Coeur d’Alene manufacturer honored for waste reduction efforts

Advanced Input Systems of Coeur d’Alene was honored Monday for reducing water consumption and lead waste at its Coeur d’Alene facility.

The company designs and manufactures custom input devices, such as specialized medical keyboards.

Advanced Input Systems has cut its generation of lead waste to less than 1 pound per year, down from about 279 pounds in 2013, according to the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.

The company also reduced the volume of wastewater it sends to the city of Coeur d’Alene’s treatment facility by twentyfold. It now produces about 20,500 gallons per year, down from about 442,000 gallons.

Advanced Input Systems was recognized with a “Pollution Prevention Champion” award from Idaho DEQ.

Founded in Coeur d’Alene in 1979, Advanced Input Systems was later purchased by Bellevue, Washington-based Esterline Technologies Corp. The company operates in about 139,000 square feet on Wilbur Avenue.