Actual Sustainable Manufacturing: The Superior Essex Story

In this blog post, Superior Essex shares information about their commitment to sustainability. Beginning in 2004, Superior Essex has completely committed themselves to sustainable forms of manufacturing the communication and connectivity solutions they offer. Having obtained the Zero Waste to Landfill certification for six years now - and counting - Superior Essex brings their commitment to sustainability into every aspect of the business. Let's dive into their sustainability efforts. 

Manufacturing is not usually considered a “clean” industry, and there are many reasons why. Creating something new often takes a lot of energy, produces waste and generates off-gases such as carbon emissions in the process. Yet, this is often only the case because many manufacturers haven’t yet put the minds, money or movement behind becoming more sustainable in their manufacturing practices. The industry-leading innovators at Superior Essex Communications, however, have been focused on sustainable manufacturing since 2004, and they’ve become a leader in the telecommunications sector for doing so. This is their story.

Going Green from the Ground Up

Sustainability practices and processes at Superior Essex first began as a grassroots effort from their own dedicated employees working on the front lines. Rather than by corporate mandate, their concerned employees at their manufacturing plant in Hoisington, Kansas, saw an opportunity for better, more environmentally conscious behaviors at the plant – completely on their own.

So, in 2004, they committed themselves fully – and with a dual sense of pride and responsibility – to finding ways to manufacture the company’s innovative communications products more sustainably than ever before. Their ultimate goal: to become the first manufacturer in the communications industry with a truly Zero Waste to Landfill facility.

To achieve this lofty goal, that same year, they hired a third-party company to conduct a life cycle assessment (LCA) – validated by leading safety science company Underwriters Laboratories (UL) – of their manufacturing plant, processes and products to offer them an initial baseline for improved sustainability. A LCA thoroughly analyzes the environmental impacts of a product during its lifecycle, from cradle to grave. This includes everything from raw material extraction through materials processing, manufacturing, distribution, use and end-of-life practices. It is a rigorous, lengthy process that involves multiple parties at every level of an organization, as well as throughout the supply chain.

For Superior Essex, the first cable manufacturer to complete a LCA, the process was meticulous and eye-opening. Once they finished the baseline evaluation, Superior Essex determined that they could significantly improve their sustainability in some areas, such as waste diversion and energy efficiency, by implementing various changes to their facilities, supply chain and habits. The idea to implement these changes found great traction amongst the plant employees and quickly spread up the chain of command, all the way to the CEO. And, in turn, the company’s leaders at all levels supported the Superior Essex sustainability cause in earnest. They provided considerable monetary investment, developed sustainability-focused training for their employees and began what became a decade-long process of becoming a truly Zero Waste to Landfill manufacturer.

Zero Waste to Landfill for Six Consecutive Years (and Counting)

Ten years of hard work, dedication and innovation later, the Superior Essex manufacturing plant in Hoisington proudly achieved its initial Zero Waste to Landfill certification in 2014 – as third-party verified by GreenCircle Certified. Every year since then, the company has continued to do the rigorous sustainability work required to maintain this rigorous certification. They remain vigilant over their waste reduction, recycling and reuse programs. They continue to account for and verify that the partners they rely on to recycle their waste materials are not sending them to landfill. They maintain their resource reduction efforts to minimize their water use, electricity consumption and carbon emissions. And they continuously innovate with sustainability in mind – both at
the manufacturing process level and at the product level.

As a result, Superior Essex has proudly maintained its Zero Waste to Landfill designation every single year since 2014 – now for six years straight and counting – which is a rare feat, and one that demonstrates the company’s continued commitment to sustainability. As they work toward to an even more sustainable future, Superior Essex will update its LCA models, product transparency declarations and more as they continue to raise the bar on their sustainability efforts to make a positive impact on our customers, stakeholders, employees and shared environment. 

To learn more about Superior Essex solutions, contact your local Accu-Tech representative or visit their page on our website.