GAFFNEY, S.C. — Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation (FCCC) says it has achieved Zero Waste to Landfill Status in the US.

The manufacturer claims to be the first company within the trucking industry to achieve the accomplishment. It went from generating 250,000 lbs of solid waste per month in January 2007 to disposing zero pounds today, thanks to a number of environmental efforts instituted at the plant.

“Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation easily surpassed our corporate goal by realizing Zero Waste to Landfill status three months earlier than our original January 2010 target date,” said Roger Nielsen, chief operating officer of Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), FCCC’s parent company. “FCCC was able to achieve these results by the continued efforts and diligence of all employees within the company, and we continue to seek ways to reduce our environmental impact in our facility and through our products and alternative-fuel efforts.”

Nielsen said the FCCC plant will serve as a blueprint for Daimler as it aims to reduce waste at its other truck manufacturing plants as well.

FCCC accomplished its goal by first selecting a Green Team of employees who would identify opportunities to eliminate waste and implement recycling programs.

“I’d like to recognize the Green Team for its commitment to the Zero Waste to Landfill program,” said Bob Harbin, president of FCCC. “It’s the team’s tenaciousness and foresight that enabled our company as a whole to work toward a healthier environment and a cleaner community. We knew being selected as the pilot facility for DTNA was going to set the bar for other DTNA brands. We accepted the challenge, and achieved the desired results in an even shorter timeframe than we imagined. I’m greatly impressed by our Green Team, our other employees and the culture change that has taken place at FCCC.”