Trumbull, CT – Océ, a Canon Group Company and an international leader in digital document management, today announced that ARC-Southern California is the winner of its fourth annual "Green Reprographer of the Year" award. Océ presented the award during the IRgA 2011 Convention and Trade Show, held April 27-28 in Las Vegas, NV.
 
"We are proud to congratulate ARC-Southern California as this year's 'Green Reprographer of the Year'," said Patrick Chapuis, President, Wide Format Printing Systems division of Océ North America. "The company has made outstanding strides to implement environmentally sound business practices internally, while assisting its customers to meet their own sustainability goals."
 
An independent panel of judges, including Denise Gustavson, editor, Wide Format Imaging; Robert Cassidy, editorial director, Building Design + Construction and Ed Avis, principal of Ed Avis Associates, selected ARC-Southern California as the winner based on its innovative and comprehensive approach to promoting sustainability company-wide.
 
Each year, the judges select the winner from a pool of qualified entrants who submit online applications via Océ's website. Applicants outline their achievements in the area of green business practices and highlight how these efforts have assisted their customers to meet their own sustainability goals.
 
According to Robert Cassidy, "I was impressed with this year's entries; they were all worthy of recognition. ARC-Southern California stood out for many reasons, most of all its ability to spread recycling efforts to clients and the company's clever re-routing of its delivery system, which resulted in dramatic fuel consumption savings."
 
Putting Green Within Reach for Clients

ARC-Southern California offers a number of products and services designed to help reduce its own overall carbon footprint, as well as its clients. The reprographer prints 100% of its construction documents – including specs – on recycled media; saving over 750 trees per month. Clients are also encouraged to utilize the company's other eco-friendly products, such as 100% recycled small format media, binders, mounting substrates and banner material.

ARC-Southern California also established an innovative free recycling program for clients. Currently over 400 clients participate in the program, which reclaimed more than 60 tons of paper over the last year. The program provides recycling bins and pick-up services to clients at no cost. All of the proceeds from the collection of the recycled paper are donated to the Arbor Foundation and earmarked for reforestation.

The company also established several programs geared to helping clients reduce their impact on the environment. The On-Site Services and Easy Print programs encourage clients to place printing equipment in their offices and the iShipdocs program allows ARC-Southern California to send jobs electronically to the print shop that is closest to the final destination point, saving on fuel costs.  Finally, Electronic Work Orders, Planwell and Bidcaster enable clients to place, print, plan and bid for jobs online.

Raising the "Green" Flag Internally

To support environmental conservation internally, ARC-Southern California's green committee made a number of improvements at its 15 locations, including updating and/or upgrading to eco-conscious lighting and thermostat controllers; implementing a recycling program – the proceeds of which fund additional facility improvements; eliminating the use of plastic bags in favor of biodegradable product wrapping; and reconfiguring the company's delivery route system, resulting in the reduction of annual fuel consumption by 30%.

The company has also found unique ways to motivate its employees to make sustainable choices. Its Green Guard team consists of volunteer employee and family members that participate in monthly community hosted environmental projects including habitat restoration, native plant reforestation and waste recovery; the team participated in over 15 events last year. Green Guard members are encouraged to continue participating in events thanks to vendor sponsored awards.

"ARC-Southern California has an impressive green program that includes the basics, such as the use of 100% recycled paper and the development of a recycling program for clients," said Ed Avis. "And some truly innovative green ideas, such as the elimination of plastic product bags and the establishment of a Green Guard team that sponsors environmental events for employees."

Over 18% of the reprographer's employees take part in a ride-sharing program, which gives out incentives for carpooling, taking public transportation and walking or biking to work. Additionally, each month an employee is given the Green Guardian of the Month award – this includes recognition at each company location and a note of thanks from the divisional vice president for the employee's outstanding efforts in contributing to the company's overall green efforts.

Océ is proud to support reprographers that are continually striving to reduce their impact on the environment by providing eco-friendly, sustainable equipment capable of producing the highest quality prints. For more information about how Océ is helping reprographers meet their sustainability goals visit, www.oce.com/sustainability.