HIGH POINT — Leggett & Platt's High Point components facility has implemented the American Home Furnishings Alliance's environmental management system.

The program, known as Enhancing Furniture's Environmental Culture or EFEC, aims to improve raw material management, reduce water and energy consumption, reduce waste disposal costs and increase recycling efforts, among other initiatives.

Leggett & Platt is the AHFA's first supplier member company to register a facility in the EFEC program. The High Point plant is the first of 13 L&P facilities in six states that are scheduled to implement EFEC this year.

"Leggett continues to explore opportunities to utilize energy-saving innovations, encourage employee-partner conservation practices, increase our sustainable energy mix and collaborate with our customers to preserve our environment," Randy Ford, Leggett & Platt vice president, said in an AHFA press release.

In the four months since the High Point facility began implementation, it has reduced electric and natural gas consumption by 12%, which is expected to cut energy expenses by about $30,000 in 2010.

The High Point facility also has reduced its landfill waste by eight tons, and has identified a recycler that will help reduce waste by another four tons.

The company has also saved $12,000 by reducing the purchase of wood pallets by 25% over the same period last year. The High Point facility now has zero wood products going to the landfill.

EFEC, which requires participants to make continual improvements in order to retain their registration, was implemented at 26 furniture manufacturing locations in 2009, according to the AHFA.

- Published by Heath Combs || Furniture Today, March 19, 2010