At Koch Industries, we’re proud to make the products millions of Americans use every day to improve their lives – from building materials to airbags, performance fibers to packaging materials.
But we’re equally proud of the people who make these products possible. And though they may work in different locations, one cause recently brought our employees together while benefitting the community – Habitat for Humanity.
“Koch partners with organizations like Habitat for Humanity that remove barriers to opportunity for the most vulnerable,” said Meredith Olson, vice president, public affairs for Koch.
When it came time to break ground on our eighth Habitat build in Wichita, the hometown and home base of Koch Industries, it just made sense to incorporate our products. From the ground up, Koch companies have a presence in nearly every part of this new house.
Failed to load widget object.
Starting with the yard, Koch Agronomic Services (KAS) provided the enhanced-efficiency fertilizer (EEF) used to support the new lawn, the same product KAS also supplies to both Kauffman Stadium and Fenway Park.
Within the house itself, this particular Habitat build has been constructed around a frame of expandable polystyrene (EPS) blocks, the basis of which is made by Flint Hills Resources
®. This energy-efficient material will offer significant savings to the family on their heating and cooling costs in the long run.
“The EPS insulated concrete forms are an excellent move forward in home construction,” said Steve Litherland, director of Flint Hills Resources’ EPS business. “Homes built with this technology exceed current standards for insulation, storm resistance and air infiltration.”
Molex
® contributed as well, helping with LED lighting and digital connectivity. More specifically, the television is connected to other devices using Molex HDMI
® cables. And the company’s Transcend
® Versatile Lighting Module (VLM) has been incorporated underneath cabinets in the kitchen.
INVISTA
™ stepped in to offer STAINMASTER
® vinyl flooring and carpeting for exceptional durability. Andersen Silver Line
® windows, containing twelve panes of Guardian's ClimaGuard® 63/31 Low-E glass for energy efficiency, were provided by Guardian Industries. And a Protection 1
® security system and monitoring service will give the family added peace of mind that their new home is also a secure one.
Georgia-Pacific provided three different types of gypsum board used to finish the walls and ceiling. But perhaps the single greatest contribution didn’t come from any one Koch company – it came from the employees who volunteered their time and energy.
“The attitude, commitment, and response from our employees is a great testament to the virtues and talents they possess not just in their business practices, but also in their daily living,” said Olson.
For Jennifer Sisk and her children, the recipients of this year’s Koch Habitat for Humanity build, the hours and hard work employees have put in over the last couple of months haven’t gone unnoticed or unappreciated.
“Through the heat, through the rain, through the mud, you guys always showed up,” Sisk said. “It means so much that Habitat never stopped, that Koch never stopped, you guys just kept going.”
Sisk and her kids took ownership of their new home in a special dedication ceremony July 13, celebrating the start of a new chapter for the family.
See how Koch Industries’ employees helped create something special for Habitat.
http://kochstories.com/articles/home-sweet-home
From drywall to lawn fertilizer, these Koch companies all contributed to this build.
http://www.kochind.com/buildingopportunity/