Energy Efficiency
Hunter's Commitment to
Sustainability
Hunter Sustainability
/
Our Green Promise
Sustainability and environmental stewardship are at the core of our culture. The Hunter Green Team is our employee-led sustainability program. Team members across all sites and departments are invited to participate and bring their ideas to enhance sustainability at Hunter.
Water Reduction
Waste Reduction
FACILITY INITIATIVES
Reducing water use
Hunter is continuously investing in facility upgrades to reduce water consumption throughout our operations.
- Installing ultra-low water toilets and urinals
- Low flow faucets with auto shutoff
- Filtered water stations
Energy-efficient lighting retrofits
Over the past two years, Hunter has replaced thousands of inefficient fluorescent and metal halide fixtures with super-efficient LED fixtures.
- Added smart occupancy and daylight harvesting controls
- Lighting energy consumption has been cut by 40-70% in our upgraded facilities.
Techology Initiatives
- Reduced 350+ user PC’s into a single virtual host
- Reduced 600+ servers down to 16 virtual hosts
- Resulted in estimated power savings of 5.0 million KwH annually -
the equivialent power consumption of 460 homes
Solar Energy
- Installed solar energy system
- Resulted in generation of 1Kw of power in the IT Server Room
Additional Facilities Improvements
- Installed occupancy sensors and created lighting schedules for common areas
- Replaced 1960s-era flame tube boiler with new high-efficient condensing boilers, reducing natural gas usage by 40%
- Installed 3-layered panels in building clerestory, doubling insulation R-value of previous panels
EcoAisle Data Center
- Utilization of Schneider APC EcoAisle technology for data centers
- Efficiently cools equipment exhaust without cooling surrounding environment
Microsoft® OneDrive
- All departments utilize Microsoft OneDrive
- Reduces printed materials saving paper, ink, and energy
46,000+ lbs. of Electronics Recycled Since 2019!
Electronics Recycling
Recycling alkaline and lithium batteries prevents potential pollution and recovers valuable materials for reuse, as does recycling small electronics. Ink and toner cartridges are melted down and refined into new cartridges thus reducing the cost of printer ink and keeping millions of cartridges out of landfills.
Hunter implemented a recycling program for batteries, small electronics, ink, and toner. Designated bins are located in three highly visible locations throughout the St. Louis headquarters. The program is on pace for annual recycling of 3,000+ ink and toner cartridges as well as 500+ pounds of batteries.
GREEN OFFICE AND SUPPLIES
EPA PLASTIC WASTE MANAGEMENT HIERARCHY
Trash Can Liners
- Transitioned to the usage of Gateway R-Spec
Liners, which are produced to the highest
industry standards - Hunter’s commitment to Source Reduction
minimizing the overall plastic sent to landfills
by 18% - Saved 45% on each box of liners purchased
compared to previous supplier
Competitive-Sourced Reduction Liners
- 1.0 mil
- 995 million lbs./yr.
Gateway Standard Liners
- 0.85 mil
- 845 million lbs./yr.
Gateway R-Spec Liners
- 0.7 mil
- 696 million lbs./yr.
Cleaning Supplies
- Hunter transitioned to the Buckeye Eco®
- Proportioning Program
- More effective, safer, economical, and ecologically friendly chemistry
- Flexible and sustainable packaging
- Resulted in 83% less plastic waste
Eco 1.25 L Bags
- Hermetically sealed to ensure no contamination
- Flexible to eliminate product waste, delivering a 99% evacuation rate
- Manufactured with 83% less plastic than rigid containers
- New metering plug in every bag ensures no tip clogging and highly accurate dilution
- Spillproof to prevent contact with concentrated product
- Compact size for easy transport and storage
In 2020, Buckeye Eco® customers prevented 28 tons of plastic from unnecessarily entering landfills by choosing Eco instead of
competitive systems with rigid containers.
