Environmental Policy
Bluff Manufacturing Inc., an innovative leader when it comes to the fabrication and design of high quality dock and warehouse equipment is committed to minimizing its impact on the environment by choosing materials, methods and processes that offer the least risk to man and our environment, utilizing the best available control technologies to reduce air emissions where needed, recycling waste and used materials at every opportunity, eliminating other impacts to the environment, such as releases to surface water, and reducing the carbon footprint of our products to minimum achievable levels.
Bluff is also committed to the philosophy of sustainability. In this effort, we strive to improve the energy efficiency of our operations in all areas. In addition to reducing energy consumption, whenever possible we select energy sources that have the lowest impact on the environment, such as electricity from renewable resources. These policies are part of our effort to reduce the carbon footprint of our products. With this goal in mind, we also consider the carbon footprint impact in all critical decisions, such as using recycled steel and aluminum in the manufacturing of our products.
Additionally, Bluff recognizes its responsibility for the health and safety in our workplace. At Bluff, we are committed to the philosophy of protecting our environment while striving for the greatest innovations in manufacturing. Our team strives to reduce waste and improve efficiency throughout our operations.
Initiatives supporting our policy include:
- Going beyond compliance: Near-zero-VOC, water-soluble paint formulas were developed in 2009 and are employed for all of our liquid coated/painted products, further reducing the amount of pollutants emitted to the atmosphere. While state requirements only necessitated defined methods of handling/controlling VOC emissions of our prior paint formulas, we took on a higher initiative to virtually eliminate the emissions altogether. Bluff has realized a 93% reduction in VOC emission rate from 2008-2009.
- Powder coat technology was implemented in 2003 as the surface coating method for our Crash Guard line of products. This not only significantly reduces particulate emissions, but produces no volatile organic carbons (VOCs) in the application of the coating.
- Between the use of the powder coat process and the zero-VOC paints, Bluff is one of the lowest emitters of hazardous air pollutants in the industry.
- Advanced lighting technologies were installed throughout our manufacturing operations in December 2007 resulting in a 24% annual reduction in electrical consumption rate.
- Prevention of pollution and accidents is high on Bluff's list. Our production team has gone 17 months without a reportable accident. During the last 24 months there have only been 2 incidents.
- Recycled materials: 85 - 90% of our steel raw materials come from recycled metal.
- Bluff steel purchases from 2006-2008:
- 2006 6.99 million pounds
- 2007 7.14 million pounds
- 2008 8.27 million pounds
- Bluff's steel scrap generation rate is approx. 6% annually by weight. The steel fabrication industry average 12 - 17%. Bluff Manufacturing returns 100% of steel scrap to recyclers.
