Green Prosperity: Strengthening Small Business

A Maryland fulfillment company discovers strategies to generate cost savings and access new markets through energy efficiency and more sustainable packaging offerings and processes.

In 2010, EVI provided technical assistance to a network of Maryland enterprises to help them realize increased revenues from green markets and green cost savings strategies. One of these enterprises was Warwick Fulfillment Solutions, a 100,000 square foot fulfillment facility in Hurlock, Maryland. EVI reviewed Warwick’s existing green activities through an audit in 2010 and found significant traction had already been made, such as

• The provision of less wasteful packaging to fulfillment clients;
• The recent upgrade to motion sensor lighting; and
• Their eco-sharing office model that allows them to share space with five different companies/operating divisions, which limits resource use and decreases environmental impact.

Through a market review process, EVI tracked the increasing national and international demand for fulfillment companies to go green, particularly in the area of packaging. Recognizing that Warwick had already begun to provide more sustainable packaging solutions to its customers, EVI looked for additional advancements in this area that could be suitable to Warwick.  EVI delivered Warwick a personalized Green Report to feed into the development of their sustainability plan. The report included relevant green certifications, guidelines for procuring green materials, and case studies of similar businesses going green.

Through this partnership with EVI, Warwick has continued to decrease its use of non-biodegradable waste like bubble wrap and styrofoam pellets to reduce delivery costs and waste, which EVI recommended they market to potential green-minded clients.  EVI made series of additional recommendations, including increasing the number of light sensors, integrating computer server power management to reduce energy costs, performing a formal energy audit to determine appropriate upgrades, formalizing a light reduction and day lighting protocol, introducing an energy use awareness campaign with employees, and purchasing energy efficient office equipment.

Chris Mushinsky, General Manager of Warwick, noted that potential clients are increasingly requesting information on green activities and particularly in the area of sustainable packaging. Many of these clients promote the green efforts of their suppliers and vendors to the end-customer, so it is important that Warwick can talk about their efforts.

Warwick’s green practices continue to be a way to differentiate them from the rest of the competition and can present internal cost-savings opportunities. 

Links:

• Maryland ePath