Interface Reports Progress on Sustainability Goals

Atlanta, GA, April 21, 2010--Through process improvements and energy efficiencies, Interface, Inc. said it has reduced the energy used to manufacture carpet by 43% since 1996, while greenhouse gas emissions are down 44% in absolute terms, or 94% when factoring in offsets.

During the same time period, the Interface said it grew net sales by 27%.

These energy statistics were released Tuesday as part of the company’s yearlong look at progress to date and what it will take to get to what it calls Mission Zero, the company's goal to eliminate any negative environmental footprint by 2020.

“Given the growing scarcity of natural resources and the near-certainty that the government will come forward with a cap and trade plan in the U.S., reducing energy use and carbon intensity will continue to be an area of focus for us,” said Dan Hendrix, CEO of Interface, Inc. “It just makes good business sense.”

Hendrix said that the carpet manufacturing business has changed in many ways since 1996, and that sustainability has paved the way to innovation.

“Process innovation like the reduction of -- and in some cases the elimination of -- wet printing through pattern tufting led the way to product breakthroughs like the i2 collection from InterfaceFLOR, the company’s best-selling product collection that was inspired by biomimicry but made possible through new tufting technology,” explained Hendrix.

“On the manufacturing floor, small changes like optimizing line speed and insulating equipment to minimize heat loss have made a big cumulative impact.”

Hundreds of other changes have allowed the company to reduce its reliance on non-renewable energy sources like propane and natural gas, while green electricity purchases, use of landfill gas and on-site photovoltaic arrays like the one at its Bentley Prince Street facility in Industry, Ca. have boosted the use of renewable energy sources.

Looking ahead to the next 10 years, Hendrix said that further reductions will likely come with collaboration from a growing audience of stakeholders.

“The road ahead is more difficult and we’ll not only need more innovative technologies; we also need collaboration from every direction – from suppliers, customers and the governments where we do business,” said Hendrix.

Hendrix said the company plans a Fall Sustainability Report that will map out the next 10 years.