Environmental Sustainability Environmental sustainability is a primary concern at Viking Plastics, and we are committed to minimizing negative impacts our operations may have on the environment. As our customer, you can be assured you are partnering with a company with documented policies and procedures that promote environmental sustainability, which also can help you validate that you are sourcing products responsibly. As a lean manufacturer, Viking Plastics is committed to continuous improvement. Reducing waste and energy consumption help us run most cost-effectively, which contribute to the stability of our company and to our ability to offer our customers competitive pricing, as well as help protect the environment. Goal: Eliminate Waste We constantly evaluate our processes for the 8 Wastes that lean companies strive to eliminate: Defects: We keep our defective parts per million (PPM) rate to an industry-leading minimum, less than one, to reduce the amount of discarded product. Overproduction: We only produce the amount of product that is ready to be sold. Waiting: We minimize the time spent waiting for a previous step in the process to be completed. Non-Utilized Talent: We minimize employees that aren’t engaged productively in processes. Transportation: We minimize transportation of items or information that isn’t necessary to the process. Inventory: We minimize inventory that isn’t being processed. Motion: We reduce unnecessary motion. Extra Processing: We eliminate activity that isn’t necessary to production of the product or service. Sustainable Materials Management Viking Plastics uses post-consumer recycled (PCR) or post-industrial recycled (PIR) materials when they meet customer specifications. PCR is typically nylon and polypropylene used in consumer applications and recycled to pellet form. An example is residential carpeting processed and pelletized to resin for use in a variety of products. PIR is collected and then recycled from raw resin production processes, commercial recyclers, injection molding scrap and compound waste. PIR is reprocessed, tested to specifications and certified. We are also careful with our handling of materials to minimize waste. We have a “zero pellets on the floor” policy — no pellets on the floor means no pellets in the landfill. We also collect and sort scrap from processes such as machine purging, setup, runner scrap, scrap products and miscellaneous resin, and send it to a recycler. In addition, Viking Plastics has established sustainable materials policies in areas beyond our plastic injection molding operations. For example, we recycle boxes after receipt of materials and components, and all printers are automatically configured for two-sided printing to save paper. Minimal Energy Use It takes significant energy to power a manufacturing operation, and Viking Plastics understands that our conservation efforts can make a significant impact on energy use and the environment. Steps we have taken to reduce our energy requirement include: Investment in more efficient plastic injection molding machines that are all electric or servohydraulic to reduce energy consumption Purchase of more energy efficient dryers Conversion from T12 to T8 lighting Implemented LED lighting in certain areas of our operation Installed energy-efficient hot water units to replace hot oil for high-temperature molds For more information, review our formal environmental policy and our list of certifications and awards. To discuss our environmental sustainability practices in depth, contact us.