Green innovation takes many forms

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Kenney

Did anybody else notice a theme when looking at the list of winners and finalists in the Portland Business Journal’s Oregon Manufacturing Awards a few months ago? Of the 11 award winners, listed here, I was able to make strong sustainability-oriented connections to more than half of them.

Several — Plas2Fuel Corp, Eleek Inc., and Timber Pro UV — had eco-friendly or sustainability-oriented charters right from their start. Timber Pro UV and Eleek, Inc. have also both been recipients of the City of Portland’s sustainable business awards, in 2009 and 2006, respectively.

Businesses that start with a focus on sustainability are becoming more and more common in Oregon, building on the strengths and reputation we’ve developed as a state. It’s also cool, though, that many businesses that didn’t start out with that focus are shifting core parts of their business strategy to capitalize on the market opportunities presented by Oregon’s national leadership in renewable energy, green building and sustainable business practices.

Take, for example, Oregon Iron Works Inc., an old-line metals manufacturer that has made headlines lately for success in adapting their capabilities to win large contracts for manufacturing both buoys for generating wave energy and streetcars for public transit systems. Two other companies that have made similar moves are Tinitron Inc., a Hillsboro company that makes thousands of products related to power (such as power supplies and transformers) and has recently targeted electric vehicles as a new market focus, and Korvis Automation Inc. in Corvallis, which has a glass conveyor product that has applications for manufacturing solar panels.

I checked this out with Portland Business Journal publisher Craig Wessel shortly after the Manufacturing Awards were announced: While corporate responsibility was one factor considered in selecting the award winners, a sustainability-oriented business focus was not a criterion.

But even without this focus, the manufacturing companies highlighted managed to showcase Oregon’s strengths in sustainability and innovation.

One thing I’ve discovered in my time at the Oregon Built Environment & Sustainable Technologies Center (Oregon BEST) is that innovation comes in many forms. Our focus is on technology innovation in green building and renewable energy technologies, and while we’re supporting the new startup efforts that are popping up around the state, we’re also working with more established businesses, including forest products companies, utilities and architecture firms.

Oregon’s economic development agencies are all developing cluster strategies for building and recruiting firms around specific industries and they’ve all identified clean technology, green building and/or renewable energy technologies as key areas of strength that Oregon should build on to create new jobs and grow successful businesses.

The recognition of the firms I highlighted above as manufacturing leaders indicates two things to me: 1) a cluster strategy makes sense and 2) a cluster strategy needn’t be only about building and attracting new businesses. Existing product, service and manufacturing players of all types can adapt their business strategy or shift their focus to capitalize on Oregon’s national leadership position in sustainability — an area that will definitely continue to grow.

Imagine the possibilities for Oregon and its citizens if every existing manufacturing company here truly embraced sustainability as a core part of their business strategy. Our state would be viewed — both nationally and internationally — as an even more visionary place where corporate leaders put the long-term health of the planet atop their priority lists. In doing so, Oregon companies would win not only awards and kudos from their employees, neighbors, fellow state citizens, and others looking to see how investing in sustainability pays big dividends, but also new customers. And I believe that would pay dividends in the form of new green jobs for Oregon.

David Kenney is president and executive director of Oregon BEST.