TLMI Presents Supplier and Environmental Awards
GLOUCESTER, Mass.—At the association’s recent Annual Meeting held in Scottsdale, Arizona, TLMI (Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute) presented Supplier of the Year honors to Pat Hague, ink industry executive, and Environmental Leadership Awards to Pasadena, Calif.-based Avery Dennison and Rochester, N.Y.-based Label World.
The Supplier of the Year Award honors and recognizes an individual for his or her ongoing volunteer service and dedication to TLMI, and to the greater industry. Criteria for winning the award includes service to TLMI on the association’s board and committees, in addition to continuous commitment to the industry as a whole by helping to promote and foster its growth.
Hague has been one of the most influential forces in the North American narrow-web ink industry. He began his career with Wikoff Color Corporation and later joined Water Ink Technologies in 1985. In 2009, along with his brother, he sold Water Ink to ALTANA and his most recent position prior to his retirement was vice president of sales for ACTEGA WIT.
Hague has been a longstanding member of TLMI and has served on the association’s Board of Directors. Prior to receiving the Supplier of the Year award, Hague was awarded honoree member status, one of the association’s highest honors.
Frank Sablone, TLMI president, commented, “Pat Hague has been one of TLMI’s most dedicated and influential supplier members. Over the decades, he brought his vast industry experience and professional network to his work with TLMI, and he was a dedicated Board member. I speak for myself and all TLMI members in congratulating Pat for achieving this honor, and in thanking him for his years of dedication to our association.”
The Environmental Leadership Awards recognize TLMI member companies that have consistently demonstrated a commitment to progressive environmental practices across a wide range of areas. Calvin Frost, CEO of Channeled Resources Group and TLMI Environmental Committee Chair, commented, “This is our ninth year in presenting these awards and recognizing leaders of environmental awareness in our industry. Without a doubt, this activity further reinforces TLMI’s position on sustainability. We will continue to change the culture of our industry, and this year’s winners should be honored. Thirteen companies submitted entries and from this group just two were chosen.”
The award for Innovative Technologies was given to Avery Dennison for creating an internal environmental process, Enterprise Lean Sigma, to reduce waste, energy, material, and time usage. The integration of this program led to increased productivity, quality, and profits. Avery Dennison developed an energy Kaizen process, reduced fuel consumption, and substantially reduced greenhouse gas emissions, while focusing on thinner materials and product designs that helped reduce waste and enable recycling.
“Our focus on sustainability comes from our company values and has long been part of our approach to business,” said Darrell Hughes, Avery Dennison’s vice president and general manager, label and packaging materials – North America. “It drives us to work collaboratively to create value for our customers by developing solutions that enable us all to be more sustainable and competitive.”
The award for process improvement in environmental leadership was given to Label World, a company that has made sustainability a core element of its business strategy. Label World’s initiatives include the diversion of all waste from landfills to energy generation in 2009, the use of renewable energy credits to offset 100 percent of electricity and natural gas consumption, a range of internal initiatives to reduce waste and energy consumption, and the collaboration with key customers to divert more than two billion square inches of liner material from landfill to recycling.
John McDermott, president of Label World, commented, “We began our journey toward sustainability just a few years ago as a result of my engagement with TLMI and the encouragement of key people like Environmental Chairman, Cal Frost, and association President, Frank Sablone. Now we are seeing the results in terms of more motivated associates and new customer opportunities for whom sustainability is a corporate commitment. L.I.F.E. has been a key driver in our transformation.”
Frost additionally commented, “The decision for these leadership awards has always been made by an independent panel of judges comprised of industry peers who recognize and grade the specificity of the submitted applications. Once again, this year’s entries demonstrated a commitment of time and research. An enormous effort is required and I would like to congratulate this year’s winners, and all of the companies who submitted entries for their contributions.”
