washington business manufacturing excellence awards
manufacturing excellence award for green manufacturing
The Manufacturing Excellence Award for Green Manufacturing Award is given to a Washington state manufacturer that has maximized energy efficiency levels , gone above and beyond regulatory requirements , minimized waste from the production process , and reduced its carbon footprint .
2022 winner : inland empire paper company , millwood www . iepco . com
about : Inland Empire Paper Company ( IEP ) is a manufacturer of high-quality newsprint and specialty paper products . Founded in 1911 , IEP provides 137 family-wage jobs , 90 of which are United Steelworker jobs . The company supplies paper to over 160 customers throughout the western United States and produces over 500 tons of newsprint every day .
why they won : IEP has consistently strived to be a good environmental steward by maintaining excellent forest practices , refining processes for efficiency , investing in state-ofthe-art equipment , and minimizing its impact on the environment . The company , which owns and manages over 121,000 acres of timberland , plants more than 750,000 tree seedlings a year . IEP recently installed a modern , energy-efficient paper machine and has the most advanced water treatment system of any pulp and paper mill in North America . The company has reduced its carbon footprint by 30,000 tons per year .
other finalists :
• CarbonQuest , Spokane Valley : CarbonQuest ’ s Building Carbon Capture System captures , liquifies and stores the carbon dioxide used by a building during daily operations instead of releasing it into the atmosphere , thereby eliminating up to 70 % of the building ’ s natural gas emissions .
• WestRock , Tacoma : Packaging manufacturer WestRock launched a campaign to inform the public that pizza boxes are recyclable and increase the number of municipalities that have clear acceptance guidelines for corrugated pizza boxes .
manufacturing excellence award for operational excellence
The Manufacturing Excellence Award for Operational Excellence Award recognizes a Washington state manufacturer that has a distinctive manufacturing process , including continuous improvement , lean and six sigma and / or application of high technology .
“ IEP continues to be an integral part of our community by working toward the preservation and protection of the Spokane River and natural resources .”
— Inland Empire Paper Company nomination materials
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