Industry News

Leviton Manufacturing Company, North America’s leading producer of electrical and electronic wiring devices, is pleased to announce the relocation of its global corporate headquarters to Long Island’s Suffolk County on June 15. Leviton outfitted the 4-story, 140,000 square foot facility, located at 201 North Service Road in Melville, with the latest “green building” materials and systems. This includes a variety of Leviton’s own devices and controls -- from sophisticated lighting energy management systems to box-mounted designer switches, outlets and dimmers.

The state-of-the-art office complex serves as a showcase for the Company’s installed products and as a model high-performance building. Comprehensive interior renovation of the complex took 18 months to complete and included a new floor plan design and building systems makeover. Backbone systems such as Leviton’s daylight harvesting, occupancy detection and high-speed data networking products combine to maximize energy efficiency, enhance operating efficiency and reduce the building’s carbon footprint.

Interior Space Weds Form and Function Leviton’s daylight harvesting system is a lighting energy management system that integrates ambient light to reduce energy consumption. The company’s cable management devices provide a high-performance data management infrastructure for fast data access and retrieval. Leviton brand designer switches, outlets and dimmers, including high-end Acenti® devices, add the finishing touch to wall surfaces in conference rooms and offices, wedding form and function in a stylish, high-efficiency workspace.

“Our new office complex reflects our culture and identity as a pacesetter in green building design and provides an operating environment that enables us to best serve our customers around the globe,” said Leviton President and CEO Donald J. Hendler. “We look forward to joining the Long Island community as a resource and as an effective, socially responsible corporate citizen.”

Eco-Friendly Features
The new office complex has many eco-friendly features and is a candidate for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification -- a process which can take several months to acquire. The facility complies with all six LEED categories. These include: 1) materials and resources; 2) indoor environmental quality; 3) site sustainability; 4) water efficiency; 5) energy & atmosphere; and 6) innovative design.

Ninety percent of the facility’s office equipment, appliances and fixtures are Energy-Star® qualified. Low-flow fixtures on sinks and water-conserving toilets are expected to reduce water consumption by 30%. The use of low-emitting materials and chemicals in carpets, paints and other building materials safeguards air quality. Furniture made from recycled materials, a Styrofoam-free cafeteria, recycling bins throughout the building and the use of recycled paper products where possible, will spare trees and reduce landfill volume.

Ergonomic keyboard trays at each workstation, adjustable monitor stands and comfortable seating combine to create an environmentally friendly workplace. Reserved parking spots for hybrid vehicles, a company-sponsored van pool and outdoor bike rack promote alternative transportation methods. In addition, 20% of the building materials in the complex were sourced from recycled materials -- a sizable percentage for a renovation project -- and 50% of all construction debris was recyclable.

Third Corporate Headquarters in 100-Year History
Leviton’s Melville complex is the Company’s third corporate headquarters since its founding in1906. With early roots in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint manufacturing district, Leviton relocated its headquarters in 1973 to Little Neck, Queens, where its two campus-like buildings, joined by an enclosed corridor, occupy the length of two city blocks in an otherwise residential neighborhood.

“We look forward to helping drive Suffolk County’s local economy through the relocation of our employee base to Melville, and intend to make our building a centerpiece for the next generation of green living and building initiatives,“ said Mark Fogel, Vice President of Human Resources and Administration for Leviton. Fogel was also the lead executive responsible for the project.

History of Philanthropy and Corporate Citizenship
Leviton operates facilities throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada, Latin and South America, China, Korea, Europe and the United Arab Emirates. With a tradition of philanthropy and grassroots community involvement, Leviton recently donated two of its manufacturing facilities in North Carolina to a regional economic development agency to help bring jobs to the troubled economy. A contributing founder to New York’s Albert Einstein Medical College, Israel’s Technicon and other institutions of training and education, Leviton was recently recognized by SHRM (the Society for Human Resource Management) as the winner of its Economic Stimulus program for its innovative workforce strategies during the current recession.

About Leviton
Leviton started out as a producer of mantle tips for the gas lighting industry at the dawn of the electrical era. As electricity became the dominant source of power for homes and businesses, the Company began mass-producing pull chain lamp holders for electric lights, and stands today as an icon and global leader in wiring devices and connectivity solutions. Leviton’s product portfolio consists of over 25,000 different products used by homes, businesses, industrial plants and companies that integrate Leviton components and devices into their own products. For more information, contact Leviton Manufacturing, 201 North Service Rd., Melville, NY, 11747, www.leviton.com