Suppliers Partnership for the Environment Shares Strategies for Integrating Sustainability into Manufacturing Performance at 2012 Southern Automotive Conference

WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Members of the Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP) – an innovative collaboration between automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), their suppliers and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) working to green the automotive supply chain – led a breakout session at the 2012 Southern Automotive Conference (SAC) in Chattanooga, TN last week on integrating sustainability into manufacturing performance.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121015/DC93349)

Hosted by the Tennessee Automotive Manufacturers Association (TAMA) in partnership with the Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association (AAMA) and the Mississippi Manufacturers Association (MAMA), the 2012 SAC brought together more than 500 executives from all sectors of the auto industry including OEMs, suppliers and service providers primarily from the Southern United States.

The SAC Sustainability breakout session was led by SP members:

• John Bradburn, Manager of Waste Reduction Efforts, General Motors; SP Materials Efficiency Work Group Chair
• Patrick J. Van Rycheghem, Sr. Environmental Engineer, GM Spring Hill Manufacturing
• Russell Brynolf, President and CEO, FTS Technologies; SP Vice-Chair and SP Technology & Networking Work Group Co-Chair
• Matt Bogoshian, Senior Policy Council, Office of Chemical Safety & Pollution Prevention, U.S. EPA; SP Liaison

The breakout session highlighted the collaborative work being done through SP to solve shared sustainability challenges. It provided methods and examples that impact businesses' material efficiency and manufacturing processes with a focus on improving a company's bottom line while helping to meet sustainability goals.  The panelists emphasized the strong business value in sustainability initiatives in not only protecting the environment, but in helping organizations to reduce costs, build revenue, increase efficiencies, engage stakeholders and promote innovation. 

From uncovering new opportunities in industrial oil recycling, to driving implementation of innovative energy efficient flame technologies, to scrap vehicle material finding new life as insulation in coats for the homeless, panelists shared their collaborative process and the larger impacts of several sustainability projects connected through SP members.

Steve Hellem, SP's Executive Director said, "SP was excited to hold a breakout session at the Southern Automotive Conference this year in Chattanooga. The SAC brings together the best and brightest from the southern US, and we were pleased to share some thoughts and ideas with these leaders of the industry. We hope some of the technologies and practices discussed in this session can lead to others advancing their environmental efforts as well as their business achievements."

More information about SP can be found at www.supplierspartnership.org.

The Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP) is an innovative collaboration between automobile manufacturers, their suppliers, and the U.S. EPA. SP's members include: 2V Industries, Inc., Aevitas Specialty Services, Albemarle Corporation, American Honda Motor Co Inc., ARCADIS, Asset Recovery & Management Group LTD, Atwater Steel Trading Co, BAE Industries, Chemico Systems, Inc., Chrysler Group LLC, Clean Water Limited, Covanta 4Recovery, Crystal Filtration, DEKRA Certification, Inc., DENSO International America, Inc., Electricfil, Environmental Quality Company, ERA Environmental Management Solutions, Federal-Mogul Corporation, Ford Motor Company, FTS Technologies, Gage Products Company, Gayle Technologies, Inc., GDC Inc., General Motors, Goodwill Association of Michigan, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Green Tree Products and Technologies LLC, Haley & Aldrich, Inc., Heritage Interactive Services, Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc., International Products Corp., Johnson Controls Inc., Lear Corporation, Mobile Fluid Recovery, Inc., MPS Group, Nissan North America Inc., Oemeta, Peter Feamster & Associates, Inc., Quaker Chemical, RTI Laboratories, SAFECHEM, Subaru of America Inc., Sustainable Research Group, TestAmerica Laboratories, Inc., The Polar Companies, US Industrial Technologies, Inc., VMX International Inc., Work Force Network Inc.

For More Information Contact:
Kellen Mahoney: kmahoney@supplierspartnership.org  

SOURCE Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP)