by RUSSEL HILLENBURG, President, Woven Metal Products
Woven Metal Products released its 2022 sustainability report, Approach to Sustainable Business.
The report features a letter from WMP president, Russell Hillenburg, outlining support for sustainability in company operations, people and community.
Hillenburg emphasized that protecting their shared environment is a priority for WMP in all aspects: for its team members, customers and suppliers. The company not only focuses on efficient use of natural resources, minimizing its own processes' impact on the environment, and caring for its people and community, but also seeks to work with other vendors that have common holistic sustainability goals.
WMP got its start in 1967 as a manufacturer of wire mesh internals for Dow Chemical worldwide. As Dow's products changed, WMP's facility and capabilities grew, with perforated materials and custom fabrication becoming a key component of its products and services. Since then, WMP has grown with its customers, putting 50 years of experience to use to become the premier fabrication facility that it is today, specializing not only in custom fabrication, but also in reactor and tower internals. With that growth has come increased expertise, capabilities and high-tech equipment -- as well as more responsibility for environmental and social stewardship.
WMP has implemented several improvements to better the company's work environment, its own sustainable behavior, as well as processes to ensure ongoing dedication to sustainability.
A few examples include reduced energy consumption by switching to LED lighting in all facilities, decreased electricity losses by rewiring all fabrication facilities, and increased air efficiency by reinsulating climate-controlled spaces.
WMP and its subsidiaries regularly reinvest in better equipment that utilizes less power with increased capacity. The company is also committed to improving R&D and using the latest, most efficient technological advancements for the industry.
For its team members, WMP has an ongoing, critical focus on safety, including appropriately handling materials and using proper safety measures with equipment, personal tools, protection and more. The company also has a dedicated safety and compliance manager on staff who ensures all team members understand and follow safe workplace guidelines, from the shop floor to the IT systems and cybersecurity.
Taking a holistic approach to building up its team members, WMP strives to maintain a culture of teamwork, continuous improvement and a dedication to its industry and craft. The company takes pride in training team members at every level to learn new skills and to stay on top of industry standards, so they can grow in their current and future roles within the organization.
WMP is also invested in supporting the communities where its team members live and work. The company is living out its brand promise of partnership and embracing collaboration, especially when it comes to helping people grow their capabilities and skills, through its community engagement program, WOVEN TOGETHER. Knowing that traditional higher education is not for everyone, the company is helping the future workforce grow with skilled-labor opportunities that spotlight the benefits of a trade career through scholarship opportunities and hands-on training at its facilities.
Taking a holistic approach to building up its team members, WMP strives to maintain a culture of teamwork, continuous improvement and a dedication to its industry and craft.
In 2020 and 2021, WMP gave over $14,000 in charitable contributions to the surrounding community.
WMP is a member of the Alvin-Manvel Area Chamber of Commerce, and Hillenburg sits on the Advisory Committee for Alvin Community College's Welding Technology Program. In this role, he periodically meets with students to share updates and insights on the fabrication industry. He is also a founding advisory board member for a local entrepreneurial program for high schoolers, and is treasurer of the board of the Friendswood ISD Education Foundation.
For more about WMP's approach to sustainability or to get in touch, visit www.wovenmetal.com or call (281) 331-4466.
by RUSSEL HILLENBURG, President, Woven Metal Products
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