UniCarriers Americas Corporation received the 2013 Green Supply Chain Award from Supply & Demand Chain Executive for its efforts to incorporate a green initiative into its core supply chain strategy. The company’s “Green Program,” which began in earnest in 2007, continues to expand its implementation of strategies that focus on its environmental stewardship, and its creation of programs designed to manage the environmental impact generated by its corporate activities, customer use of products and the company’s use of resources to a level that is all within nature’s capacity to absorb.
UniCarriers Americas’ supply chain strategies include corporate initiatives and practices that govern the cautious use of both renewable and non-renewable resources within the manufacturing facility and offices, located in Marengo, Ill. The company’s most recent accomplishments include marked reductions in the carbon footprint through a decline in carbon dioxide and VOC contaminants released into the environment, as well as a substantial drop in its waste-to-landfill ratio.
Supply & Demand Chain Executive received almost 100 entries for the 2013 Green Supply Chain Award which recognizes companies making green or sustainability a core part of their supply chain strategy, and are working to achieve measurable sustainability goals within their own operations and/or supply chains, in the areas of sourcing/procurement, fulfillment/logistics, operations, product lifecycle management and other areas of the supply chain. Submissions were judged based on the clarity and content of the goals and strategy (30 percent), the extent of the steps being taken (30 percent), the impact of the results to date and projected results (30 percent) and the form and presentation of the information submitted (10 percent).
“We are very proud of our efforts for achieving this award,” said Dale Mark, vice president, manufacturing operations, UniCarriers Americas. “We set very strategic goals for our accomplishments, and the results have exceeded our expectations. We plan to move forward with new initiatives that will continue to build on our accomplishments in the future.”
Barry Hochfelder, editor, Supply & Demand Chain Executive, commented, “Our readers are implementing sustainable initiatives within their business processes—and they want to know that other leading companies in the supply chain are also with them in the same approach. Our goal is to honor those companies in our annual awards and credit them with the recognition they deserve. Taking that first step—knowing where to start when initiating a ‘green’ plan in one’s business—it’s not always the easiest thing to do. We honor this year’s top 51 recipients for recognizing that there is a need for supply chain sustainability processes and for contributing to this practice with their global, eco-friendly industry actions.”
Since 2007, UniCarriers Americas carbon dioxide output has dropped a dramatic 53.2 percent, based on year-to-date calculations through August, 2013. Within that same time period, the facility produced 91.5 percent less waste, which is measured in pounds per unit. In October 2013, the metric reached zero, which enabled UniCarriers Americas to achieve its goal of being recognized as a “Zero Waste-to-Landfill” facility two months ahead of plan.
Improvements in the painting process have resulted in the single largest contributor to its near-zero emissions rate. Additionally, UniCarriers Americas recycles all wood, paper, steel, plastics, steel turnings, electronic scrap and cardboard. The company is currently working with a supplier on its waste-to-energy directive, generating power through heating of waste materials to power a steam turbine. All waste not deemed recyclable is burned for energy, and all waste chemicals are treated to be chemically neutral or burned for energy.
