July 10, 2008

Green Bay, WI – VerHalen Commercial Interiors in Green Bay, WI has been named a Certified Ceiling Recycling Contractor by Armstrong World Industries, the country’s largest manufacturer of acoustical ceilings. As a result of its designation as a Certified Recycler, the firm is now part of a national network of contractors specially trained in implementing the Armstrong Ceiling Recycling Program.

The program, which is the nation’s first and longest running program of its kind, enables commercial building owners to ship old ceiling tiles from renovation projects to a Certified Ceiling Recycling Contractor who will then ship it to an Armstrong ceiling plant as an alternative to landfill disposal. Under the program, Armstrong even pays freight costs for shipping the old ceilings, which it uses as raw materials in the manufacturing of new ceilings.

In order to attain its certification, VerHalen Commercial Interiors personnel attended a two-day training session that included such topics as Ceiling Recycling Program requirements, waste management techniques, environmental impact of ceiling recycling, and contribution to the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) program.

Safeguards Environment by Reducing Landfill Waste
“VerHalen Commercial Interiors is proud to partner with Armstrong in safeguarding our natural environment by reducing landfill waste through the recycling of old ceiling tiles into new ceilings,” states Mike Calawerts, President of VerHalen Commercial Interiors. “The program is designed to help our customers lessen their impact on the environment by redirecting used ceiling tiles from landfills back to Armstrong, thereby creating a closed loop manufacturing process and offering a valuable end to what typically would have been thrown away.”

Since it introduced the program in 1999, Armstrong has recycled over 56,000,000 square feet of discarded ceiling tiles, or enough tiles to cover 1176 football fields. This total also represents 39,200,000 pounds, or more than 8,000 30-cubic-foot dumpsters full of construction waste, that would have normally been taken to landfills.

To obtain more information on the Ceiling Recycling Program, call VerHalen Commercial Interiors at 920-431-8900, Armstrong at 1-877-276-7876, or visit www.verhaleninc.com or www.armstrong.com/sustainability.

Located at 500 Pilgrim Way, VerHalen Commercial Interiors is dedicated to creating solutions that work for you and the environment. We design space centered around people and the way they use their space. Spaces that incorporate quality products at the right price. Complete solutions to finishing your space and installation.

Armstrong World Industries, Inc. is a global leader in the design and manufacturing of floors, ceilings and cabinets. In 2006, Armstrong’s consolidated net sales totaled $3.4 billion. Based in Lancaster, PA, Armstrong operates 39 plants in 10 countries and has approximately 13,000 employees worldwide.

Return to media