Innovation

David VanDenburgh decided to buy Adams Party Rental and run the business more sustainably. While a party rental company service is sustainable due to renting and reusing supplies like tables, chairs, linens, and dinnerware, VanDenburgh wanted to take initiative to do more. One thing he noticed when he bought the company was that when about fifty percent of the company’s business was renting and fifty percent was selling disposable plastic items, such as flatware. He decided a better business decision would be to focus exclusively on renting reusable products. Something else he noticed was that linen hangers were constantly getting lost and left at venues and events that rented company linens. Adams Party Rental took the initiative to brand all of their linen hangers and bags with the statement “Adams goes green. We recycle. Please return.” VanDenburgh states that because of that small action, people are more inclined to return those items to be reused and Adams no longer has to wastefully purchase more. Adams Party rental has implemented a few other reforms as well: glasses are now wrapped in cloth instead of plastic for transport. Lighting within rentable tents has been switched to LED. Office space lights are set to switch of when no motion is detected. Rather than outsourcing for linens, Adams also has an in house, energy efficient commercial laundry operation which saves on the cost and gas emissions it would take to drive linens elsewhere. In the interview, VanDenburgh stated, “You have to balance what is good for you employees, customers, shareholders and the environment for the community.”

Inspiration

VanDenburgh’s has served on boards for sustainability non-profit organizations and has made direct contributions to the community, but his inspiration for being more sustainable and implementing these practices is based around making better business decisions. “In my mind they are just good business decisions. As a business owner you have a responsibility to be a part of your community,” he says. One thing Adams Party Rental did for the community was assisting after Hurricane Sandy by providing tents, flooring, and roll away beds for recovery crews. Adams Party Rental continues to improve its sustainability while making an impact on the surrounding communities. As a company, VanDenburgh wants Adams Party Rental to maintain the quickest and overall best outcome for his customers.

On their company’s website, VanDenburgh speaks about Adams’ philosophy that each member of the company follows. It states,

“Adams is dedicated to growing and developing as the event industry changes. Adam is not a figurehead or a mascot. We never want the ‘idea’ of our business to become bigger than our business itself. We are beholden not to a statue, but to a philosophy. A philosophy based on taking care of our customers. Every team member, event consultant, and crew chief is a part of that philosophy. So no, there is no ‘Adam’. We are all ‘Adams.’”

This can be inspiring to other companies through the sustainable practices they have adapted that go further than just recycling. The hospitality industry has become more sustainable due the the carbon footprint it was leaving and Adams Party Rental has taken that and come up with new ideas to follow.

Overall impact

Overall these innovations have assisted and continue to assist in saving the environment, saving the company money, and being good to the local communities. “Adams Party Rental is committed to being a responsible company, a solid corporate citizen and a good neighbor.” Helping with natural disaster relief is bringing Adams good publicity and possibly gaining it new customers. Branding the bags and linen hangers has saved money on the need to purchase new ones. Switching to motion detector lights and high efficiency lights has saved the company over $6,000 on over 50,000 kilowatts per year. Switching to reusable flatware has reduced cost of goods sold without reducing revenues.

Business benefit

VanDenburgh's successful business practices have allowed Adams Party Rental to expand and grow as a company. The company has come up with innovative solutions in order to run its business smoothly and efficiently. Adams Party Rental also allows its employees work-life balance. They showcase photographs of their warehouse workers for their ‘Friday Funday.’ ‘Friday Funday’ is a more calm day when the employees do fun activities. This helps the workforce avoid burnout and remain efficient. Adams Party Rental company is also listed on the New Jersey Sustainable Business Registry thanks to the actions it has taken.

Social and environmental benefit

Adams Party Rental company promotes full-spectrum flourishing through their beliefs, customs, practices, and behavior. The company dates back 70 years and, from its founding, it has been very family oriented. Adam’s slogan on their card is “Invite us to your party!” which shows the respect they have for each client. They create a high quality experience from start to finish for an event and have a fun atmosphere, all while maintaining eco-friendly practices. This has created an abundance of goodwill from their customers, who appreciate this sustainable company.

Interview

David VanDenburgh, Owner