1 Gallon Round Jug takes up
118.5
times more landfill space
Competitor A takes up
80.4
times more landfill space
Competitor B takes up
71.5
times more landfill space
Competitor C takes up
67.2
times more landfill space
Eco1.25 L bag
Weighs 83% less than rigid containers of similar size
Competitive empty product containers vs. empty Eco product bags
Amount of landfill space taken up by empty product containers (in cubic inches)*
*Volume of space taken up by empty cartridges determined by water displacement testing.
Document Production Initiative
Sustainable in-house printing
Hunter supplements its outsourced printing with its own in-house printing department. 100% of paper used in-house is supplied by Midland Paper, a national supplier of sustainable papers.
Green partnerships
In addition to reducing unnecessary printing, Hunter has a strong commitment to sustainable practices and sources for essential printing. We carefully select our outside printing partners who share our commitment and source sustainable products such as recycled paper and toner for our in-house print shop
Advertisers Printing Company (St. Louis) is one of only 50 U.S. printing companies to have earned SGP (Sustainability Green Partner) Certification, the industry standard for sustainability performance.
Paper Reduction Initiative
In 2017, the paper reduction project was implemented across select Hunter products shipped, projecting 1.3 million sheets of paper saved annually.
The 2019 paper reduction project reduced operation manual printing by 50%, saving 3.6 million sheets of paper.
The overall result is approximately 11.8 acres of trees saved since 2017*!
* One tree (harvested solely for pulp) generates 8,300 sheets of paper.
Mobile Apps for Events
55% anticipated reduction in printing through App conversion!
In 2018, Hunter introduced a mobile app for our largest, Corporate-hosted event - the National Sales, Service, and Distributior Meetings. This new app helped to greatly reduce printed material and overall cost.
Due to the success of the app, Hunter created a phase-plan to launch an app for all Hunter events, which commenced in 2019.
- Trade Shows
- Sales, Service, and Distributor Training Courses
- Top Sales and Service Representative Rewards Tip
- Hunter National Meetings
Creating an app for all events and distributing materials previously only abailable in print through the app digitally will result in materials and cost savings.
Manufacturing Initiatives
Carton consolidation project
43% reduction in boxes shipped — REDUCES WASTE!
54% reduction in scans — SAVES TIME!
No-idling policy
Hunter established a no-idling policy for vehicles loading and unloading at shipping docks.
One hour of engine idling...
- Wastes up to one gallon of fuel
- Releases 20+ pounds of carbon into the air
Facility assessment
Hunter partnered with the State of Missouri’s IAC to conduct an environmental audit and make recommendations for improvements. Many of their recommendations, such as a no idling policy at our loading docks, have been put into place.
Transportation Initiatives
Hunter's transportation partners voluntarily commit to practicing sustainability. These partners demonstrate measurable green results, sustainability innovation, and continuous improvement as they integrate sustainability into their respective enterprises.
Partnering with SmartWay™ members
Hunter’s transportation partners are members of the EPA’s SmartWay™ program, which involves companies to voluntarily commit to meet specific environmental and energy-saving goals while sharing progress annually with the EPA.
Choosing green supply chain partners
Transportation partners are recognized as Inbound Logistics’ Green Supply Chain Partners; companies who demonstrate green results, sustainable innovation, continuous improvement and industry recognition.
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XPO Logistics
XPO has systems in place to ensure all activities, products, and waste materials related to contract logistics operations are responsibly managed. Rigorous environmental policies are evident in areas such as:
- Recycling and waste reduction - facilities recycle paper, cardboard, plastic and electronic waste, and utilize an electronic document repository to reduce paper output. Operations also recycles millions of electronic components and batteries each year.
- Forklift emission reduction - regularly monitor fuel emissions from facility forklifts, taking immediate action if needed. This preventative maintenance program improves vehicle performance while maintaining air quality.
- Distribution center practices - ensure optimal carton size is used for each product (purchasing recycled packaging materials whenever feasible).
For more sustainability information, visit their website: www.xpo.com
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Averitt
Averitt's current SmartWay™ score is 1.25 - 'Superior'.
