The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP), the leading authority in sustainable printing certifications, announced today that The Vomela Companies, St. Paul, Minn., has joined the SGP community as the latest certified facility. For Vomela, SGP certification was the natural next step in its long-term efforts towards a cleaner future.
Vomela's sustainability team identified SGP certification as a differentiator while acknowledging the work already achieved. The company provides its customers with eco-friendly materials, processes, and solutions to help meet their sustainability goals, while serving as an important supply chain partner.
“The Vomela Companies are committed to an environmental strategy, which includes developing relationships, products, and technologies that support global sustainable initiatives,” Vomela President and CEO Mark Auth said. “Not only is it the right thing to do, it impacts our customers, our suppliers, our employees, and the communities where we live, work and play.”
The company's continuous improvement project for 2020 is its solar array. Array details include:
• The project is 1.3 megawatts DC, 960 AC and consists of roughly 3400 panels. Contractor: IPS (Impact Power Solutions) located in Roseville, MN.
• The system could power 200 average Minnesota homes and will provide roughly a third of total usage for Vomela's facility.
• This is the largest rooftop solar array in St. Paul.
• Each year the system will offset roughly 2,400,000 pounds of CO2 (1,200 tons), which is the equivalent to planting 48,000 trees.
The Vomela Companies are working on integrating SGP practices into its everyday workflow. The company has established recycling of corrugate, reuse of plastic end caps, and general recycling (paper, glass etc.). In addition, they have replaced bubble wrap with Ran Pak packaging materials and added a custom box maker.
Print facilities interested in eliminating waste, reducing energy consumption, transitioning to sustainable materials, and winning new business from organizations that require sustainable printing practices should visit www.sgppartnership.org/certification to learn more about becoming SGP certified.