Linetec honored as Wisconsin's Sustainable Manufacturer of the Year

Linetec, earned the 2011 Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Sustainability Grand Award. Classified by the award judges as a "mega company," Linetec is one of the nation's largest paint and anodize finishers. Its facilities are located in Wausau, Wisconsin.

This is the second time Linetec has been honored as a Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year. In 2006, it won a Grand Award for overall outstanding achievement in the category of "large company." For 2011, Linetec was chosen from more than 50 nominees. It is one of five companies in the state, and the only in the Sustainability category, to be honored at the annual Manufacturer of the Year awards.

The award was presented to company president Rick Marshall on Feb. 23, 2011 at a black-tie event in Milwaukee's Pfister Hotel. Sharing the honor and the evening's celebrations were Linetec's vice president of sales and marketing, Jon Close, and senior marketing specialist, Tammy Schroeder, LEED® Green Associate.

"Environmental leadership and sustainability is no longer just a way to do good, but a good way to do business. Linetec has a compelling story to tell that includes our industry-leading energy conservation efforts and our significant waste reduction, cutting both our wastewater and solid waste volumes in half," said Marshall. "I'm very proud that Linetec's leadership in sustainability has been a key part in our continued success and has been recognized as an essential attribute in earning awards at both a state and national level."

All Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year nominations were evaluated by 15 judges comprised of business, government, education and media leaders. All submissions must present detailed descriptions of operational excellence, continuous improvement, and commitments to their employees and their community, as well as environmental solutions and innovations, research and development leadership and high technology applications in the manufacturing process. Sustainability Grand Award nominees were required to demonstrate a commitment and measured proof of conserving natural resources, improving energy efficiency, reducing their carbon footprint, and promoting employee and community betterment.

Among its many examples, Linetec highlighted its industry leadership in environmentally-friendly finishes, energy conservation programs and carbon footprint reduction efforts. Marshall emphasizes, "This is a very big honor for Linetec and its associates. These sustainability activities are a daily part of our associates' workdays and their involvement in our volunteer Green Team, our formal Energy Management team, and many Six Sigma and continuous improvement projects."

Andy Joswiak, Linetec's vice president of operations, agrees and adds, "While we pause to celebrate this accomplishment, our commitment remains unwavering to meet future challenges and opportunities through a robust continuous improvement process. At Linetec, we look at every opportunity to make our operations safer, our processes more robust, and our business more profitable, while making our environmental footprint smaller."

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