Business News
Blair Graphics Division of American Reprographics Company Awarded Green Reprographer of the Year by Oce
Friday 29. May 2009 - Recognition of Sustainable Business Practices Earns Second Consecutive Award for ARC Reprographers
American Reprographics Company (NYSE: ARP), the nation’s leading provider of reprographics services and technology, today announced that its Santa Monica, CA based Blair Graphics division was awarded the 2009 “Green Reprographer of the Year” by Oce, a leading supplier of technology and equipment vendors to the reprographics industry. The award is the most recent recognition for President Richard Waters and the Blair Graphics Team for their sustainable business practices; the division also received two “Excellence in Sustainability” awards from the City of Santa Monica in March. Reliable Graphics, another California-based division of ARC, won Oce’s inaugural award in 2008.
This year, a panel of independent judges including Denise Gustavson, Editor of Wide-Format Imaging magazine, Dave Barista, Managing Editor of Building Design & Construction magazine, and Ed Avis, principal of Ed Avis Associates, a communications firm specializing in the imaging industry, and author of “The Green Reprographics Handbook,” selected Blair Graphics as the winner based on its enterprise-wide dedication to sustainability.
The panel of judges cited Blair’s use of recycled paper, cartridges, biodegradable materials and its use of sustainable products among its reasons for selecting the 50-year old firm. Management also replaced all florescent fixtures with more energy efficient bulbs for an estimated annual savings of 19,955 kWh of energy, ensures their air conditioning and other equipment is powered down during off hours, installed a water filtration system to reduce bottled water consumption, and boasts a delivery fleet consisting of 45 percent hybrid and 45 percent fuel-efficient, low emission vehicles.
Blair Graphics has also embraced new applications and services that enable their customers to print only what they need when they need it. They promote online digital services for sending files to their shop electronically rather than using a driver to pick-up content. Among others, they provide industry-leading online document management and Invitation to bid services like PlanWell(R) online plan room, BidCaster(TM), and Sub-Hub project communication tools.
Furthermore, Blair Graphics continues their sustainability push to lower carbon emissions by offering the innovative new ishipdocs(TM) program, which facilitates the distribution and local printing and delivery of documents nearly anywhere in the world. They also offer on-site services and “Easy Print” solutions that clients can leverage to download and print files in their own offices, eliminating the need for printing at Blair Graphics and delivery of prints.
Internal best practices include encouraging environmentally friendly behavior from their staff. More than 24 percent of Blair’s 70 employees are ridesharing, using public transport, biking or walking to work. The company provides bicycle parking areas, guaranteed ride home for carpools, bus, bicycles, and Park ‘n Ride information, direct deposit, postage stamp-purchase online, and mobile catering twice a day to cut down on the need for team members to use their cars during mealtimes and breaks.
ARC companies frequently impress award judges as well as clients with their commitment to energy and paper product conservation, as well as with their use of technology which often makes it possible to conduct business digitally and with minimal impact on our environment. This year was no exception.
“From the products it offers and the services it provides to the policies that company management have put into place regarding its employees and how its facilities are run, Blair Graphics gets it. They understand that sustainability is a process and a journey and that every piece is required to make up the whole and arrive at the end goal of a green and sustainable business,” said award judge Denise Gustavson.