« Choosing the right song gets Ford in tune with their target customers |
Main
| High School Students Can Earn Scholarships and Prizes in AAA's Geography Contest »
December 29, 2006
Connecticut construction firm switches to green with a fleet of Ford Escape Hybrids
W&M Construction of Stamford, Conn., is converting its entire fleet of Dodge Ram pickups and Dodge Durangos to Ford Escape Hybrids in a drive to promote and use environmentally friendly technologies, says Tim Yahn, president of W&M Construction.
Through an agreement with Ford, the firm accepted delivery of its first six Escape Hybrids in November. Eventually, the other vehicles in W&M Construction’s 22-vehicle fleet will be replaced with hybrids.
Gerry Koss, marketing manager for Ford fleet operations, says that W&M’s move is part of a definite trend that has seen companies switching to environmental vehicles. Goss says that interest in alternative fuel vehicles has increased in the past 10 to 20 months driven by escalating fuel prices and the events following Hurricane Katrina.
“Many fleet customers are looking to reduce fuel costs, and hybrids have proven to do that,” says Koss. “There’s also been a renewed emphasis on building a positive environmental image for companies and many have used alternative fuel vehicles as a way to demonstrate their environmental commitment.”
Koss says that this growing trend is still in its infancy, and unlike W&M Construction who’s converting the entire fleet, many customers add a few to the fleet to test the benefits before buying more.
“We haven’t been aggressively pushing them but we’ve been pleased with the customers that have purchased them,” says Koss. “If they’re fuel economy focused, I get letters that say the Escape Hybrid is every thing they expected it to be.”
W&M Construction, founded in 1987 as an affiliate of W&M properties, lists a portfolio of over 1,500 successfully completed projects from full building rehabs to ground-up construction for Fortune 500 companies, hospitals, medical facilities, schools, YMCAs, apartment complexes, trading floors, gymnasiums and retail and industrial complexes.
The decision to lease hybrids was strongly influenced by the company’s recent involvement in sustainable design projects and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rated work, and by its ownership’s commitment to improving the environment.
The Escape Hybrids will be used by project managers and construction site supervisors whose day-to-day activities require them to drive from job to job. The Escape Hybrids will allow them to do it in a more efficient manner.
“We pride ourselves on integrating green technologies into our business,” says Yahn. “The hybrids reflect this ongoing mission, as they reduce our dependence on gasoline. These six vehicles alone will drive a total of approximately 100,000 miles in their first 12 months with our firm. That’s a lot of gasoline saved, and a lot of carbon that will not be emitted into the air where we do business.”
Company Vice Chairman Anthony E. Malkin says that the Escape Hybrid was the only choice for W&M’s fleet. The Escape’s will spend much of their time driving around construction sites where features like the high SUV stance and all-wheel-drive capability are a necessity. Malkin was also drawn to the Escape by its heritage.
“The Escape is an American product made by an American company that’s putting its name behind a very advanced and very competitive product,” says Malkin. “We’re proud to put our company name on the side of this vehicle.”
W&M Construction is open to other alternatives currently under development at Ford. “There’s a hydrogen vehicle in the works at Ford, for example. We’ll be eager to try it out once it is introduced. We understand our industry’s impact on the environment, and we are trying to reduce our environmental footprint.”
Posted by Frank at December 29, 2006 1:11 AM | Filed under Alternative Fuels
| Auto News
| Ford
| Hybrid