Sponsored by:
San Antonio is home to a variety of businesses, ranging from nationally recognized companies to local favorites that San Antonio natives may want to keep as more of a hidden city gem.
While many businesses have found their place in this city, the industrial sector showed significant expansion, with a 19% growth over the past five years. This notable growth in the industry does not appear to have plans of slowing down either. This sector is projected to expand 15% by 2028, bringing more economic growth to the Alamo City.
With mass production centers emerging, this can suggest a significant increase in the use of natural resources, transportation needs and other various factors that contribute to impacting the local environment. Businesses should consider these crucial aspects for their daily operations and how sustainability can affect their brand.
According to a study by McKinsey & Company, consumers favor businesses that are committed to sustainability and prioritize making the eco-friendlier choice. Another study also supports this claim and acknowledges consumers’ sustainability expectations for corporations are growing, especially with the younger generations. These findings present a great opportunity for new industrial and manufacturing businesses that are establishing their roots in San Antonio, to strengthen their sustainability practices.
Considering sustainability in the business footprint can include using native plants for landscaping, installing LED lighting, and creating environmental purchasing policies, which in turn, can help these new businesses stand out amongst other brands and grow their customer base. Not only can a business’ environmental stewardship help their brand by attracting more customers, but it can also help with saving on various costs. For example, implementing sustainability best practices such as low-flow fixtures and energy efficient lighting can help businesses save on some costs by reducing energy and water usage.
One manufacturing business whose headquarters are right here in San Antonio is seeing several benefits from their dedication to sustainability. Lancer Corporation designs and manufactures beverage dispenser machines and equipment, while also distributing their products.
Lancer’s Director of Sustainability and Quality Assurance Aaron Kneupper and Vice President of Sustainability John Hawkins expressed that, as a global supplier, an emphasis on sustainability is critical to meet the expectations of their customers. In December 2024, Kneupper stated that the Lancer team believes that by prioritizing sustainability and setting measurable carbon reduction goals, they are setting up Lancer for long-term success.
Lancer has also reduced various costs since implementing several sustainability best practices. For example, since Lancer must test their products that are centered around beverage dispensing and valve systems, they require a vast amount of water for testing. With these continuous operations, Lancer was determined to find a solution to conserve water. They were able to administer a testing system that allows the sanitized water to be captured, reused and recycled through a closed-loop system.
By implementing these water-saving practices, Lancer is estimated to save approximately 3,500 gallons of water per month , resulting in Lancer’s reduced reliance on water supply from San Antonio Water Systems (SAWS). In addition to their water conservation efforts, Lancer also converted their lighting to Next-Gen LEDs that provided 40% increased illumination at 30% less energy use, Kneupper stated.
With Lancer’s strong commitment to sustainability, they earned the Pinnacle Award from ReWorksSA, a division of the City of San Antonio’s Solid Waste Management Department. ReWorksSA supports San Antonio businesses with designing or improving workplace sustainability programs at no-cost and offers recognition opportunities for their efforts through a certification program. The ReWorksSA certification is valid for two years and the certified businesses are featured on a map on the ReWorksSA website to help customers and other businesses, easily find businesses that prioritize sustainability.
Partnering with ReWorksSA can help the local businesses community minimize their carbon footprint, attract more customers and earn recognition for their sustainability efforts, just like Lancer Corporation.
