Press Release
Emery-Waterhouse Greens Operations Over the Road and in the Office
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PORTLAND, Maine — Aug. 20, 2008 — Emery-Waterhouse, a leading distributor of hardware and building materials, today announced it has launched a sustainability program at its corporate office and over the road. The company's efforts to green its operations began with the reduction of the speed governors on its 26-tractor fleet from 69 to 65 mph. The company also improved its miles per gallon by more than five percent and reduced its idle time from five to three minutes.
As a result of these initiatives, the company estimates it will save more than 23,000 gallons of fuel in 2008. And while the miles traveled in 2008 are expected to increase by more than six percent, fuel consumption is projected to increase by only 1.2% as a result of the increase in fuel efficiency. By saving 23,000 gallons of diesel fuel annually, the company will also eliminate more than 200 metric tons of carbon emissions from the environment.
"In order to identify new and innovative ways to both protect the environment and create and maintain an efficient, cost-effective business model, we created a green taskforce to identify areas for improvement," said Steve Frawley, president of Emery-Waterhouse. "We want our environmental projects to touch every division of the company -- from transportation and warehousing to human resources and corporate staff. We've already seen some fantastic results."
In May the company expanded its recycling program as part of its sustainability initiatives and to reduce costs associated with waste removal. Emery-Waterhouse was already recycling both cardboard and paper and, with the expanded program, recognized an opportunity to increase the quantity and type of materials it recycled. To facilitate its efforts, the company moved to a single-sort recycling system and provided employees with individual recycling bins, in addition to smaller waste receptacles. Additionally, Emery-Waterhouse began recycling the several tons of shrink wrap that entered its warehouse each month. Within one month, the company reduced waste by two-thirds vs. the same period in 2007. Overall, the company decreased its waste tonnage by 38 percent in the first half of 2008.
To further minimize its impact on the environment, Emery-Waterhouse adopted additional sustainability measures, including:
Utilizing routing software to reduce out-of-route miles and design the most efficient routes for its truck fleet
Monitoring tire pressure twice daily (during pre- and post-inspection) — under-inflated tires lead to increased fuel consumption and limit the life of the tire, creating unnecessary waste and expense
Opening warehouse facilities closer to its customer base to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions and better service its customers
Working toward becoming an Energy Star(R)-rated facility
Increasing the number of green products available and designing environmentally conscious merchandising programs to support retailers
About Emery-Waterhouse
Founded in 1842, Portland, Maine-based Emery-Waterhouse is a full-service independent hardlines distributor serving hardware dealers, lumberyards and home centers throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. In 2008, the company launched its Emery Building Materials division with operations in Pennsylvania.
Emery-Waterhouse offers product assortments across all major categories ranging from hardware, tools, paint and sundries to lawn and garden supplies. Its leading brand partners include 3M, Bosch, DP, DeWalt, GE Lighting, Minwax, Irwin, Lenox, Makita, USG, OMG Fastenmaster, Stanley Bostich, RotoZip and York Manufacturing.
In addition Emery-Waterhouse offers value-added services such as innovative merchandising and sales solutions. For more information, visit www.emeryonline.com or call 800-283-0236.
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