According to the EPA, "A score of 1.25 represents outstanding environmental performance. These Partners already are utilizing most of the commercially available fuel saving strategies and are actively evaluating the latest emerging technologies."
Since joining the SmartWay™ program in 2004, Averitt has:
- Lowered our carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by an estimated 27.05%
- Reduced our nitrogen oxide (NOX) emissions by 50.37%
- Lowered our particulate emissions by 52.37%
Fore more sustainability information, visit their website: www.averittexpress.com
-
Old Dominion
Old Dominion's commitment to sustainability includes:
- Leveraging new technologies
- Training our employees and drivers to utilize new technologies
- Keeping sustainability foremost in mind
For more sustainability information, visit their website: www.odfl.com
Hunter Equipment Provides Sustainable Solutions
HawkEye Elite®
Proper Alignment Maximizes Fuel Economy
Based on properly aligned vehicle traveling 15,000 miles/year with an average of 25 miles/gallon at $3.50/gallon.
Learn more about Sustainability
Economic Benefits
- Vehicle with alignment conditions can suffer a decrease in fuel efficiency by up to 7%. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
- Proper alignment prolongs tire life. A vehicle out of alignment can result in premature tire wear.
Proper Alignemnt Maximizes Fuel Economy
Based on properly aligned vehicle traveling 15,000 miles/year with an average of 25 miles/gallon at $3.50/gallon.
Environmental Benefits
- A vehicle one inch out of alignment is equivalent to dragging the tire sideways 100-ft per mile leading to premature wear and disposal of tire (Tire Business)
- Seven gallons of crude oil is required to produce the average passendger car tire
Social Benefits
- Stop safely in wet conditions
- The amount of tread on your tire has a direct impact on the stopping distance of your vehicle – in order to prolong tread life, ensure your vehicle is properly aligned.
- 500 fatalities and 19,000 injuries occur annually in the U.S. from tire-related passenger vehicle crashes. Most of these crashes are preventable.
(National Transportation Safety Board)
- Reset all alignment-related sensors
- As vehicle manufacturers equip more vehicles with on-board driver-assist systems, more OEM's now require a steering system reset during alignemtn service
- Appropriately completing this process safely completing this process safely returns the vehicle to desire condition
HawkEye Elite®
Economic Benefits
- Vehicle with alignment conditions can suffer a decrease in fuel efficiency by up to 7%. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
- Proper alignment prolongs tire life. A vehicle out of alignment can result in premature tire wear.
Proper Alignemnt Maximizes Fuel Economy
Based on properly aligned vehicle traveling 15,000 miles/year with an average of 25 miles/gallon at $3.50/gallon.
Environmental Benefits
- A vehicle one inch out of alignment is equivalent to dragging the tire sideways 100-ft per mile leading to premature wear and disposal of tire (Tire Business)
- Seven gallons of crude oil is required to produce the average passendger car tire
Social Benefits
- Stop safely in wet conditions
- The amount of tread on your tire has a direct impact on the stopping distance of your vehicle – in order to prolong tread life, ensure your vehicle is properly aligned.
- 500 fatalities and 19,000 injuries occur annually in the U.S. from tire-related passenger vehicle crashes. Most of these crashes are preventable.
(National Transportation Safety Board)
- Reset all alignment-related sensors
- As vehicle manufacturers equip more vehicles with on-board driver-assist systems, more OEM's now require a steering system reset during alignemtn service
- Appropriately completing this process safely completing this process safely returns the vehicle to desire condition
Road Force® Balancer
Economic Benefits
- 30% less weight used annually through SmartWeight Balancing Technology®
- Fastest cycle time in industry
- BONUS: Road Force Elite® collects additional measurements including road force, run out, and lateral force
Social Benefits
- On demand training videos enable operators to quickly become familiar with the equipment
- Wheel lift reduces likelihood of injury
- On-board language support in over 25 languages
Environmental Benefits
- 30% less waste contributed to the environment
- 30% less wheel weights transported annually
Esitmated Annual Wheel Weight Usage: 30%
Lead-Free Initiative Continue to Evolve
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) — by its National Lead-Free Wheel Weight Initiative — is encouraging the source reduction of lead in the manufacture, use, and sale of wheel weights.
