Hold the Date, November 5, 2009.  More information coming soon.

The U.S. Department of Commerce's Sustainable Manufacturing American Regional Tours (SMART) effort involves Assistant Secretary-led, regional manufacturing facility tours across the United States, aimed at enhancing awareness of the benefits of sustainable manufacturing practices. Numerous U.S. companies have voiced concerns over the lack of visibility that sustainable manufacturing receives nationwide and the lack of information many U.S. manufacturers possess in this field, particularly small and medium-sized businesses. In order to continue spreading awareness of sustainable manufacturing’s benefits, both to U.S. global competitiveness and the environment, Commerce will hold the a SMARTs round in Greensboro, N.C. on November 5, 2009.

How does Commerce define Sustainable Manufacturing?

For the purposes of Commerce's Sustainable Manufacturing Initiative, sustainable manufacturing is defined as the creation of manufactured products that use processes that minimize negative environmental impacts, conserve energy and natural resources, are safe for employees, communities, and consumers and are economically sound.

About US Commerce's Sustainable Manufacturing Initiative

As companies look for new ways to make more efficient use of resources, ensure compliance with domestic and international regulations related to environment and health, and enhance the marketability of their products and services, one area that has grown in importance to U.S. businesses is the implementation of sustainable manufacturing practices. While the trend towards sustainable manufacturing practices grows, so do its implications for U.S. global competitiveness and firm profitability.

One of the main goals at the U.S. Department of Commerce is to foster domestic and international conditions for doing business that allow U.S. firms to successfully compete and increase profitability. Evidence has shown that firms incorporating both environmentally and economically sustainable manufacturing processes can gain competitive advantages in that they reap inherent cost savings (i.e. improving their energy efficiency, minimizing raw materials usage, etc.). Many U.S. firms have demonstrated that being environmentally sustainable can also mean being profitable.

In order to ensure comprehensive implementation of this initiative and meet a critical need in ensuring communication between federal agencies engaged in this area, Commerce’s Manufacturing and Services unit has created an interagency working group on sustainable manufacturing - Interagency Working Group on Manufacturing Competitiveness (IWG-MC), Subgroup on Sustainable Manufacturing. For more information on the IWG-MC and other issues affecting the competitiveness of American manufacturers and service providers, please visit www.manufacturing.gov.