab, says that certification, which took about six months to attain, also enables Accra-Fab to work with defense companies. The certification indicates that Accra-Fab has a quality management system with processes and procedures that enable on-time delivery to customers, Bolling says.

Konkol says the company is currently in discussions with aerospace companies to pick up potential contracts.

"This success story demonstrates that what is good for the environment can also be good for the bottom line," Konkol says.