- 9 States ban lead wheel weights
- 7 states have previously introduced legislation to ban lead wheel weights
Revolution™ Tire Changer
Economic Benefits
- Wheel, tire and TPMS protection reduces likelihood of costly damages to assemblies*
- Time to change tires consistent and 15% faster than typical conventional tire changer
Environmental Benefits
- Reduces likelihood of damaging a tire
- Tires could be saved from disposal annuallyacross network
- Saves 7 gallons of crude oil per passenger tire** to generate replacements
*Based on an average of 2 damaged tires, 1 damaged wheel, and 2 damaged TPMS sensors per month.
** Source: Rubber Manufacturer’s Association
Social Benefits
- User-friendly machine allowing technicians available for tire changing responsibilities regardless of skill level
- Added safety measures in place reduce likelihood of operator injury
- On-demand training videos enable operators to quickly become familiar with the equipment
- Industry’s only UL Certified tire changer
Revolution™ Tire Changer Eliminates the Experience Gap
- All techs are experts.
- Everyone on your tire changing team can be equally productive with simple, automatic operation.
AutoComp Elite® Brake Lathe
Economic Benefits
- Save precious technician time by utilizing the industry’s fastest brake lathe
- Ensure resurfacing is completed correctly the first time preventing wasted rotors and customer comebacks
- BitMinder™ maximizes life of cutting bits preventing premature disposal
Environmental Benefits
- Reduce scrapping of rotors by resurfacing existing rotors to often better-than-new conditions
- Prevents: mining, smelting, casting, machining, and transportation of new rotors
- Resurfacing of rotors on the vehicle maximizes life of rotors and brake pads
- Versatility of lathe ensures nearly all rotors can be resurfaced on vehicle to reduce prematurely scrapping rotors
Social Benefits
- Increased driving satisfaction by eliminating brake shudder, reducing squealing, and improving pedal feel
- Reliable performance by ensuring full pad contact to rotors enabling brakes to perform as designed
- Intuitive operation of machine enables safe technician experience
- Nine on-board training videos simplify operation of equipment into quick, visual step-by-step processes
St. Louis Green Business Challenge
Hunter is a participant in the Green Business Challenge — a scorecard-driven challenge — providing organizations with a clear and measurable roadmap to more comprehensive green business practices.
Chip Hiemenz accepts the award of achievement on behalf of Hunter and its Green Team.
- Delivers “triple-bottom” line results (financial, social, and environmental) to businesses of all types and sizes across the St. Louis region.
- Supports integration of sustainability measures into everyday operational practices
- Identifies and adapts strategies that improve financial performance and engage employees in voluntary measures to reduce environmental impacts.
- Hunter is the only company in the history of the St. Louis Business Challenge to successfully complete achievement levels in three consecutive years:
2016: Apprentice Level Award
2017: Leader Level Award
2018: Champion Level Award
2020: Champion Level Award
2022: Champion Level Award
Hunter's Green Team
Chip Hiemenz
Vice President Key Accounts
Madeline Gauthier
Director of Business Development
Mike Barnes
Print Manager
Phil Campbell
Web Designer
Don Riegerix
Custodial Supervisor
Ryan Troxell
Facilities Manager
Mark Pinson
Information Technology
Explore More
Hunter Canada
Hunter's Canada headquarters located in Aurora, ON provides quality service and support to the Canadian market.
Innovation Team
Hundreds of patented and exclusive features begin with the research and development team of mechanical, electrical and software engineers.
Hunter History
Founded by Automotive Hall of Fame inductee Lee Hunter, Hunter Engineering has built a reputation for innovation.