Utility Trailer Manufacturing Co., manufacturer of refrigerated trailers and dry freight vans, flatbeds, and Tautliner curtainsided trailers, announced the results of a third-party sustainability performance report conducted by Ramboll, an engineering, design, and consultancy company founded in Denmark in 1945. The report highlights Utility’s substantial increases in environmental, health, and safety performance.
Utilizing over two decades of data from all five of Utility’s manufacturing plants across the U.S., this report provides insight into the benefits and impact of Utility’s effort to responsibly reduce their overall air emissions, waste, and energy consumption.
Through proactive green initiatives, Utility eliminated ozone-depleting emissions from their inject-foam insulation process and reduced their overall waste and emissions. Results show that Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions decreased by 27 percent, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) emissions were cut down 62 percent, and Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAP) air emissions dropped 97 percent.
“We are honored to say that all Utility manufacturing plants are classified as Minor Sources of Emissions under the USEPA’s Clean Air Act regulations,” said Brett Olsen, marketing manager, Utility. “We take pride in managing our production and manufacturing with integrity as it relates to forward-thinking environmental practices.”
To add to their reduced emissions, Utility also sources 100 percent of its wood from forests certified by the Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI), and their focus on cardboard recycling yielded a 23 percent increase. While Utility was enhancing environmental practices, they were able to improve worker safety as well. Utility’s recordable injuries decreased by 63 percent, while the most severe injuries (DART) declined by 67 percent, making it 31 percent lower than the industry average.
Overall, Utility’s reductions to water, energy, and materials usage cut down costs, improved efficiency, and provided substantial financial savings for the company each year. “These results prove that our proactive initiatives are achieving a safer, smarter, and more sustainable workplace,” Olsen added. “By staying ahead of the curve, we are pursuing and implementing sustainable practices that better our employees, our environment, and best utilize our natural resources.”
For more information about Utility’s sustainability practices visit utilitytrailer.com/discover-utility/sustainability.
