From left, Stephen Kelly and Danny Owens from Hyster-Yale Materials Handling Inc., and Secretary Reid Wilson.
Secretary Reid Wilson of the NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) presented Hyster-Yale Materials Handling Inc. (HYMH), the manufacturer of Hyster® and Yale® lift trucks, a plaque recognizing the site as an Environmental Steward within the Environmental Stewardship Initiative (ESI). The Greenville facility is one of only 31 in North Carolina to earn the coveted designation, which represents the highest of three levels of recognition in the state’s ESI program.
“Congratulations to Hyster-Yale Materials Handling for achieving the highest level within DEQ’s Environmental Stewardship Initiative,” said DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson. "Its Greenville facility has taken actions to significantly reduce energy and water use, waste generation and carbon emissions, while increasing its use of renewable energy. These steps not only save the company money but also reduce effects to the environment, benefiting all North Carolinians."
To be recognized as an Environmental Steward, organizations must demonstrate leadership through exemplary environmental performance, beyond what is required by regulations, as well as a willingness to mentor fellow ESI members and a commitment to community involvement.
HYMH’s Greenville facility has demonstrated excellent environmental performance supported by a strong Environmental Management System and ambitious goals prioritizing waste minimization, including zero-waste-to-landfill, water conservation, as well as reductions in carbon and volatile organic compounds reductions. The site earned the 2025 ESI Rising Steward of the Year award from DEQ for its Air Compressor Demand Project, which reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 858 tons. The project was completed through an ongoing partnership with East Carolina University’s Center for Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering (CSE3) and included the site hosting interns who supported workforce development in clean-energy and environmental engineering fields.
“This recognition reflects our commitment to responsible operations, strong environmental stewardship, and continuous improvement,” said Danny Owens, Greenville Plant Manager, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling. “We’re proud to partner with the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality through the Environmental Stewardship Initiative as we continue reducing our environmental impact and supporting our communities.”
ESI promotes environmental excellence and leadership by North Carolina organizations. DEQ established this nonregulatory, voluntary program in 2002 to foster the development of programs that use pollution prevention strategies to meet and exceed regulatory requirements. DEQ provides members with no-cost technical assistance, facilities collaboration through networking and educational opportunities focused on innovative solutions and sharing successes. ESI members are required to report annually on the achievement of their self-established environmental goals. Since 2002, member organizations have significantly reduced their environmental impacts and saved more than $125 million, saved 18.6 billion gallons of water and produced 4.4 fewer tons of waste. Environmental performances are recorded in the annual ESI program report.
For more information, visit the Environmental Stewardship Initiative’s website, ww.ncesi.org, or contact Renee Kramer, Environmental Stewardship Initiative Program Coordinator, at 919-707-8126 or esi@nc.deq.gov.