Owens & Minor Receives US EPA 2016 SmartWay Excellence Award

RICHMOND, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Owens & Minor, Inc. OMI announced today that it received the prestigious SmartWay^® Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This designation positions Owens & Minor as a true industry leader in freight supply chain environmental performance and energy efficiency.

Owens & Minor has adopted an innovative program called "Road to Rewards" that incentivizes drivers for improvement in their personal driving statistics for targeted sustainability initiatives, including improved miles per gallon, significant reductions in "stop idle percentage" (the time trucks are stopped, but idling), and improved route optimization. The enthusiastic response of the Owens & Minor drivers enabled the company to achieve and exceed standards that make it an industry leader in transportation. "We recognize that our drivers are key to achieving improvements in our fleet operations, so we incentivize them to achieve their goals," said Michael Fath, Operating Vice President, Global Transportation for Owens & Minor. "We are doing the same amount of work, but we are doing it with fewer trucks and trailers and more efficient routes."

"As a purpose-driven company, Owens & Minor is honored to receive the SmartWay Excellence Award, which salutes our ongoing commitment to operate our fleet in an efficient and environmentally responsible way," said P. Cody Phipps, President & Chief Executive Officer of Owens & Minor. "We know that by lowering fuel consumption and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in our fleet across the U.S., we can contribute positively to the overall well-being of the communities we serve. Our transportation managers and our drivers are successfully working together to achieve continuous improvement."

This year, Owens & Minor was one of 43 truck carriers to receive this distinction, representing the best environmental performers of SmartWay's 3500 Partners. The carrier Excellence Awardees were honored at the American Trucking Associations Annual Management Conference & Exhibition held in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 3, 2016.

"As the SmartWay program completes its 12th year, EPA recognizes its top Carrier Partners for their commitment to an efficient and environmentally responsible freight transportation supply chain," said Christopher Grundler, EPA's Office Director of Transportation & Air Quality. "We all depend on the freight sector, and these award-winning SmartWay carriers have demonstrated that it is possible to compete in this space while placing an emphasis on environmental integrity, allowing for reduced fuel costs which increase revenue while also lowering greenhouse gas emissions."

Owens & Minor, Inc. OMI is a global healthcare services company dedicated to Connecting the World of Medical Products to the Point of Care^TM by providing vital supply chain services to healthcare providers and manufacturers of healthcare products. Owens & Minor provides logistics services across the spectrum of medical products from disposable medical supplies to devices and implants. With logistics platforms strategically located in the United States and Europe, Owens & Minor serves markets where three quarters of global healthcare spending occurs. Owens & Minor's customers span the healthcare market from independent hospitals to large integrated healthcare networks, as well as group purchasing organizations, healthcare products manufacturers, and the federal government. A FORTUNE 500 company, Owens & Minor is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, and has annualized revenues exceeding $9 billion. For more information about Owens & Minor, visit the company website at owens-minor.com.

EPA's SmartWay Transport Partnership is a market-driven initiative that empowers businesses to move goods in the cleanest, most energy-efficient way possible, while protecting public health and reducing the impacts of climate change. Demonstration of a commitment to corporate sustainability and social responsibility through SmartWay provides for a more competitive and environmentally-friendly business environment. Since 2004, SmartWay Partners have saved 170.3 million barrels of oil—the equivalent of eliminating annual energy use in over 6 million homes and $24.9 billion in fuel costs. SmartWay's clean air achievements (72.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, 1,458,000 tons of nitrogen oxides, and 59,000 tons of particulate matter emissions avoided) help to protect the well-being of citizens.

More information on SmartWay in general: www.epa.gov/smartway/

Excellence Award recipients list: https://www.epa.gov/smartway/smartway-excellence-awardees