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Sustainability Initiatives


Our customers’ choice of industrial products does more than keep their operations running. Selecting the right products can help keep workers safe, reduce environmental impact, comply with government mandates, lower operating costs and gain a competitive edge. Beyond sourcing products and coordinating services, our knowledgeable Applied® associates help our customers make the best choices for their operation.

Eco-Friendly Products, Services & Solutions

Selecting “green” products has many benefits over and above the environmental impact. It can be a smart business choice for lowering operational costs, creating a safer working environment, complying with government policies, and generating positive business relations.

The eco-friendly attributes of thousands of products are detailed in our Applied® Product Catalog and on our website. From belts to motors to chemicals, our suppliers have identified these and other eco-friendly product attributes:

• Energy reduction products

• Recycled content products

• Bio-based products

• Biodegradable products

• NEMA Premium® products

• Green Seal® certified products

• ENERGY STAR® products

• Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) products

• EcoLogo® certified products

Applied Fluid Power®

The Applied Fluid Power family of companies has state-of-the-art repair facilities for pumps, motors, valves and cylinders in varying size and horsepower. Our factory-trained technicians, OE parts and advanced equipment keep our customers’ facilities running.

Also, Applied Fluid Power is a pioneer in High-Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) Cylinder Rod Resurfacing. Our team has invested in the best equipment available to bring the cleanest and most environmentally-friendly thermal spray method for hydraulic actuators.

The HVOF process eliminates the use of chromic acid solutions, which are known carcinogens and can cause a host of other health problems. It also improves performance of cylindrical metal parts, dramatically lengthening component and seal life.

Additional Applied Fluid Power Capabilities (examples):

• Designing electronic controls for hydraulic systems to meet EPA emissions standards

• Collaborating with a professional energy audit firm on utility rebates for customers, including redesigning hydraulic systems to create energy savings of 25% and investing in pneumatic valves using 30-40% less air

• Creating system designs utilizing batteries and electric motors as prime movers, replacing diesel engines

• Devising an innovative system – through our Electronic Controls Integration Team – for a customer who received a clean-energy DOE Development Grant to create a system that captures wave energy

• Developing a hydraulic system for a national food customer utilizing a unique design that uses 46% less power and reduces 15 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per pump annually

Remanufacturing Services

Our work goes far beyond simply selling products. Frequently, it is more cost effective to repair or rebuild parts than to purchase new ones. Our associates can identify what’s best for worn parts and assemblies, whether it’s repair, rebuild, replacement or even a new, more efficient system. Parts are reworked to their original or improved design specifications and fully tested, and this in turn reduces the amount of material that is sent to landfill or otherwise discarded.

FCX Performance

The FCX team offers comprehensive plant survey services – assuring that flow control equipment is running smoothly and efficiently. Our technical flow control engineers will produce an assessment of equipment, evaluate the equipment’s efficiency, and make recommendations to improve overall system operations. 

Within the FCX Performance organization, our IPS and Renew-CVG operations service all makes, models and sizes of valves, actuators and rotating equipment. Our team of experienced professionals is trained in the latest technology to rebuild worn equipment back to OEM specifications or better quickly – so the customer is up and running with little to no downtime, helping to reduce costs, decrease machinery waste, and increase the life of the system. 

Additional FCX Capabilities (examples):

• Designing pumping systems that utilize 25% less energy

• Monitoring flow rates with increased accuracy to minimize waste and improve product quality in pulp & paper production

• Applying an upgraded pump design to reduce variability in a food & beverage packaging line, resulting in greater efficiency and energy savings

• Installing intelligent hot water heating technologies that control temperature to meet regulatory standards, reduce energy consumption, and eliminate waterborne pathogens for institutional customers in education and healthcare industries

Eco-Friendly Knowledge

Our sales associates act in a consultative manner regarding eco-friendly products. We actively advise our customers on product selection that reduces environmental impact. Additionally, we provide expertise to customers on how to save energy in their operations. This includes conducting extensive energy audits in critical areas like motors, belting and gearing.

Eco-Friendly Operations

As a distributor rather than a product manufacturer, we’re fortunate to make a smaller impact on the environment than many companies in the industrial marketplace. Still, we continually look for ways to run our business successfully while safeguarding resources for future generations. Here are some of Applied’s internal initiatives in the areas of energy, water, waste and environmental management:

• Nearly two-thirds of our fleet of dedicated sales vehicles is made up of fuel-efficient vehicles which average nearly 30 miles per gallon.

• We concentrate our U.S. freight spend with EPA SmartWay Transport Partners. SmartWay is a collaboration between the U.S. EPA and the freight industry designed to increase energy efficiency while significantly reducing greenhouse gases and air pollution. Our small parcel shipper is designated as a “SmartWay Excellence Awardee,” recognized for superior environmental performance.

• We continue to deploy LED lighting in our facilities as we seek to reduce our energy consumption from lighting by up to 60%.

• Our indirect purchasing practices include purchasing ENERGY STAR® products as well as goods made from recycled material. Applied’s distribution centers utilize reusable shipping containers for long-haul shipping as well as packing fill.

•We have implemented recycle programs and have developed procedures detailing the proper disposal of terminals, computers, printers and other computer-related equipment. Our primary waste management company in the U.S. reports that we are recycling approximately 10% of our waste.

Applied® is for the first time reporting information in accordance with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) guidance for the Industrial Machinery & Goods standard. We will use this standard to refine our ESG strategy in fiscal 2022. The index covers fiscal 2020 and includes the most recent data available.

We will also strive to improve upon the progress we made this year including:

• Keeping employees safe despite challenges arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. At Applied “We Keep Industry Running!” and we have remained open throughout the pandemic to meet our customer’s needs.

• Establishing safety, social and ethical standards for suppliers via our Supplier Code of Conduct.

• Continuing to provide resources for and monitor development of diverse associates, and improve recruitment efforts around diverse candidates. 

SASB Index [PDF will open in new tab]


Did you Know?

Applied’s Documented Value-Added® (DVA®) process helps us to document, track and report our customers’ energy savings and DVA services on a regular basis. Through the Applied® DVA process, our customers have acknowledged more than $2 billion in documented savings, many of them energy reduction opportunities.

Did you Know?

We have upgraded lighting in our DCs to LEDs for greater efficiency, longer life and less hazardous waste. Additionally, any new build projects are outfitted with the latest LED technology and motion sensors.