In the Fall issue of BusinessQ, we asked Utah Valley’s greenest companies to please stand up.

And boy did they get on their feet.

These three winning companies, chosen by our guest judge TAMSolutions of Lindon, are paving the way toward greener pastures.

Here they are — in all of their green glory.

UTAH Wood and Iron/
UTAH Powder Coatings, Orem
(www.utahwoodandiron.com)

The How
Utah Wood and Iron uses recycled and recyclable materials to create long-lasting furniture and items for the home. Utah Powder Coatings puts a durable finish on the metal products without the evaporation of volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere — like many painting processes do.

The Why
“It made sense from two points of view,” owner Marshall Haglund says. “Reusing materials that have come to the end of their intended use is the most environmentally friendly way to recycle. Plus, the low cost of these ‘used’ materials is an important economic factor in our business model.”
The Beginnings
Owner Jeff Owens’ father gave him lumber cut-offs from the Panguitch Sawmill to cut, carve and play with — and he’s enjoyed woodwork ever since. Haglund was given a welder as a Christmas present when he was 14 and has loved welding and fabricating ever since. UTAH Wood and Iron came to be after Haglund and Owens wanted to combine their talents and drive to create a unique business.

One man’s junk is another man’s treasure
Haglund found an old John Deere hay baler, used by a good friend of the family who had recently passed away, and noticed it was the perfect size for a love seat or a two-person swing. Every time Haglund looks at the love seat, he remembers his friend’s hard work and legacy.

The Environment
“We’re outdoors-y people,” Haglund says. “We know we are nurtured by our environment, and we take seriously the duty and stewardship to try to leave things better than we found them. We’ve all had our consciousness raised — which is an ongoing process — and we’ve learned to treat nature with a little more empathy and with a little less of an impact from our lifestyle.”

The Philosophy
“There are some zealots who would like to lock up the scenery of Utah,” Haglund says. “There are also some yahoos who want to leave as much trash behind as they can. But in between the extremes are most of us who try to follow the general principle of John Muir’s dictum to ‘take only pictures and leave only footprints.’”

INSULATION
SPECIALISTS, Orem
(www.insulationspecialists.net)

The How
Insulation Specialists helps consumers and the environment by providing an upgraded, non-compressing insulation to homes that are currently under-insulated. By upgrading to the Insulation Specialists’ product, consumers save money every month by requiring less gas to heat their home in the winter and less power to keep it cool in the summer. The insulation product doesn’t decompress, so once Insulation Specialists installs its product, the home’s insulation won’t need to be upgraded again.

The Why
“Anytime someone comes to my house and tries to throw something away, my wife will pull it out of the garbage and sort it into our three recycling bins — I’m just trying to keep up,” founder Tim Oyler says. “As owners, we wanted to be involved in a business we could feel good about and make a living at the same time. Conserving energy use by adding insulation means we use less energy and homeowners save money — it’s perfect!”

The Beginnings
“As high school classmates competing in business classes, Dallas Jackman and I always had a desire to own our own company and make a difference. Randomly, we ran into each other and began the process of what we are today. Currently, there are five individual owners — all young, all friends and all extremely ambitious!” Oyler says.

The Difference
Insulation Specialists is entirely focused on conserving energy. In 2009, the upgraded insulation helped more than 5,000 homes save 15 to 30 percent on annual gas and electric bills. Insulation Specialists literally stops money and energy from going out the roof.

The Growth
The company started in January 2009 with 40 homes, and now it is upgrading more than 700 homes a month, with the hope of upping that number to more than 1,000 in January 2010. Insulation Specialists began with two employees; now it employs more than 100 workers.

INNOVATIVE WASTE
SOLUTIONS, Orem
(www.iwswasteconsulting.com)

The How
Innovative Waste Solutions meets with clients, discusses their current disposal system and creates an alternative system that will be more cost efficient and environmentally friendly. Once the new system is approved by the client, Innovative Waste Solutions implements the changes and oversees that it works as designed.
Plus, they don’t get paid unless they figure out how to save their clients money.
“The ‘greenest’ aspect of our company is the money we put in our customers’ pockets,” founder Craig Castle says. “If we can reduce costs and do something good for the environment — let’s do both! Diverting items from the landfill and recycling them reduces disposal costs and can save money in the process.”

The Beginnings
Innovative Waste Solutions started in January 2007. It is an affiliate of Environmental Waste Solutions — the largest waste and recycling cost reduction company in the U.S. Because of this affiliation, Innovative Waste Solutions has access to more than 500 affiliates in the U.S. and Canada. Any company can implement changes nationwide through Innovative Waste Solutions.

The Environment
“There has to be a balance between using, enjoying and protecting the space around us,” Castle says. “We should utilize the opportunities by enjoying the creations that abound; but we need to ensure we are not destroying the environment so no one else has the opportunity to see what we saw or do what we did.”

The Growth
Trash exists in every industry, so any company that generates trash is a potential client of Innovative Waste Solutions. Whether by choice or potential government regulations, companies will turn to greener solutions. Innovative Waste Solutions is ahead of the curve by implementing cost-effective recycling programs.

The Success
“A few weeks ago, I presented to a client the impact made by changing a few items in their organization,” Castle says. “Their response? ‘It’s rewarding to save money and trees.’”

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