Coatings World - April 2017

PPG and NATM Hail Alum-Line Trailers as 2017 Green Manufacturing Award Winner

PPG and the National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (NATM) named Alum-Line Trailers of Cresco, Iowa, the recipient of the 2017 Green Manufacturing Award. The award was presented to Alum-Line Trailers president Gary Gooder and director of marketing Sydney Gooder by NATM President Greg Snyder at the 29th annual NATM national convention and trade show last month at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

Alum-Line, a family-owned company, builds a variety of commercial trailers as well as truck bodies and tool boxes. It is known for the quality of its custom aluminum products.

According to Ron Yarnell, PPG original equipment manu-
facturer (OEM) sales manager, the Green Manufacturing Award
was established to recognize the NATM member with the year’s
best solution or innovation that delivers a positive impact on
the environment. “The award is intended to encourage NATM
members to implement ecologically sound programs,” Yarnell
said. “We are all accountable for how our actions affect the
world around us. Environmental sensitivity, sustainability, doing
the right things—it’s all more important than ever. Companies
that take this mission to heart and make the necessary improve-
ments reflect well on our industry and our society. Alum-Line is
one of those companies.”
“It was a great honor to receive this year’s Green Award,”
Gary Gooder said. “As long-term members of the NATM, this
award sparked our interest to work even harder to have our
company and facilities as environmentally friendly and energy
efficient as possible. These practices are never-ending and pop-
ular with our employees, and we will continue to add additional
green practices every year.”
The initiatives that companies may employ include process
or equipment improvements, emissions reduction, recycling
techniques, material utilization, design advancement and
other ecologically responsible actions. Award applicants are
required to provide documentation of their work demonstrat-
ing the results of their efforts. Entries are judged by the NATM
executive committee.

Alum-Line was selected for the 2017 award because of the
steps the company has taken to improve efficiency and sustain-
ability awareness. In his presentation, Snyder noted Alum-Line’s
environmental actions:
In 2014, Alum-Line installed solar panels on two of the com-
pany’s largest manufacturing buildings. The facilities have since
generated 63.5 million watt-hours of clean energy—equivalent
to planting 1,150 trees, running a refrigerator for 38. 6 years, or
powering a 13-watt CFL bulb for 558 years.

A solar-powered manufacturing building with efficient floor heat and good urethane insulation was completed in 2014. Expansions totaling more than 70,000 square feet have been set up to use floor heat. Converting all lighting to efficient LED began in 2014, saving a total of 35,542 kilowatt-hours of electrical energy to date, with the project more than 80 percent complete.

The company promotes in-house recycling by educating
its employees, customers and the community, and by setting a
good example: Alum-Line recycles used tires, wood pallets and
scrap metal to local vendors. In addition to saving trees through
reduced use and recycling of paper products, Alum-Line plant-
ed nearly two acres of new trees on its property this year.

Alum-Line reduces scrap by using materials according to comprehensive waste-reduction measures. When usable and appropriate, scrap is kept for future builds.

Alum-Line maintains its own transportation department and organizes deliveries specifically for efficiency to reduce fuel and oil consumption.

The Green Manufacturing Award includes a cash gift that is directed to a charitable organization of the winner’s choice. Alum-Line selected the Howard County Agricultural and Historical Society in Cresco as the recipient. Several trailer-related companies such as Optronics International, Dexter Axle, Lavanture Products Company, the Carlstar Group and Kenda Tire joined major sponsor PPG in supporting the award.

The NATM represents manufacturers of light- and medium-duty trailers as well as a range of suppliers to the industry. The association has more than 800 member companies in the United States, Canada, Mexico and other countries. The NATM is dedicated to improving trailer safety and performance and acts as a voice for manufacturers and their suppliers when issues of trailer safety and regulation are considered.

PPG offers a full range of coating technologies for the commercial transportation and light industrial markets, including polyurethanes, alkyds, epoxies, polyurea, waterborne, pretreatment chemicals and powder coatings. PPG coatings products are marketed under name17NATMGreenAward_ Alum-LineTrailers.jpgs such as the DELFLEET Evolution, DELFLEET ESSENTIAL, Commercial Performance Coatings and AMERCOAT brands.