In-Line with Fi-Tech – Spring 2023
Todd L. Bassett
Welcome to the spring issue of In-line with Fi-Tech! We have a busy spring and summer ahead for exhibitions and shows and have highlighted some of these events in this newsletter. Some of the events that Fi-Tech and its sales team will be participating include the INDEX™23 Show in Geneva April 18-21, the Techtextil North America Show in Atlanta, GA May 10-12, and the ITMA 23 Exhibition in Milan, Italy June 8-14. We expect many new developments to be presented from our principals at these events. Heberlein has already announced their line-up of new product developments in advance of the ITMA and we have outlined these new product developments in this issue of In-Line with Fi-Tech.
On the sustainability front, in 2022 Fi-Tech focused investment on solar power installations at our facilities in Richmond, VA and San Luis Potosi, Mexico. These installations are now up and running and produce 100% of our power needs in both locations.
Fi-Tech has also formed a Sustainability Team in our Richmond office to investigate other opportunities to promote sustainability initiatives within the Fi-Tech organization. Please read more about this team and their initiatives. Fi-Tech continues to be busy looking for new product lines with innovative products that compliment our existing lines in the Fiber, Nonwovens and Textile Industries.
Following our sustainability theme, Fi-Tech announced on October 3, 2022, its cooperation with Baldwin Technology to market their line of contact free chemical spray systems which enable fabric producers in the Textile and Nonwovens Industries to significantly reduce their chemical, water and energy consumption while increasing productivity. Learn more about Baldwin and their product line in this newsletter.
Workplace Sustainability
Doing Our Part
2022 was an eventful year for Fi-Tech. We celebrated our 50th anniversary, added a few new faces, and found ways to improve upon our own operational processes. In July, a team of employees got together to analyze how Fi-Tech could better our impact in the community and environment. The sustainability team was formed. We identified some “low hanging fruit” as well as more substantial projects for the present and near future.
Our Mission Statement
Fi-Tech, Inc. is committed to a sustainable future by maintaining a positive impact within the community and on our environment. Our efforts are focused on reducing, reusing, recycling, overall waste reduction, and energy conservation. Stewardship guidelines are in place granting to humanitarian needs, animal welfare, education, and more to raise awareness and in the support of our local community.
Our first order of business was to become a net producer of energy through the installation of solar panels on our 17,000 sq. ft. building. We installed 294 panels on the roof and completed the process in December. At the time of writing this we have produced almost 22,000 kilowatt hours of energy back to the grid. We also implemented a product called PaperSave(PairSoft). This allowed us to streamline our order workflow from purchase order to invoice, and significantly reduce the amount of paper used for our files. It is anticipated that this implementation will reduce our paper usage by at least 50%, but probably greater. These efforts, both large and small, allowed us as a company to recognize “our part” in our community and environment and how we can better serve it.
Honorable Mention Items
Replaced Styrofoam cups with reusable mugs; Reusable cups and tumblers replaced plastic water bottles; Installed an aluminum can crusher to assist downstream recycling efforts.
Read Full Newsletter: Fi-Tech Spring 2023 Newsletter
