The city of Kent picked Hexcel Corp., which manufactures aerospace products, as its 2013 Green Business of the Year.
“Waste prevention is incorporated on many levels of production at Hexcel,” said city conservation specialist Gina Hungerford in a city media release. “Hexcel reduces waste by purchasing products in bulk. They’re also very mindful of waste prevention when shipping materials, as well. Hexcel designed and built specialized reusable transport packaging carts that are used over and over to avoid using unnecessary packaging materials.”
As one example, Hexcel sends re-useable shipping containers to the Boeing plant in Renton. The containers are then returned to Hexcel to be used again.
Company representatives received the award at the Tuesday, Dec. 10, City Council meeting.
Hexcel products include high performance carbon fibers, honeycomb, matrix systems, adhesives and composite structures for use in the aerospace, defense and industrial markets.The company also supplies composite materials for the manufacturing of skis and snowboards.
The company works to find markets for a variety of materials which are picked up by multiple recycling companies.
“We recycle 79 percent of everything we generate – and this percentage is still rising,” said Hexcel environmental engineer Katherine Garrison. “We get to affect the greater community with our work products, while looking for ways to reduce our impact on the planet. It makes our work very meaningful.”
Previous winners of the award include Torklift Central, Applus, Boeing, REI, Worldwide Distributors, Emerald City Graphics, Staples Store #1357, Mikron Industries and Panasonic Services Company.
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