OUR COMMITMENT
GREEN MANUFACTURING
Lanz Cabinets is committed to conducting business in a manner that safeguards our customers, employees, and the communities where we work.
GREEN
MANUFACTURING
Lanz Cabinets is committed to conducting business in a manner that safeguards our customers, employees, and the communities where we work.
ANSI/KCMA A161.1
We are active members of the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA). Our cabinets are ANSI/KCMA 161.1 certified. Cabinets bearing the ANSI/KCMA 161.1 certification have been extensively tested according to rigorous standards developed, and periodically revised, by a committee operating under rules set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and developed by the KCMA. The KMCA was founded in 1955 as a non-profit for residential cabinetmakers to aid in setting standards, sponsoring research, and providing education and management tools.
Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP)
Lanz Cabinets is certified by the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturer Association’s (KCMA) Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP). The Environmental Stewardship Program is a voluntary program that is awarded to companies that demonstrate a commitment to sound environmental practices. This is an award that must be applied for annually.
MEETING KCMA ESP CERTIFICATION
To earn KCMA ESP certification we must show compliance in the five categories below
For our cabinet box, we use low formaldehyde or no-added formaldehyde (NAF/ULEF) TSCA Title VI compliant particleboard, medium-density fiberboard, or plywood, based on our customer’s requirements.
For our multifamily cabinet line, we use Sherwin-Williams® Ultra-Cure® water-based UV topcoat mid-sheen finish and Sherwin-Williams® Sher-Wood® water-based UV stains (dispersions) with a Waterborne Finishing Technology. Some of the benefits of this technology are:
- No reportable Volatile Hazardous Air Pollutants (VHAPs)
- Extremely low levels of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
- Abrasion, chemical, and impact resistant
- No off-gassing and is free of formaldehyde and heavy metals
Lanz Cabinets uses only particleboard and MDF that is manufactured using recycled or recovered fiber content and has been certified by the Composite Panel Association and an Environmentally Preferable Product.
Lanz Cabinets recycles all of its wood waste for use as post-secondary products or as alternative energy sources. In 1999 we began our Solvent Recycling Program. We distill all of the waste solvents thereby separating the usable solvent from the solids. We have also switched from solvent-based finishes to water base finishes thereby reducing the amount of hazardous waste. In 2008 we started our recycling program by recycling all of our office paper, cardboard, plastic, and metal. For the year-end 2009, we had reduced the amount of hazardous waste by 67% from 2006. In the past fifteen years, we have reduced the amount of waste being disposed of in a landfill by over 25%.
Lanz Cabinets Environmental Statement: Lanz Cabinets is committed to conducting business in a fashion that safeguards the Earth, its employees, customers, and neighbors from environmental hazards. We do this by educating ourselves and working with our suppliers to identify and use sustainable and environmentally friendly products. We use the latest technology to reduce the waste of materials, conserve energy, and limit both hazardous and non-hazardous emissions. We encourage recycling and the use of recycled products. We are, as we have been, committed to the continuous improvement of our processes and systems so we can reduce the impact.
We give back to the communities in which we do business through donations to various schools, and a wide variety of community and not-for-profit organizations.
GREEN MANUFACURING
ENVIRONMENTAL
STEWARDSHIP
Environmental Initiatives History
1999
In an effort to reduce hazardous waste we started recycling solvent. We started using UV Finishes. This process reduced the amount of product being released as an air pollutant.
2002
Lanz Cabinets started using optimizer technology in the cutting of face frame material, maximizing material consumption of our solid stock face frame material.
We started using optimizer technology in cutting melamine door and drawer faces resulting in a better yield of panel material.
We retrofitted the lighting in our manufacturing facility converting it from metal halide to T8 fluorescent lights, thereby reducing electricity consumption.
Incorporated variable drive 50 and 200HP air compressors. These only produce and use HP on a supply and demand base resulting in a 40% savings in power.
Implemented a policy requiring that all 25HP and larger motors and machines we buy, use soft start technology. This means when a machine starts it does not create a surge of power, resulting in smoother and cleaner consumption
2004
Lanz Cabinets purchased an automatic rip saw resulting in improvements in the utilization of lumber products. This is accomplished by using the machine’s software to calculate the most efficient way to cut the lumber to result in the greatest yield.
2007
We switched from solvent-based UV finishes to water-based UV finishes with no HAPs and only traces of VOCs.
2008
Retrofitted our Building 1 dust collection with return socks which returns the heated air into the building rather than discharging it. This was also included in the purchase of the new Building 3 dust collection system.
Lanz Cabinets began working with Lane County by implementing the Lane County Master Recycling Program. All office paper, cardboard, metal, and plastic are being recycled.
Year-end 2008 we show an 81% reduction in the amount of VOCs since 2006 and a 67% reduction in the disposal of hazardous waste while increasing production an average of 12% per year during that same time period.