On April 12, the Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP) held its 2nd Quarter Membership Meeting at the GM Warren Tech Center in Warren, Michigan. Over 75 representatives from the automotive supply chain participated in the meeting. Mike Robinson, General Motors Vice President of Sustainability and Global Regulatory Affairs welcomed the meeting’s participants and spoke to the value of SP as an organization and the important role that EPA has and is playing in SP. During the meeting, General Motors presented its 7th Annual Environmental Excellence Award to SP member company FTS Technologies for introducing an energy-efficient technology that lets paint stick to plastic vehicle parts without using traditional chemical adhesion systems. “It was our collaboration with GM and Suppliers Partnership that helped us to convey the benefits and get connected with the right people so this technology could make a broader impact within the industry,” said Russell Brynolf, CEO of FTS Technologies.
The meeting featured reports of ongoing project activities, environmental sustainability best practices and success stories from OEM and supplier members of SP’s Materials Efficiency, Energy & Water, Chemical Issues Management and Technology & Networking Work Groups, as well as presentations from new member companies Covanta 4Recovery and DEKRA Certification.
SP Materials Efficiency Work Group presenters included: AW Armstrong of the US BCSD on a proposed Southeast Michigan By-Product Synergy Network; Pashon Murray, Detroit Dirt, on a project that is working with Detroit based companies including GM andFord to re-use organic waste; Peter Feamster, PFA Recyling, on waste challenges and strategies to achieve landfill free; representatives from GM, Mobile Fluid Recovery, Waste Free LLC and Aevitas Specialty Services on an innovative recycling / re-use pilot project; and, Resource Recovery and Recycling on a new landfill diversion process for the auto industry.
SP’s Energy & Water Co-Chair Rahul Naik, ARCADIS, provided an update on Phase I of a new SP Energy Management Systems project which is focused on the development of a tool kit of procedures and best practices within a management system framework for use by automotive OEMs and Tier Suppliers.
SP’s Chemical Issues Management Chair, Dave Woodyard, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, reviewed a proposal for Phase 4 of SP’s Materials Assessment Strategy (MAS) project focused on End of Life Vehicle Materials. In addition, SP’s Technology and Networking Co-Chairs, Russell Brynolf and Dave O’Ryan, Asset Recovery & Management Group, discussed strategic Work Group objectives including a webinar series on strategies and barriers to technology adoption / implementation in the supply chain.
Source: Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP)
