Warren, Michigan – February 21, 2012
In January 2012, H.J. Oldenkamp Company, one of the Midwest’s leading suppliers of nationally-branded interior building products, was awarded Single Chain of Custody (CoC) Certification by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The FSC is an independent, non-governmental organization which was established in 1993 to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. FSC develops forest management and chain of custody standards and provides accreditation services. It is a multi-stakeholder organization and is nationally represented in more than 50 countries around the world.
FSC certification provides a credible link between responsible production and consumption of forest products, enabling consumers and businesses to make purchasing decision that benefit people and the environment, as well as providing ongoing business value. FSC Chain of Custody tracks FSC certified material through the production process, from the forest to the consumer, including all successive stages of processing, transformation, manufacturing and distribution. FSC Chain of Custody certification is an asset for Oldenkamp’s commercial and residential building industry customers as it provides assurance to the end-consumer that they are making a socially and environmentally responsible purchasing decision when buying FSC certified products. It also strengthens Oldenkamp’s sourcing policies and helps the company to comply with public or private procurement policies where FSC is the preferred option, as it is with the U.S. Green Building Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system.
FSC Single Chain of Custody Certification, under FSC Standard 40-004 V2-1, also allows H.J. Oldenkamp to expand the company’s services to providing FSC Certified products, like FSC Certified Plyboo® architectural bamboo plywood, to customers with an intact chain of custody. The company’s single chain of custody number is SW-COC-005732.
H.J. Oldenkamp also distributes PaperStone® countertops. PaperStone®, the countertop with a conscience, is made from 100% post-consumer recycled paper and proprietary PetroFree™ phenolic resins. PaperStone® is certified to Forest Stewardship Council standards by the Smartwood program of the Rainforest Alliance.
To be awarded Chain of Custody certification, H.J. Oldenkamp leadership worked for over a year in collaboration with a certification body, which audited the company to assess its qualification for certification using FSC standards. The resulting audit report revealed that Oldenkamp was in full compliance with all FSC standards and certification was awarded. As part of the certification process, annual surveillance audits will be done each year to verify that Oldenkamp is still in compliance with FSC certification requirements.
Being awarded FSC Chain of Custody certification is an accomplishment that joins other significant efforts by H.J. Oldenkamp to strengthen its commitment to environmental stewardship. The company’s new 100,000 sq. ft. warehouse facility in Royal Oak, Michigan, has many eco-friendly enhancements including high efficiency lighting, motion activated lighting, enhanced insulation and reflective roof surfaces. In addition, many of the products that Oldenkamp currently distributes are manufactured by companies who are also committed to environmental stewardship. Information on these companies can be found by accessing the Environmental Stewardship section on the company’s website, www.Oldenkamp.com.
About H.J. Oldenkamp Company
H.J. Oldenkamp Company, based in Warren, Michigan, is an interior building products distributor serving Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. For over 65 years, the H. J. Oldenkamp Company has been supplying nationally-branded interior building products to the industry’s commercial and residential trade professionals. Founded in 1946 by Henry J. Oldenkamp as a metal moldings distributor, H.J. Oldenkamp is now the premier Midwest wholesale distributor of Merillat Cabinetry; QualityCabinets; DuPont Corian® Solid Surfaces; DuPont Zodiaq® Quartz Surfaces; Arborite® Decorative Laminates; PaperStone® Surfaces; Plyboo® Architectural Plywood and other interior building products.
About Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
The FSC is an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. The organization was established in 1993 in response to concerns over global deforestation. FSC is nationally represented in more than 50 countries around the world. As a multi-stakeholder organization, FSC applies the directive of its membership to develop forest management and chain of custody standards, deliver trademark assurance and provide accreditation services to a global network of committed business, organizations and communities. FSC certification provides a credible link between responsible production and consumption of forest products, enabling consumers and businesses to make purchasing decision that benefit people and the environment as well as providing ongoing business value.