NASHVILLE, TN – May 3, 2015 – Advance Packaging Corp. understands that clean manufacturing, the development of people and economic stability are keys to long-term viability. In 2005, the FTA member broke ground on a massive 425,000 sq. ft. manufacturing space in Grand Rapids, MI. In the planning stages of the new build, Advance Packaging took the opportunity to create a facility that would shrink its environmental footprint even as it allowed its physical, production and geographic footprints to grow. For choosing to go above and beyond in its consideration of the environment and its dedication to sustainably focused business operations, Advance Packaging Corp. was presented with Flexographic Technical Association’s (FTA) 2015 Sustainability Excellence Award at tonight’s Annual Awards Banquet, staged in conjunction with the Association’s Annual Forum in Nashville, TN.
Advance Packaging’s new building works in harmony with its environment, which happened to be covered in nearly 1.5 acres of wetlands. After relocating the wetlands and adding another half acre to it, the environment is thriving better than it did before.
When it was time to break ground on the new building, the company took great care to ensure the structure was sustainable in a variety of ways, First, the floorplan was designed to minimize human contact with sheets by placing corrugator machines, converting machines and shipping docks in optimal spots. Conveyor lines were implemented to reduce energy consumption. Additionally, the company purchased a 110-in. BHS corrugator which enables Advance Packaging to now produce more and use less natural gas while doing it. Above the new corrugator, Advance Packaging installed barriers and tubes to capture, then distribute the heat generated during production, further reducing energy costs by heating the building in the winter and keeping it cooler in the summer.
Beyond its eco friendly new facility, Advance Packaging is also certified with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and only purchases from paper suppliers who comply with SFI standards. The company also instituted what it calls a “cooler corrugating philosophy” in 2010. By keeping paper temperatures below 212 degrees Fahrenheit, there is less waste due to over drying. And this year it will introduce a sustainability committee made up of employees from different departments, tasked with identifying areas of continuous improvement in its environmental footprint, social responsibilities and economic opportunities.
“As a corrugated manufacturer, we rely heavily on Earth’s natural resources—namely trees,” said Sales & Marketing Analyst Catherine Cole. “We want to be around to provide packaging long into the future. That means taking care of our community so we have employees, our economic viability and the resources we need to produce our product.”
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About FTA: Flexographic Technical Association (FTA), chartered in 1958, is a professional society dedicated to bringing all members of the flexographic printing community—printers, suppliers, consumer product companies, institutions, prepress houses and others–together by providing opportunities for the free exchange of technical ideas and discussion of mutual concerns. It is a proponent of maintaining and advancing quality standards and includes 1,650 member sites that represent more than 1,400 companies and 60,000 individuals. Foundation of FTA, founded in 1974, is the educational arm of FTA and is dedicated to supporting and advancing the flexographic printing industry.