NAPA Adds Net-Zero Climate Partners Two Weeks in a Row

Since the release of its industry-first emissions inventory for the national asphalt production market in June of 2022, the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) has been on a dedicated mission. That mission? To shore up its "Road Forward' initiative, and its goal of net-zero carbon emissions for the asphalt industry by 2050, with as many valuable member-partnerships as it can. Just over the course of the last six days, NAPA continues to build on previous trends, by adding three such agreements. The new additions are Summit Materials (Denver, CO), Kokosing Materials Inc. (Columbus, OH), and Kraton Corporation (Houston, TX).

Material Matters

Two of the three newest additions are material producers. These partnerships are extremely valuable to the cause, as they possess key insights and perspectives in the efforts to reduce scope 1 emissions, the type of carbon emissions that are generated by the activity of production itself. The Columbus based Kokosing Materials Inc. (KMI) has been a member of NAPA since 1985, the longest tenure of the three new companies. It's a third generation, family-owned company with multi-purpose asphalt plants placed all around the state.

In a press release by NAPA, they said, "By joining The Road Forward, KMI is furthering its commitment to reducing its environmental impact in the communities it serves. Their three-pronged approach to environmental leadership includes investing in continuous improvement, partnering with customers to support environmental goals, and promoting a global sustainable legacy."

Not to be overshadowed, however, Summit Materials, which joined NAPA in 2010, sees their partnership with the organization on the "Road Forward" as a natural extension of the work they are already heavily invested in. Summit says that the three guiding "pillars" of its company ethos are social responsibility (including social impact), land reclamation, and carbon reduction. Independently of NAPA's program, Summit has in place its own emission reductions to take effect by 2030. 

In the year ended January 1, 2022, Summit Materials sold 64.2 million tons of aggregates, 2.4 million tons of cement, 5.8 million cubic yards of ready-mix concrete, and 5.1 million tons of asphalt paving mix across more than 400 sites and plants. In 2021, 13% of its asphalt tons were recycled. According to NAPA, the company is providing industry leadership, in alignment with their own corporate commitments, on climate action, and is helping fund ongoing research and education to aid the entire U.S. asphalt industry. But the relationship is hardly one-sided.

“Summit is grateful for NAPA’s partnership in helping us progress towards our 2030 and 2050 targets for carbon emissions reductions, including a strategy for achieving net zero emissions by 2050,” commented Karli Anderson, Summit EVP of Environmental, Safety, Governance and Head of Investor Relations. "NAPA has provided important insights, tools, and support."

The Chemical Component

Houston based Kraton Corporation joined NAPA in 2011, and signed on the the "Road Forward" last week along with KMI's announcement. The company is a global producer of innovation-based, sustainable polymers, and developed the first commercially viable styrenic block copolymers. Kraton supplies SBS polymers used to modify asphalt binders for paving and roofing applications. However, their efforts towards sustainability are nothing new at all.

They recently earned the EcoVadis Platinum rating for the second consecutive year. The Platinum rating places Kraton within the top 1% of more than 90,000 companies evaluated by EcoVadis for integrating sustainability principles into their business.

Kraton’s engagement with NAPA is quite extensive. Dr. Bob Kluttz, Senior Manager, Market Development, has served in many volunteer leadership roles, such as the Committee for Asphalt Research & Technology. He has also been active on the Sustainability Committee since 2018.

Kraton’s Director of Sales, Bill Davis said of the partnership, "Our core beliefs align with The Road Forward, and we are proud to support these efforts, connecting Kraton’s 40 years of experience in extending pavement life into pursuing a sustainable asphalt industry."

“We are thankful to Kokosing Materials, Inc., Summit Materials and Kraton Corporation for embracing a shared commitment to The Road Forward,” said NAPA President & CEO Audrey Copeland, PhD, PE. “Their support of The Road Forward not only propels our collective vision for sustainable communities and commerce connected by net zero carbon asphalt pavements, but also demonstrates the positive impact that both mix producers and additive suppliers can have in their communities and beyond.”

For more information about The Road Forward, including details on the industry goals and a full list of sponsoring companies, visit AsphaltPavement.org/Forward.