Intek Plastics Demonstrates Environmental Stewardship As An Energy Star Partner

HASTINGS, MINN. (December 14, 2009) – Intek Plastics, Inc., a custom extrusion manufacturer, announced today a fundamental commitment to protect the environment by becoming an ENERGY STAR Partner. Intek, through its voluntary partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, will work to improve energy efficiency of its facilities and reduce the environmental burden of its manufacturing processes.

“We believe that the strategic, corporate energy management program will help enhance our financial health and aid in preserving the environment for future generations,” said Mike Kinning, President of Intek Plastics. “We’ve developed a long-term plan for reducing our burden on the environment with the help of employees and suppliers, and are already making significant strides towards achieving our goals.”

Intek’s environmental initiatives are being coordinated by the company’s energy steering committee comprised of cross-functional employees, who receive input from government sources, utility representatives and the company’s senior leadership. The committee recommends actions based on tours of best-in-class facilities and insight gained from other corporations’ environmental efforts.

“Once we really took a close look at the energy consumption and the waste generated in our facilities, we were able to identify our priorities and make a plan for achieving our goals.” said Pete Barboni, Continuous Improvement Manager at Intek and Chair of the Energy Steering Committee. “We’re really embracing a continuous effort that began several years ago and that will continue for as long as the company exists.”

In partnership with ENERGY STAR, Intek will:

• Measure and track the energy performance of its facilities where possible;
• Develop and implement a plan consistent with the ENERGY STAR Energy Management Guidelines to achieve energy savings;
• Help spread the word about the importance of energy efficiency to its staff and community;
• Support the ENERGY STAR Challenge, a national call-to-action to help improve the energy efficiency of America’s commercial and industrial buildings by 10 percent or more;
• Highlight its achievements with recognition offered through ENERGY STAR.

“ENERGY STAR partners such as Intek Plastics are leading the fight against global warming by improving the efficiency of their buildings and facilities,” said Jean Lupinacci, Chief of EPA’s ENERGY STAR Commercial and Industrial branch. “We applaud these efforts to help protect our global environment for generations to come.”

ENERGY STAR was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more the 60 different kinds of products, new homes, and commercial and industrial buildings. Products and buildings that have earned the ENERGY STAR designation prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the government. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved about $19 billion on there energy bills while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 29 million vehicles.

For more information about ENERGY STAR, Visit http://www.energystar.gov/ or call toll-free 1-888-STAR-YES.

About Intek Plastics

Intek Plastics (www.intekplastics.com) is a privately held company that engineers, extrudes and fabricates custom plastic extrusions for medium-to-large OEMs requiring unique, high-performance solutions. Intek’s scale and sophistication allow it to serve any industry with world-class manufacturing, including construction, agriculture, recreation, appliance, telecommunications, transportation, retail point-of-purchase displays, windows and door manufacturing, commercial refrigeration and LED lighting. Intek and its 250 associates create value for customers through a commitment to continuous improvement, lean manufacturing methods, and investment in materials and process technology. Founded in 1961, Intek is headquartered in Hastings, Minn., and also has a location in Hawthorne, N.J.