Cope Plastics Again Awarded for Environmental & Education Efforts

ALTON, IL — Cope Plastics, Inc. has once again been recognized by the International Association of Plastics Distribution for both environmental and education efforts. IAPD unites manufacturers, fabricators, distributors, recyclers, manufacturers’ representatives, and related service providers for the betterment of the performance plastics industry. Dwight W. Cope, founder of Cope Plastics, helped establish the organization and served as IAPD President from 1965-1966 while Jane Saale, current President and CEO of Cope Plastics, served as IAPD President from 2012-2014. The 65th annual event took place in Louisville, KY August 16-19, 2021. 

Each year, the organization presents awards to members in various categories, including individual awards honoring exceptional representation and promotion of the plastics industry. They also celebrate companies exhibiting excellence in education and training, environmental initiatives, and marketing activities. For 2021, IAPD announced their Environmental Excellence Award recipients, recognizing the accomplishments of companies for innovative environmental responsibility, utilization of eco-friendly materials, adoption of sustainable practices, manufacturing of plastics in an environmentally-conscious manner, and commitment to recycling materials. Cope received the Bronze Environmental Excellence Award, their ninth such award since 2012. Cope recycles over 2.7 million pounds of plastic annually, equating to 21.4 million total pounds to-date. They not only keep 90 percent of internally-generated material out of landfills, but they offer many customers the opportunity to send in their scrap material for recycling as well. 

“Our IAPD member companies continue to demonstrate their dedication to environmental stewardship, even through all of the unique challenges of the past year,” said incoming IAPD Environmental Committee Chair and Cope’s Marketing & Environmental Specialist Jama Fabry. “It’s amazing and encouraging to see so many companies taking a proactive approach to sustainability, developing creative solutions to improve environmental impact, and promoting the long-term benefits of performance plastics. The Environmental Committee is thrilled to congratulate our 2021 Environmental Award winners and Cope is honored to be named among this prestigious and forward-thinking group!” 

Education is a major component of IAPD’s mission, and Cope collected their 10th Education Circle of Champions Gold Award. This category acknowledges companies for exemplary educational initiatives, emphasizing continuing plastics education through the use of IAPD’s training and certification resources. Cope actively promotes performance plastics, its business, its environmental achievements, and IAPD. The company is also committed to giving back to their community and provides valuable training to those outside the industry to promote performance plastics. 

About Cope Plastics, Inc. 

Cope Plastics, Inc. is the premier distributor and fabricator of plastic sheet, rod, and tube serving solutions to a wide range of customers across the U.S. Now celebrating their 75th year in business, Cope Plastics has grown to be the supplier of choice to over 8,000 companies involved in heavy equipment, agriculture, food service, oil & gas, aerospace, medical, transportation, and retail industries, among others. The company is proud to be a certified Women Owned Business by the NWBOC since 2012. Visit us at www.copeplastics.com. 

About IAPD 

The International Association of Plastics Distribution (IAPD), established in 1956, brings together distributors, fabricators, manufacturers, manufacturers’ representatives, recyclers, and service providers in an environment which encourages a free flow of ideas and information that help members build their businesses. Visit them at www.iapd.org.