PFFC - April 2008 - (Page 30)

GREEN CONVERTING TON CAR OX & B DED AN EXP ITION ED CARTON & Don Droppo Jr., pictured alongside Curtis Packaging’s new KBA Rapida eight-color press, wants to make Curtis as eco-friendly as possbile. X BO Trail Blazing With consumer product companies facing Wal-Mart’s packaging initiative, timing is everything as Curtis Packaging’s early green efforts put the company a step ahead. By Edward Boyle, Contributing Editor C 30 | APRIL 2008 urtis Packaging, a converter of premium folding cartons, proves that “going green” and “making green” don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Not only is the company’s 150,000-sq-ft headquarters powered by 100% renewable energy (85% wind power, 15% hydroelectric), it also spent the past two years working with The CarbonNeutral Co. to become one of the first 100% carbonneutral printing and packaging companies in North America. uConverter Infot uCurtis Packaging | 44 Berkshire Rd., Sandy Hook, CT 06482 | 203-426-5861 | www.curtispackaging.com Oh, by the way, sales have increased from $20 million to more than $40 million at the family-run company over the past five years, while the sustainable packaging program was being developed and implemented. Don Droppo Jr., senior VP of marketing at Curtis, says that is no mere coincidence. “We’ve been growing through a lot of innovation, a lot of great people, and very new equipment. Our effort on improving the environment was just one component of our growth,” he says. “But what we’ve said to a lot of our customers is, ‘With all things being equal—price, service, and quality—wouldn’t you rather do business with someone who’s doing what they can to positively impact the environment on a grass roots level?’ “Obviously, you have to be economically sustainable,” adds Droppo, who is also a partner in the business that employs 165 people, “but if you can do it in such a way as to be environmentally sustainable at the same time, that’s just the ultimate success. The greener customers want to do business with other like-minded companies.” Offsetting Emissions Droppo says he personally began his campaign to make Curtis as “environmentally friendly” as possible when he joined the company five years ago, well before the catchphrase “sustainability” entered the corporate vernacular. It started, he says, by identifying ways the company could be more planet friendly, using less hazardous materials and only “clean” sources of energy such as wind and hydroelectric power to fuel growth. He says those efforts alone offset 70% of its carbon footprint. “We were really kind of blazing the trail with that whole idea of sustainability. Five years ago, we didn’t use the term sustainability; it was more just sound business practice.” Acknowledging that no manufacturer can eliminate totally the use of carbonWWW.PFFC-ONLINE.COM http://www.curtispackaging.com http://WWW.PFFC-ONLINE.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of PFFC - April 2008

PFFC - April 2008 Table of Contents First Glance Calendar of Events From the Editor Web Lines Process Management News Clips Narrow Web & Label Reporter Narrow Web & Label What’s New Products Carton & Box Reporter Carton & Box What’s New Products Green Converting Pouchmaking Show Preview Flexible Packaging Gravure Printing What's New Products Services Directory Classifieds Marketplace Equipment Buyers & Sellers Advertisers Index Experience Speaks

PFFC - April 2008

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