Kevin Pelley, CEO of Kohltech International, talks about how the company is embracing IDLE-FREE as part of their Clearly Green strategy. Watch the video to find out more.

Peter Kohler Window and Entrance Systems, one of the regions largest employers and best known brands, will announce its IDLE-FREE partnership with The Children’s Clean Air Network at the company’s headquarters in Debert, Nova Scotia, on Friday, October 30, at 11:30AM. The company plans to be a peer-leader with a proactive reduced-idling strategy, selling employees and the broader public based on messages featuring children.

“We’re promoting ‘Clearly Green’ as our commitment to do everything we can to operate in a responsible and sustainable manner. Having over 300 employees go IDLE-FREE is clearly green on so many levels,” says Kohltech CEO Kevin Pelley.

“If they go IDLE-FREE 10 minutes daily, together our employees will save $100,000 annually. That’s a lot of green. And they’ll prevent 200 tons of CO2 annually – that’s a lot of greenhouse gas,” Pelley says.

“Peter Kohler’s peer-leadership promises to have a huge impact. When the rest of the region sees this large workforce adopt IDLE-FREE, its bound to have a ripple effect across the community, and with company partners and customers,” says Ron Zima of The Children’s Clean Air Network.

“The public responds to genuine leadership by doing on green issues. Peter Kohler has solid credentials in terms of sustainability and we’re thrilled to be partners,” Zima says. “Our approach is simple and it’s proven effective; when drivers see and hear from children on smog and global warming, attitudes change relatively quickly.”
 
     

Halifax, NS (December 8, 2009) – The Canadian Window & Door Manufacturers Association (CWDMA) honoured many of Canada’s industry builders with the Industry Pioneer Awards, presented at the Win-door North America show held in Toronto on November 18.

Peter Kohler Windows & Entrance Systems founder, Peter Kohler, P. Eng., was among the 42 award recipients whose contributions to the industry were recognized. The Industry Pioneer awards acknowledge individuals who have demonstrated dedication to the industry and/or the association, who have proven themselves as leaders and have, at many different levels, had a major impact on the Canadian window and door industry over the years.

In the late 1970\'s, Mr. Kohler recognized the opportunity for vinyl windows for use in residential construction and renovation. He introduced them into a market dominated by wood, and despite the odds and resistance from the market, persevered. Over the next 15 years, Peter transformed the window market in Atlantic Canada to one dominated by vinyl.

From the very start, Peter invested heavily in R&D to maintain a constant stream of frame and glazing products, product options and revolutionary manufacturing processes. The result is one of the most unique window companies in North America where product quality and product innovation are the standard.

“Canadian window and door manufacturers have a strong reputation for quality and innovation,” said Kohler. “It is truly an honour to be recognized as a pioneer and to share the stage with so many industry leaders who work every day to further our industry and its reputation for producing the best products in the world.”

Throughout his thirty plus year career, Peter Kohler has earned numerous industry accolades. In 2006, he became only the second Atlantic Canadian to win the CP Loewen Award, which recognizes an individual’s outstanding commitment and contribution to the window and door industry.

About the CWDMA

The Canadian Window & Door Manufacturers Association (CWDMA) is the voice of the window and door manufacturing industry in Canada and represents members from across the country.

The CWDMA\'s mission is to represent and support all aspects of the window and door manufacturing industry, including formulating and promoting high standards of quality in manufacturing, design, marketing, distribution, sales and application of all types of window and door products.

For a list of 2009 “Industry Pioneer” Award winners visit www.cwdma.ca

Peter Kohler Windows Recognized for Commitment to Greener Ways

We all share one earth, so it’s in everyone’s best interest to find ways to protect it. At Peter Kohler Windows & Entrance Systems, we’re committed to finding ways to reduce our impact on the environment, and the commitment has recently been recognized with a prestigious Mobius Award.

The Mobius Awards are sponsored by the Resource Recovery Fund Board (RRFB) Nova Scotia, and recognizes individuals, businesses and organizations for helping to make Nova Scotia a leader in waste reduction, recycling and composting. Peter Kohler Windows & Entrance Systems was honoured as the Large Business of the Year for our efforts in waste diversion and reduction.

Over the past year, we’ve introduced a number of key initiatives including forming a “Green Team” and hiring a full-time Recycling Coordinator. Our objective is to reduce waste going to landfills by 75% by 2010, and we’re well on our way to achieving this. So far we’ve developed and implemented internal systems to reduce the top six waste contributors; wood, cardboard, plastic, vinyl, metal and paper. In terms of production units, we’ve also reduced waste from eight pounds per window to only three. And we’re just getting started.