Coroplast Global | Sustainability | 08 Aug 2024 On the path to a circular economy
A circular economy requires a proactive approach
A growing number of companies are committing to the circular economy, in which the use of resources and waste production are reduced through sustainable product design, maintenance, recycling and remanufacturing. For manufacturing companies like the Coroplast Group, this means: we have the opportunity – and the responsibility – to develop sustainable solutions throughout the entire product life cycle.
Generally, we evaluate the sustainability of our products and solutions based on two criteria. We consider our products “sustainable” if they can be used in areas that contribute to decarbonization and/or are more resource-efficient than comparable products due to their design or production processes.
A circular economy requires the courage to change
The targeted selection of materials or revision of production processes offers ever-growing potential for sustainable solutions. As a company in the automotive industry, we can play our part in making emission-reducing innovations possible. One area of focus is solutions for lightweight construction. Whether it’s with the use of adhesive tapes as a protective or bundling system, or with optimized HV conductor designs – small things can really make a big difference: each component installed in the vehicle has the potential to reduce its overall weight and thus reduce its energy consumption.
At the same time, we are also working on implementing circular approaches in product development and production.
A circular economy requires long-term thinking
Another important contribution can be made by calculating the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF). Climate-relevant emissions are generated at every stage of the product life cycle – from the extraction and transport of raw materials, to production, operating, recycling or disposal. The lower these emissions are, the better for the climate. By calculating the PCF for our products and solutions, we create transparency, identify medium and long-term emission-saving potential, and support our customers on their way to becoming climate-neutral.
A circular economy requires collaboration
The path to a circular economy can only be mastered together. To do so, we prioritize cooperation and exchange – both with our customers, as well as many different stakeholders from business, politics and the community. One expression of this commitment is our founding membership of the Circular Valley foundation, in which start-ups from around the world work with companies, associations and scientific institutes in our region – with the goal of rethinking product and material cycles and driving sustainable change. With interdisciplinary exchange, mentoring programs and support for start-ups, we want to actively contribute to advancing this future issue at a regional, national and international level.
Three questions for Natalie Mekelburger, President and CEO of the Coroplast Group “Sustainability requires design freedom”
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Circular economy is a component of our sustainability strategy, and it is also the one associated with tremendous complexity. We want to be among the first to shape central issues and to do so, we need to look intensively at the entire value chain. Our customers appreciate our activities because they ultimately support them in becoming climate-neutral.
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The circular economy must be viewed on a local and international level. We are involved in regional initiatives, such as the Circular Valley, whose mission is to promote the topic of the circular economy – for example by building networks and supporting impact-oriented start-ups. We believe that we can accomplish the most by combining forces and collaborating with others. Meanwhile, in times of global supply chains and raw material management, long-term progress needs to be viewed on an international level, and sustainable strategies implemented throughout the Coroplast Group.
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We want to continuously improve and are passionately working on finding new solutions. To do so, however, we also need design freedom. Constantly increasing legal requirements and reporting obligations pose major challenges by tying up our resources and ultimately ensuring that we have less energy to channel into the development of effective, sustainable measures.
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