Supply Chain
Berres Brothers – Packaging Film Reduction
By running tests on their wholesale packages Berres Brothers was able to determine the minimum amount of packaging needed. They cut 3,000-4,000 feet of unnecessary film per month, which was both financially and environmentally beneficial as it greatly reduced the amount of film heading to landfills.
Cortec Coated Products – Antiquated Equipment Replacements
Cortec replaced their coating system, switching from analog to digital. The system change reduced material costs and improved production efficiency and worker morale.
Case study of Green Tier participant Edgewood College’s kitchen garden that supplies Phil’s Cafeteria and supports their local food initiative. Includes discussion of crop selection, labor, and food storage.
Case study of Edgewood College’s work with Sysco Food Services – Baraboo to increase the amount of Wisconsin-grown and –processed food served in Phil’s Cafeteria at Edgewood. Forty percent of the cafeteria’s food is now locally sourced, and Edgewood saves money by buying vegetables in-season. Sysco developed a Hometown Harvest program to help other customers use local food.
Home Depot – Purchasing Green Products
In 2004, The Home Depot (THD) developed and implemented a comprehensive business strategy on environment. The Home Depot has implemented a comprehensive plan related to sourcing and merchandising green products within its stores. Merchants are encouraged to implement criteria and use established and credible third party certification processes to identify innovative products that provide demonstrable environmental benefits. Vendors must provide evidence that the product is green. THD recognizes nine environmental certification programs: Energy Star, Scientific Certification Systems, Terrachoice EcoLogo, Forest Stewardship Council, GreenGuard, WaterSense, OMRI, and Green Seal. (more)
Kimberley Clark – Zero Waste To Landfill
Case study of Green Tier participant Kimberly-Clark Experimental Mill’s path to sending zero waste to landfills. They found recyclers for all their waste streams at no cost premium over landfilling, helped meet a corporate goal, and ensured confidential disposal of their research products.
Kohl’s – Green Cleaning
Kohl’s takes into consideration the effect cleaning chemicals have on our surroundings. Since 2006, Kohl’s has minimized the number of cleaning chemicals used, while broadening their multipurpose use. Cleaning solutions have been converted to green alternatives that are as effective or better when compared to their harmful chemical counterpart.
SC Johnson – Developing the Greenlist
An SC Johnson team looked at many product and raw material evaluation tools and found most had major deficiencies in Complexity, Cost, and Data that was not readily available. The company set out to develop a new evaluation tool for raw materials which was simple to use, the data was readily available, and differentiated raw material with similar functions. The Greenlist™ process was developed as a patented process for picking the best ingredients and setting new SC Johnson Environmental Standards that go beyond simple compliance. (more)
Standard Imaging – Local Sourcing
Founded in 1989, Standard Imaging has become a leading supplier of radiation calibration and quality assurance instruments and software. Their product and service solutions support a broad range of radiation treatment applications, including dosimetry, brachytherapy, intensity modulated radiation therapy, image guided radiation therapy, and stereotactic radiosurgery. Standard Imaging products are used by medical physicists, radiation oncologists and technologists at major research universities and hospitals worldwide. In February 2007, Standard Imaging moved into its new, energy efficient, eco-friendly 27,000 square foot corporate headquarters in Middleton. Standard Imaging is actively led by three individuals who originally founded the company; their dedication to Standard Imaging, and its mission, are shared by its employees.
Standard Imaging of Middleton provides instruments and software to provide Quality Assurance for the Radiation Therapy and Medical Imaging health care sector. The company uses many suppliers for machined parts, electronics and other materials and has committed to source as locally as possible.
Management initially focused on two geographical areas from which to source: Dane County and the State of Wisconsin. Although there were no strict objectives in place, the management decided to aim for about 25% of suppliers coming from Dane County and 50% from Wisconsin. The company has made efforts to build working relationships with local suppliers, from machine shops, circuit board manufacturers, plastic fabricators, consultants and others.