Health, fitness take root at Alttran

HUDSON, Ohio—Employees at Alttran Inc. ate healthy this summer.

The specialty rubber compounder, located in Hudson, said it initiated some traditional methods to focus on healthy eating and exercise for its employees.

The company posted monthly tips on diet, safety and exercise on a bulletin board, but the most popular and effective tool for promoting a better diet, according to the firm, was to start a company garden.

The company cleared an area next to the employee parking lot and planted a variety of vegetables. Employees volunteered to build a storage shed and a brick patio, so lunch tables could be set up beside the garden.

“Once the plants started to really grow, it attracted everyone's attention,” said Mandie Pugh, Alttran office manager. “Several visitors went home with bags full of peppers.”

She said the company knew the garden was having an impact when several employees went online to find recipes and started to get creative with tomatoes, peppers, beans, and squash.

“They cooked pickled peppers, stuffed peppers and zucchini bread at home and brought them back work to be shared in the lunch room.” Pugh said.

The project was such a success that Alttran said it is looking to expand the size of the garden in 2017.