An Earth Day message from US LBM

On Earth Day, US LBM issued a message that reaffirms the lumber and building product distributor’s commitment to environmentally sustainable business practices.

"US LBM exists to build and improve communities, and we have an opportunity and responsibility as a leader in the building materials industry to take actions today that protect our environment and foster a better tomorrow," said US LBM President and CEO L.T. Gibson. 

In addition to selling and distributing a wide range of building products, such as windows, doors, insulation, and roofing, that improve energy efficiency for customers, US LBM said that it has undertaken multiple efforts that both optimize the company’s day-to-day operations and strengthen its environmental sustainability.

Here are some of the environmental steps US LBM practices:

• Working with suppliers engaged in certified sustainable forestry practices.
• Reducing emissions and fuel consumption across the company’s distribution fleet through the use of route planning technology that optimizes delivery routes and minimizes travel time. To date, this technology has been incorporated into nearly 500 vehicles in US LBM’s fleet and continues to be deployed at the company’s operating divisions, including more than 1,400 vehicles the company added through acquisitions in 2021.
• Improving efficiency at the company’s building materials distribution yards and manufacturing locations by executing more than 300 continuous improvement projects over the past six years, many of which are focused on the optimization of material flow through the reduction of onsite transportation and motion at facilities, leading to reduced fuel use and emissions of vehicles and equipment, such as trucks, vans, and forklifts.
• Minimizing wood waste at all of US LBM’s building component manufacturing locations, which produce wood products such as wall panels, floor and roof trusses, via the use of sophisticated design technology that increases efficiency and reduces the number of cuts made to wood to the absolute minimum.

"Continuous improvement is a core value of US LBM, and we have several additional initiatives underway to expand our sustainability efforts and further our commitment," Gibson said.

US LBM has also partnered with a leading climate accounting platform to help advance the company’s sustainability strategy and establish greenhouse gas reduction targets, and recently joined the United Nations Global Compact.

The UN Global Compact is a voluntary initiative in which companies commit to aligning their business strategies and operations with 10 universal principles related to human rights, labor, anti-corruption, and the environment. 

Currently, more than 15,000 companies worldwide have joined the UN Global Compact; US LBM said it is the first full-line building products distributor in the US to participate.

"The principles outlined by the UN Global Compact have been embedded in our company and culture since day one," said Gibson. "As a vital link in our nation’s construction and infrastructure supply chain, we’re proud to join with so many like-minded companies and contribute to the broader goals outlined by the Global Compact, particularly the Sustainable Development Goals to benefit our environment.”

Based in Buffalo Grove, Ill., US LBM operates more than 400 locations nationwide.