Find a Contractor Buyer's Guide
MCAA Logo
Member Login JOIN
NEWS
Join Us For The 75th Anniversary Midyear Meeting Sep 7-11 ↗

General Shale subsidiary wins environmental award

Words: Dawn HenningGeneral Shale’s stellar record of environmental stewardship is well recognized within the manufacturing industry, and a recent award affirms the company’s efforts. Arriscraft International, a subsidiary of General Shale, has been recognized by the Cambridge (Ontario) Chamber of Commerce with its distinguished annual award for excellence in energy conservation.

General Shale is the North American subsidiary of Wienerberger AG and a leading manufacturer of brick, one of the world’s oldest green building materials. General Shale is celebrating its 85th anniversary in 2013.

In the area of conserving energy, Arriscraft — a manufacturer of stone products located in Ontario — has reduced its kilowatt hours per 1,000 kilograms of material produced by 23 percent since 1999. Andy Hall serves as plant manager for the Arriscraft facility.

“It is an honor to be recognized by the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, and this is a good example of our employees’ efforts at our locations throughout North America,” says Dick Green, CEO of General Shale.

“We are very proud of our environmental stewardship. Technology has improved so that production processes require 70 percent less energy than in the 1970s, and our reclamation and recycling efforts continue to be a top priority.”

Each year, the Cambridge Chamber honors individuals and businesses that have made an important contribution to the economic and social wellbeing of the city. The Cambridge Chamber’s award winners for 2012 were announced at a special presentation in March.

The Environment-Excellence in Energy Conservation award recognizes a business that embraces sustainable best practices and outstanding programs designed to maintain, protect and promote a healthy environment. Specific areas of judging include energy use reduction, energy alternatives and/or the adoption, implementation or adherence to environmentally friendly business practices on a company-wide basis. The 2012 Business Excellence Awards attracted 56 nominations in categories that included environmental, entrepreneurship, personal business achievement, lifetime achievement, business of the year and more.
 0
MASONRY STRONG Podcast, Episode 25 Recap: Blair Harter, NW GM at Basalite Concrete Products LLC
July 2025

On this episode of the MASONRY STRONG Podcast, Blair Harter comes on the set to talk about how he got started in the industry and what keeps him coming back to masonry every day. Blair's journey into the masonry industry began in an unexpected way. Like

Justin Stengel
Read More
Work Zone Safety and Emergency Preparedness in the Masonry Industry
July 2025

Masonry professionals work in complex and fast-paced environments that demand precision, strength, and coordination. Whether on residential builds or large commercial projects, masons encounter a unique combination of physical hazards that require a consi

Greg Brown
MAP Partner
Read More
Using Respirators for Silica Exposure
July 2025

Some in the masonry industry have expressed interest in respirator use as protection from harmful exposure to silica. This topic is of paramount importance due to its impact on our workers and the serious health effects of silica exposure. For those new t

Zach Everett
Read More
Laying the Foundation for Growth: Concrete Masonry Checkoff Unveils Five-Year Vision for Industry
July 2025

The Concrete Masonry Checkoff (CMC) put the finishing touches on an ambitious five-year vision for the industry, targeting a 20% increase in market share, driven by increased demand for concrete masonry products. “This is about building exquisite, enduri

Industry News
Read More