INNOVATION THAT
GENERATES FACTS
To continuously minimise our carbon footprint we work on projects that increase the efficiency of both production and materials and look for less impacting resources.
We act by carrying out efficiency energy projects, for example we’re cutting down on natural gas use and reducing energy needs at our plants. When it comes to materials, we’re working on projects to minimise waste and make better use of resources—all while maintaining the same high performance you expect. One of the last achievements is the reduction of waste in Formica Europe’s North Shields plants.
And that’s not all. We’re also moving away from fossil-based raw materials and energy, choosing more renewable options. We have installed photovoltaic panels on the roofs of some of our plants, like the latest installation at Homapal’s factory, and, generally, we cover the remaining energy needs through electricity from certified renewable sources.
Recycled materials are used in the fabrication of GETACORE. On the other hand, our laminates are made of a combination of bio-based, renewable materials (wood fibre) and resins, with the bio-based share exceeding the fossil-based one (and some of our products have a third-party certified bio-based content). Wood-based materials have in fact a much smaller environmental footprint compared to traditional petroleum-based inputs. Here’s why it matters: forests and crops naturally absorb CO2 from the atmosphere as they grow, storing it in the wood. This CO2 remains locked away in the wood products for their entire lifespan.
This is a starting point, but we are continuously looking for options to further increase the bio-based share of our products and, at the same time, reduce their carbon footprint. This was achieved, for instance, with the development of the Bloom technology, like in Arpa Bloom and FENIX NTM Bloom. With Bloom, we have substituted part of the fossil-based components in the resin with renewable secondary materials derived from industrial bio-based by-products. The bio-based content is certified by an accredited third party according to the NCS 16785:2016 norm with a declared minimum 64% bio-based content for Arpa HPL Bloom and minimum 67% bio-based content for FENIX NTM Bloom. With this innovation most of the key ingredients for our products are of natural origin and renewable.
