Extrusion International USA 5-2022

35 Extrusion International 5/2022  Davis-Standard announces the formation of a global sustainabil- ity initiative that prioritizes resource conservation, and supports circular economy initiatives, social responsibil- ity, and business collaboration. As a company, Davis-Standard is accelerat- ing efforts to cultivate best practices and machinery innovation that aligns with United Nations (UN) sustainable development goals. “We have a collective responsibil- ity to provide technology that enables forward-thinking solutions to complex challenges such as food security, reli- able energy sources, and strategic infra- structure,” said Giovanni Spitale, Davis- Standard CEO. “We have prioritized sustainability efforts along with safety, quality, and productivity to address the needs of our customers while playing an active role ourselves. As a result, we have alreadymade significant advances in our machinery development regard- ing reduced waste, energy efficiency, and increased recyclability. We look for- ward to doingmore as wework toward a sustainable future.“ Davis-Standard has committed to the following objectives by the year 2025: • Direct R&D funding, targeting five percent of sales revenue, toward sustainable equipment development. Efforts will focus on further expand - ing customer use of recycled content, reducing material waste, and efficient use of energy and process structures to support the circular economy. • Increase procurement of carbon pollution-free electricity to 100 percent of Davis-Standard’s total energy us- age. • Host “Davis-Standard Community Days” to support every community in which Davis-Standard is located. Each facility will identify and complete two environmentally-conscious activitie per year. • Achieve ISO 14001 certification at all of our global facilities. Davis-Standard, LLC www.davis-standard.com www.davis-standard.com/sustainability/ Global Sustainability Initiative Launched  Members of the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS), working in conjunction with RiverLink, an Ashe- ville-based conservation organiza- tion, participated in a clean-up event at River Bend Park along the Swan- nanoa River. The event is a collabora- tion between RiverLink through the Community Impact Task Group of PLASTICS’ Future Leaders in Plastics Committee (FLiP) – a professional de- velopment initiative for plastics pro- fessionals under the age of 40. Flip’s mission is to foster collaboration, providing an outlet to give back and positively impact the environment and communities in which the plas- tics industry serves. “PLASTICS is here to demonstrate our commitment to the environment, promote the environmental benefits of using plastic responsibly, and en- courage legislators to do all they can to fund recycling infrastructure that will help protect beautiful places like this,” said Leslie Jutte, PLASTICS staff liaison for FLiP and director of the associa- tion’s Material Suppliers Council. “We love plastic – we hate plastic waste.” Working with the RiverLink team and utilizing materials and equip- ment provided by the non-profit, approximately 50 PLASTICS’ mem - bers spent several hours removing litter in support of RiverLink’s goal of promoting the environmental and economic vitality of the French Broad River and surrounding waterways. “The plastics industry isn’t just com- panies, it’s people all over the coun- try who care about the communities where we live and work,” said Jon Smalling, National Sales and Market- ing Manager at BAUMÜLLER and member of the FLiP Community Im- pact Task Group. “It’s an honor for us to do some good for the local en- vironment while we’re guests here in Asheville.” "As a local non-profit working for the past thirty years to promote the environmental and economic vitality of the French Broad River and its wa- tershed, we're grateful to work with a diverse group of volunteers each year on projects that benefit our wa - terways and public lands,” RiverLink said in a statement. “Removing lit- ter from Riverbend Park along the Swannanoa River, one of the French Broad's largest tributaries, is one of many ways we can steward this spe- cial place and connect volunteers from groups like the Plastics Industry Association with the areas we care about." Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) www.plasticsindustry.org Clean-Up Event