MARTINSVILLE, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Blue Ridge Fiberboard Incorporated was recognized October 1st as the winner of the Virginia NASCAR Green/E3 Challenge during a special event at the Martinsville Speedway. Blue Ridge Fiberboard is a Danville, Virginia manufacturer of fiberboard products serving the needs of architects, engineers and contractors. The challenge winner was selected for demonstrating an outstanding commitment to world-class business practices that align with sustainability and making the company more profitable.
“Blue Ridge Fiberboard is incredibly honored to be selected as winner of the Virginia NASCAR Green/E3 Challenge,” said Mark Custer, Plant Manager, Blue Ridge Fiberboard. “We continually review our processes and procedures to create a company culture where improving efficiencies, maintaining sustainability, and reducing our company’s environmental impact not only benefits the company’s bottom line, but also our natural surroundings. Our employees identified ways in which energy savings could be realized, and their hard work was a key factor in our company being selected as winner.”
“Through this Virginia partnership with NASCAR Green and the E3 sustainable manufacturing initiative, the Manufacturing Technology Center along with GENEDGE are able to drive companies toward greater profitability and environmental responsibility,” said Nelson Teed, MTC Executive Director.
Bill Donohue, GENEDGE Interim Executive Director adds, “The EPA Region 3 initiative has served 40 companies in southern and southwest Virginia to date. This program continues to provide a unique opportunity for federal agencies, state leadership and local communities to directly support Virginia manufacturers who strengthen the sustainability of their operations.”
“With the announcement of the NASCAR Green/E3 Challenge winner today, Blue Ridge Fiberboard Inc. and the challenge participants should all be proud to know they are making a large environmental impact on our Commonwealth,” said Donohue. “Their combined impacts reach far beyond energy, dollars or the environment – positively affecting our people and our community.”
The Virginia NASCAR Green/E3 Challenge is a partnership between the federal initiative, E3: Economy, Energy, Environment; the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); and NASCAR Green. It recognizes manufacturing participants in the Virginia E3 program (VA E3) who demonstrate data-driven impacts based on improving their triple bottom line. VA E3 manufacturers participate in assessments that ultimately help them transform as a business through the implementation of recommendations that reduce environmental impacts, improve efficiency and generate measurable cost savings.
E3 is a nationwide program that combines the resources of six federal agencies with the intent of fostering sustainable manufacturing with action-oriented initiatives. Involved agencies are the U.S. Commerce Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Energy, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Department of Labor.
The October 1st event included recognition for 2nd place winner Kennametal Inc. of Chilhowie, and 3rd place Woodgrain Millworks of Marion, Virginia.
In attendance were the Hon. Morgan Griffith (VA-09) and his District Director Michelle Jenkins; Track President Clay Campbell; EPA Senior Policy Counsel Matt Bogoshian; NIST MEP Representative Brian Lagas; also representatives from NASCAR, DEQ, GENEDGE, Manufacturing Technology Center; regional and local officials along with area manufacturers.
