Hickory Springs Facility EFEC Registered

April 19, 2011  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Green on April 20, 2011

Furniture and bedding component vendor Hickory Springs' HS Converting facility achieved American Home Furnishings Alliance's Enhancing Furniture's Environmental Culture registration.

EFEC is the environmental management program developed by AHFA to help its members create and maintain a strong, proactive environmental program. AHFA-certified auditors submitted a final report to the EFEC Board of Examiners, which approved the HS Converting facility for one year. All EFEC-registered facilities will undergo a simplified "maintenance audit" once a year. 

Located in Conover, N.C., Hickory Springs' HS Converting division stocks and distributes an extensive range of more than 6,000 supply items, including non-woven fabrics, welt cord, polyflex edging, pneumatic fastening equipment, packaging materials and strapping. The HS Converting facility is the first Hickory Springs€™ location to receive EFEC certification.

EFEC helps companies implement systems for tracking and improving energy consumption, water consumption, waste reduction and recycling. The initial benefit is monetary to the company with significantly reduced costs and, in some cases, new revenue from recycling. There is also an initial environmental benefit to the community in which EFEC facilities operate, because they are using fewer resources and educating their employees/citizens about the benefits of recycling. The long-term benefit is a more efficient operation €“ and, of course, being a better environmental steward. 
 
The successful campaign to earn EFEC certification was spearheaded by a team led by Hickory Springs Corporate Environmental Manager Randy Waibel, who was recently named as the newest member of AHFA's EFEC Board of Examiners.

"We are proud of HS Converting, its management and its staff for earning this prestigious certification," said Dwayne Welch, Hickory, N.C.-based Hickory Springs' executive vice president. "This recognition by the AHFA's EFEC Board is further proof that Hickory Springs is continuing to do the right thing--for our customers, for our industry and our environment."

Additional facilities are also in the process of working towards EFEC certification: "Our goal is to become EFEC certified at all furniture components related locations across the country," Welch said.
 
Hickory Springs developed and follows its own CSI program, a continuous-improvement process aimed at increasing efficiency, reducing waste, easing environmental impact and boosting workplace safety. The company continues to introduce innovative products such Preserve foam, the first foam to incorporate a significant percentage of non-petroleum ingredients into its traditionally all-petroleum based formula, and other products such as the new EarthCare Inside line of eco-friendly components.
 
The company's emphasis on environmental consciousness has become so far-reaching that it touches every aspect of Hickory Springs€™ production processes and operations. For example, the company has decided to print all its new sales and promotion materials on recycled paper; and where available, recycled paper will be used for everything from copy paper to scrap note paper throughout the company.