Ramdu Waibel
Randy Waibel, Corporate Environmental Manager of Hickory Springs, was recently named as the newest member of The American Home Furnishings Alliance’s (AFHA) Enhancing Furniture's Environmental Culture (EFEC) Board of Examiners.
Hickory Springs is one of the nation’s largest integrated manufacturers and an international supplier of components for the furniture and bedding industries.
The EFEC is the environmental management program developed by AHFA to help its members create and maintain a strong, proactive environmental program that makes them industry leaders. The EFEC Board of Examiners reviews reports from AHFA-certified auditors, who examine each applicant’s facility and registration application. If approved, the EFEC board will provide the final registration, which will be valid for three years.
“I’d been in contact with Randy while he was submitting applications to register Hickory Springs’ HS Converting facility for EFEC certification,” explained Bill Perdue, Vice President of Environmental Affairs, Health, Safety and Standards for the American Home Furnishings Alliance. “Over time as we got to know him better, we realized that someone with his level of experience was exactly what we were looking on the EFEC board.”
Waibel has 22 years of environmental experience in many aspects of environmental compliance, investigations, remediation, and restoration. He has worked in federal government (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency), county government (New York), environmental consulting, and private industry. Waibel has been with Hickory Springs for five years. During that time, he has helped implement a variety of environmental programs, including initiatives focused on regulatory compliance, pollution prevention, and a variety of activities that have reduced the impact of facility operations on the environment.
“It’s a real honor to have been named to the EFEC Board of Examiners,” Waibel said. “I hope to bring the same level of environmental stewardship and experience that has helped build Hickory Springs’ environmental initiatives to the AFHA and the EFEC Board of Examiners.” Waibel also deeply values the mission of Hickory Springs. “I’d say environmental sustainability is more than just an initiative. It’s our core value. So, it’s an integral part of what we do here at Hickory Springs and has been for a long time.”
Hickory Springs has developed and follows its own Corporate Sustainability Initiative, a continuous-improvement process aimed at increasing efficiency, reducing waste, easing environmental impact and boosting workplace safety. The company will continue to introduce innovative products like Preserve® foam, the first foam to incorporate a significant percentage of non-petroleum ingredients into its traditionally all-petroleum based formula, and other products such as the new EarthCare Inside line of eco-friendly components
“We are proud of Randy for being named to the EFEC Board of Examiners,” said Dwayne Welch, Hickory Springs’ Executive Vice President. “As our Corporate Environmental Manager, he is the personification of Hickory Springs’ ongoing commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability. His inclusion on the EFEC Board is further proof that he and Hickory Springs are doing the right thing — for our customers, for our industry and our environment.”
The company’s emphasis on environmental consciousness has become so far-reaching that it touches every aspect of Hickory Springs’ production processes and operations. For example, the company recently announced that all its new sales promotion materials will be printed on recycled paper and that recycled paper will be used for everything from copy paper to toilet paper throughout the company, where available. Successful programs will be shared and followed company-wide.
One of North Carolina’s largest employers, Hickory Springs is a privately held company with more than 50 manufacturing plants in 16 states and China. Hickory Springs’ corporate headquarters is located in Hickory, North Carolina. In addition to its core furniture and bedding markets, Hickory Springs also serves a growing range of customers in the floor covering, construction, automotive, packaging, medical, marine and telecommunications industries.