kempower.com
The Sustainable Manufacturing Award criteria is based on outstanding sustainable practices, measurable environmental or energy savings related to production processes, product design or product life cycle.
As the electric vehicle market accelerates worldwide, one company in Durham, North Carolina is helping power the transition while demonstrating that sustainability can be embedded in every part of the manufacturing process. Kempower, a global provider of DC fast-charging solutions for electric vehicles, has been named the 2026 State Manufacturing Leadership Award winner for Sustainability.
The award recognizes manufacturers with fewer than 500 employees that demonstrate outstanding sustainable practices and measurable environmental impact through production processes, product design, or lifecycle initiatives. For Kempower, sustainability is not just a program—it is the foundation of the company’s business model.
Building a Business Around Clean Energy
Kempower designs, manufactures, and delivers DC fast chargers for electric vehicles, supporting applications ranging from passenger cars to commercial trucks, transit fleets, aviation, and marine operations. Its North American headquarters in Durham produces advanced charging solutions, including the Kempower Power Unit, Kempower Satellite, and Kempower Station Charger, which together form scalable charging systems used across the rapidly growing EV ecosystem.
Since establishing its Durham manufacturing facility in 2023, Kempower has grown quickly, now employing 84 people in North Carolina and supplying more than 2,000 charging points across North America.
The company’s technology directly supports global decarbonization efforts by helping reduce transportation-related emissions. Compared with gasoline vehicles, electric vehicles powered through efficient charging systems significantly reduce the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere during daily transportation.
Yet Kempower’s sustainability commitment extends well beyond the products it builds.
Sustainability Embedded in Operations
As a Finnish company headquartered in Lahti, Finland, Kempower brings a strong sustainability culture to its global operations. That commitment carries through the Durham facility’s daily operations, where the team is actively working toward the company’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2030 and a long-term goal of zero waste sent to landfill.
To reach these goals, the Durham team first focused on measuring and understanding its environmental footprint. Establishing data partnerships with waste management providers allowed Kempower to track landfill contributions and identify opportunities for improvement. From there, the company implemented multiple recycling and waste-reduction initiatives, including programs for cardboard recycling, wood recycling, and food-waste composting.
Energy efficiency is also a key focus. Although operating in a leased facility, Kempower invested in upgrading outdated heating systems to energy-efficient hybrid gas-electric HVAC units, reducing overall gas consumption and improving energy performance. Across the facility, the company also eliminated propane use by adopting electric forklifts and electric corporate vehicles, further reducing operational emissions.
Circular Thinking in Manufacturing
Kempower’s sustainability strategy also includes improvements throughout its supply chain and packaging systems.
The company has begun shifting from overseas suppliers to North American sourcing for several key components, reducing transportation emissions associated with international shipping. In addition, Kempower is introducing returnable packaging systems with suppliers, allowing materials to be shipped in reusable containers that can be returned, refilled, and reused—minimizing waste and reducing material consumption.
For high-volume products such as the Kempower Satellite charging unit, the company developed reusable wooden shipping containers that collapse flat for efficient return shipping. These containers replace traditional cardboard and plastic packaging, creating a circular packaging loop that significantly reduces landfill waste.
Demonstrating Sustainability in Action
Kempower’s Durham campus even serves as a living demonstration of sustainable technology. The company recently constructed an on-site charging field used for testing, customer demonstrations, and employee vehicle charging. In keeping with Kempower’s environmental values, the project was completed using fully electric construction equipment, including electric excavators, compressors, and other machinery.
The result was not only a lower-emission construction process but also a powerful demonstration of what electrification can achieve. The near-silent worksite—where the sound of machinery was replaced by the subtle movement of hydraulics and tools—offered a glimpse into the future of low-emission construction and infrastructure development.
Powering the Future of Transportation
Kempower chargers serve public, commercial, and heavy-duty EV segments—including CPOs, fleets, depots, ports, school buses, and airport ground operations. A large segment includes charging network operators and retail locations, such as convenience stores, restaurants, and entertainment venues, that offer charging services to EV drivers. This also includes fleet operators, from school bus and transit fleets to major logistics and distribution companies working to electrify their vehicle operations.
As transportation continues to electrify, the need for reliable and scalable charging infrastructure will only increase. Kempower’s innovative products and operational sustainability practices position the company as a key contributor to that transition.
By combining cutting-edge EV charging technology with measurable environmental improvements in its manufacturing operations, Kempower is proving that sustainability and industrial growth can go hand in hand. For these efforts, the company is a deserving recipient of the 2026 State Manufacturing Leadership Award for Sustainability.
