Seven More Companies Pass AHFA EFEC Environmental Audits

October 5, 2008  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Case Goods on October 2008 Seven more members of the American Home Furnishings Alliance, including all but one company in the La-Z-Boy Case Goods Division, have implemented the organization’s EFEC (“Enhancing Furniture’s Environmental Culture”) environmental to achieve measurable environmental improvements at their domestic manufacturing facilities.

Companies that passed an EFEC audit in September include: C.R. Laine, Hickory, N.C.; Hickory Chair, Hickory, N.C.; Lea Ins., Greensboro, N.C.; American Drew, Greensboro, N.C.; Kincaid’s Hudson, N.C., and Taylorsville, N.C., plants; and Vaughan-Bassett, Galax, Va. Lea, American Drew and Kincaid all are part of the La-Z-Boy Case Goods Division.

These companies join Stanley (Martinsville, Va. plant), La-Z-Boy Utah (upholstery), Vaughan in Galax, Va., and Bernhardt, based in Lenior, N.C., on the list of companies with EFEC-registered manufacturing facilities.

AHFA launched EFEC in 1999. Becoming EFEC-registered requires a company to analyze and better understand the environmental impact of its processes, raw materials and finished products on a facility-by-facility basis. AHFA said Interest in EFEC has soared since its new Sustainable by Design certification program was unveiled in 2007. Sustainable by Design is a more comprehensive environmental program that calls on companies to implement sustainable business practices throughout their entire supply chain. However, companies interested in Sustainable by Design certification must first complete EFEC registration for all their domestic facilities.

C.R. Laine is the first AHFA member company to complete EFEC and then achieve full Sustainable by Design certification.

“The purpose of EFEC and SBD is to help member companies begin a journey of continual environmental improvement,” said Bill Perdue, AHFA’s vice president of environmental affairs. “Certification is not a stopping point–rather, it is recognition for companies that have worked diligently to ensure that all of the systems and measures are in place to continue and accelerate their environmental improvements.”

Several other AHFA member companies are working toward EFEC registration, including the remaining plants in La-Z-Boy’s Upholstery Division. Stanley, too, is working to register its divisions in Robbinsville and Stanleytown, Va.

Perdue said AHFA expects many of these companies will work toward Sustainable by Design certification.