Seven AHFA members adopt EFEC

Program promotes environmental management

Heath Combs -- Furniture Today, October 8, 2008

HIGH POINT - Seven members of the American Home Furnishings Alliance, including all domestic facilities in the La-Z-Boy Case Goods Division, have recently implemented the AHFA's environmental management system.

Companies that passed the AHFA's Enhancing Furniture's Environmental Culture, or EFEC, audit in September include C.R. Laine, Vaughan-Bassett and La-Z-Boy companies Hickory Chair, Lea Inds., American Drew and Kincaid, the latter with its plants in Hudson and Taylorsville, N.C.

The companies join Stanley's Martinsville, Va., plant, La-Z-Boy Utah upholstery, Vaughan and Bernhardt as companies or facilities registered under EFEC.

The EFEC program requires companies to analyze and understand the environmental impact of processes, raw materials and finished products at each facility.

C.R. Laine also is the first AHFA member company to achieve full Sustainable by Design certification. That program requires companies to evaluate their environmental footprint and global climate impact and establish numerical goals for improvement and create a system for evaluating annual achievement.

Several other AHFA member companies are working toward EFEC registration, including the remaining plants in La-Z-Boy's Upholstery Division and Stanley's divisions in Robbinsville and Stanleytown, Va., the AHFA said.