Trenton Corrugated Products Brings Green Tech to the Capital City
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Trenton Daily reports that for over 50 years, Trenton Corrugated Products has been designing and manufacturing right in the heart of Trenton. Due to the reusability of wood fibers, corrugated products are inherently more sustainable than competing packaging options. However, Trenton Corrugated Products is taking that to the next level with the installation of their expansive new solar roof.
Trenton Daily had a chance to sit down with TCP President Ian Bernstein to talk about this exciting new endeavor, what it means for the company, and what comes next in their journey to sustainability.
When our discussion kicked off, it was immediately evident that sustainability is at the core of Trenton Corrugated Product’s mission. Per Ian Bernstein, “We’re in the packaging business, and within packaging and in so far as sustainability is concerned, corrugated is at the top of the heap. All of our boxes are manufactured with recyclable material which can be broken down and reformed typically six to eight times before biodegrading at the end of its useful product life. Compared to other types of permanently polluting packaging, it’s very sustainable.” Continuing, he noted “I like to call our employees ‘green-collar workers’, and in keeping with this theme of trying to do the right thing from a sustainability perspective, solar seemed to be the way to go.” Trenton Corrugated Products is also in the process of installing chargers for employees with electric vehicles.
In discussing the process of going solar, Bernstein noted that the company they worked with, Moore Electric, gave Trenton Corrugated Products the unique opportunity to own their panels rather than lease. He noted “The solar panels have become a part of the building; we own them and they made it very reasonable along the way. With the solar panels on the building, we’re going to be covering about 80 to 85% of our electricity with the 850 panels installed on the roof.”
This installation is no small feat – in fact, it is one of the most significant solar installations in the city! Per Bernstein, “A fire inspector told us this was the largest installation that he’s had to inspect and approve, and we were excited to hear that. We’re bringing Trenton forward with the solar panels and putting in chargers. We’re happy to be able to do our part for the planet as well as provide cost-effective electricity to the company.”
When asked if he had any words of encouragement for other entrepreneurs or business owners considering going solar, Bernstein stated “I think it’s twofold. I think we all have an obligation; we all know climate change is out there. We need to do our part to make the planet more sustainable and more importantly, make New Jersey and Trenton more sustainable. I think it’s an important sign that the city is moving forward, and we can take advantage of a lot of the new technologies. Changes that are going on in the world can be done right here.”
In discussing what comes next for 2023, Ian noted “In the last couple of years, due to COVID, there’s been a lot of demand for boxes in e-commerce and delivered products. We’ve been excited to be a part of the e-commerce revolution. It’s allowed us to grow in Trenton, to hire more people in Trenton, and we plan on being in Trenton. We’re in a green industry – from a packaging perspective, people are always trying to find things that are more recyclable and find ways to be more sustainable, and we believe that corrugated is one the most promising paths. We see a bright future for an old industry, and we look to continue to grow and thrive in the city.”
As Trenton Corrugated Products continues to develop and evolve in the city, we look forward to seeing what exciting changes their presence will bring to the Capital City. The company has been committed to Trenton for over half a century, and their dedication to the city shows no sign of relenting any time soon. If you want to learn more about Trenton Corrugated Products and all the great solutions they have to offer, you can check out their website here: Trenton Corrugated Products – Home. Every day, Trenton continues to boldly move forward. Innovators like Trenton Corrugated Products bring us closer to fully realizing our vision for a brighter, greener, more efficient future.
