The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal has announced that Uponor North America is the 2020 Manufacturing Sustainability Award honoree, recognizing the commitment to conserving water, reducing waste, improving energy efficiency and empowering labor.

Each year the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal honors the region’s top manufacturing companies that drive the local economy with innovation and productivity at world-class levels. This marks the first time Uponor has won the prestigious award.

“Our commitment to sustainability is a powerful influence on our business, from product development to how we manage our scrap and conserve water — all of which ties into the success of our business,” said Bill Gray, president of Uponor North America.

Gray also noted that Uponor has long embraced the sustainability challenge, possessing a strong belief that businesses should be both profitable and responsible, while finding the most innovative solutions to support people, profit and the planet. The company is a pioneer in water and energy efficiency, with local and global sustainability programs aligned with four of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Conserve Water, Reduce Waste, Improve Energy Efficiency, and Empower Labor.

In 2020, Uponor successfully completed several key sustainability initiatives reflected in the company’s newly released sustainability report, including:

• Conserve water: Uponor signed a pledge with nonprofit Operation Clean Sweep to keep resin residue — a byproduct of PEX pipe manufacturing process — out of drains and waterways in the Twin Cities area.
• Reduce waste: Uponor reduced the amount of PEX scrap by 36 percent over 2019 numbers through yield improvements.
• Improve energy efficiency: Uponor powered 100 percent of its manufacturing and distribution facilities in the U.S. with renewable (wind and solar) electricity.
• Empower labor: Uponor issued its fourth annual supplier sustainability report card, with findings indicating that from 2019 to now, 79 percent of suppliers increased their overall score.

“Uponor is committed to addressing the key issues of our time and leading the business community in becoming better stewards of our natural resources,” Gray added.