Environmental Efforts

Once upon a time the word "green" simply identified our corporate colour and branding. Today "green" implies a huge spectrum of ideas, practices and philosophies.  

We're committed to being environmentally responsible and proactive.  Highlights include:

• Recycle more than 14,000lbs of material monthly.
• LED and motion lighting helped reduce energy usage by 15% in all buildings.
• A 250 kilowatt solar system consisting of 1352 solar panels that cover 100,000 square feet of the roof at our Kitchener branch.  To date we have generated enough solar power that is the equivalent to planting over 76,000 trees.
• In 2009, Flanagan's pioneered the first industrial ammonia/C02 Brine System in Canada, an environmentally-friendly system that reduced our carbon footprint.
• The Whitby branch also utilizes a cascade ammonia and carbon dioxide refrigeration system; a greener and efficient unit which will allow us to reduce energy usage by approximately 20%. 
• Two cisterns for collecting and using rain water in operations to wash the trucks and condensers.
• Heat exchanger to make use of excess heat from compressors to heat the freezer and cooler floors.
• Our operations team is continually looking for ways to reduce our footprint, whether that be consideration of electric trucks or alternative technology for our reefers. When purchasing new trucks we change the specifications—smaller engines and transmissions for example—to provide better fuel economy and less emissions.  Our transportation department uses a fleet management tool that optimizes routes to reduce fuel consumption and, as a result, co2 emissions.