Office products firm KI outlines its green manufacturing practices

Office furniture manufacturer KI has made a comprehensive effort to incorporate sustainable practices and policies into its manufacturing responsibilities. The company practices the following goals:

1) Eliminate solvent-based materials, replacing them with water-based or powder substitutes in all manufacturing facilities. This practice also reduces the need to use solvent-based cleaning materials.

2) Incorporate the largest percentage of recycled content into our products so that they can easily be recycled, disassembled and field repaired. KI searches for vendors and alternative materials that offer the largest recycled post-consumer and post-industrial content.

3) Reduce the use of packaging materials and find alternative methods to safely ship and receive products to and from suppliers, end-users and other manufacturing locations. Using reusable plastic totes, shrink-wrapping, blanket wrapping, and racking products has helped alleviate the amount of "box" materials used in the shipping process.

4) Conserve fuel and energy. KI selects new processes and equipment based on a detailed analysis of environmental considerations, capital and operating costs. Energy and fuel conservation is an integral part of this process.

Many of KI's facilities participate in a Wisconsin state program called Focus on Energy, which formalizes energy conservation goals, measurements and approaches. As part of this program, the facilities use energy-efficient lighting systems for offices and manufacturing areas. Automatic shut-off systems further conserve energy. Fuel conservation is addressed in the transportation of both raw materials and finished products as well as facility operations.