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Smith System has been manufacturing classroom furniture in the U.S.A for over 100 years. Since their beginning, they have devoted their energies to producing high quality classroom chairs, desks, activity tables and computer stations that can meet the demands of student use and budgets of school districts nationwide.
Recently, Smith System has decide to address the issues of environmetally-responsible manufacturing with the same dedication as they do providing great classroom furniture. Here are some goals Smith System have set for themselves:
• Becoming a lean manufacturing facility that produces no hazardous waste
• Eliminating all volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions
• Reducing annual solid waste production by 350 tons, including 110 tons of corrugated cardboard and wooden packing materials.
Smith System has also targeted many design improvements to their products, focusing on producing products that eliminate waste, use fewer non-renewable resources and use more recycled product in their construction.
• The wood in Smith System desktops is renewable and sustainable, coming from 100% recycled and recovered wood fiber.
• Most Smith System chairs are made of polypropylene plastic which means any waste material created during manufacturing can be recycled, and once the chairs reach the end of their useful lives they are 99% recyclable.
• Smith System recycles cardboard for all of our corrugated packaging.
Their commitment to sustainability and healthy environments doesn’t end at the factory gates. They are proud to be the first school furniture manufacturer to earn the Greenguard Environmental Institute’s for Children and Schools certification for an entire product portfolio of desks, chairs, and library furniture.
This past year, the Greenguard Environmental Institute created a partnership with the collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS). As a result, CHPS credits are now being offered for Greenguard Children and Schools certified products that meet the testing methods requirements and emissions limits defined in the agreement betweed CHPS and GEI- in other words, Smith System's whole portfolio has demonstrated a contribution to cleaner indoor air quality.
Furthermore, Smith System is a proud members of the U.S. Green building Council (USGBC). With GREENGUARD for Children and Schools certification, Smith System student desks, chairs, tables and teacher desks qualify for a point under LEED for Schools EQ Credit 4.5 Low Emitting Materials and our computer and library furniture qualifies for 1 point under EQ Credit 4.5 for exemplary performance.
Please direct all inquiries with regards to the Smith System classroom furniture, library furniture, computer furniture & green manufacturing initiatives to the marketing department at Longo (info@longoinc.com). Longo offers design & furnishing solutions for both K-12 educational and university classroom.
Smith System classroom furniture is available on NJ State Contract: http://www.longoschools.com/NJ_contract_smith_system.php
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