Gerflor Group go even ‘greener’ with ‘We Care, We Act’ programme.

Sustainable flooring

As a world leader in resilient floor coverings the Gerflor Group is heavily committed to the future generations who will inhabit our World, and are now taking progressive, positive action to reduce their environmental footprint through a strong CSR policy.

Being a major industrial player, the Gerflor Group is aware of its responsibility and are now setting a green benchmark on environmental issues which affect the industry. For Gerflor it’s a bold eco-driven programme that has the pulse of the planet firmly in its hand.

Gerflor are no stranger when it comes to eco-driven policies and manufacturing procedures. For many years Gerflor has been acting positively at every stage of their products’ life cycle and developing sustainable production methods. This new initiative now heralds a new era in future-proofing our planet.

The Gerflor We Care, We Act programme is a five-step process to be achieved by 2025. Through this programme, Gerflor is committed to progressively adopting ever more virtuous processes in line with a circular economy approach, applied at every product life cycle stage: design, production, use, and second life. It’s a huge environmental challenge for this major player in the PVC floor covering market, but a task that Gerflor relishes.

Gerflor pledge to make five notable commitments to be achieved by 2025. These commitments will enable Gerflor, among others, to prevent waste disposal in landfills, this provides an opportunity for the creation of a product’s second life.

1/ Reduce the carbon footprint by 20% (kg of CO2 per m2 product).

It’s a positive process for change by developing sustainable floor coverings made in Europe, together with producing products more “cleanly” with less energy and ensuring there is sustainable thinking on products from their inception with a range of eco-designs. The average product lifetime is 25 years. Consume better and waste less, the circular economy approach starts here. In addition, Gerflor has constructed a set of guidelines built around 11 eco-design criteria covering the life cycle of its products. In this way it can manage the product’s carbon footprint, from design through to market presence and up to end-of-life. 80% of our products sold in Europe are made in Europe.

2/ Increase the use of Bio sourced materials to reach 10% by 2025

(5% in 2020).

Initiated in 2002 with cork (used as a backing in the Gerflor SAGA range) for its exceptional acoustic properties, the approach was continued in 2008 with 100% bio sourced plasticisers made from grain, then in 2018 with the manufacture of DLW linoleum incorporated in the group.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       3/ Maximise the use of recycled content to reach 30% of all products by 2025 (25% in 2020).

Gerflor products already contain 25% recycled material (Gerflor recycles its own ranges and those of other brands). The Gerflor Bateco range rollers already contain 100% recycled materials with GTI Technical Tiles containing 80% recycled materials and the Creation Click range containing 55% recycled materials.

4/ Gerflor aim to achieve 50% glue free solution by 2025 (35% in 2020).

Gerflor aims to reduce the use of glue as far as possible with 50 % of loose-lay products. Less glue and therefore more loose-lay products to reduce VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and make removal easier. The aim of this element of the We Care, We Act programme is to improve well-being and facilitate recycling and re-use.

5/ Recycle higher volumes to reach 60,000 tonnes by 2025 (50,000 tonnes in 2020).

PVC is 100% recyclable, a feature offering a wide range of new possibilities in terms of product uses. To meet the recovery challenge Gerflor has two systems in place in Europe: The first is their “PVC Next” programme which re-processes “soiled” end-of life products (glue-down items, items mixed with other materials or containing non-REACH compliant components). Secondly, since 2011, the “Second Life” programme for recovery of offcuts and “clean” end-of-life products. Second Life is a free programme for the collection of post laying offcuts and recovers competitors’ PVC products.

4 years ago, Gerflor Group linked up with recycling leader PAPREC in France, to create a plan for the recovery of laying offcuts and “clean” end-of-life products, known as Floor to Floor. Recycled materials generated by Floor to Floor are sent directly to Gerflor production sites where they are incorporated into new products.

With these five high profile pledges Gerflor is therefore committed to increasing its efforts at all production stages to preserve our planet’s natural resources. The Gerflor Group constantly strives to optimise its manufacturing methods. Its stance is to develop easy-to-live-with solutions that will improve the users’ everyday well-being and comfort but without sacrificing protection of the environment.

As a market leader with more than 80 years of expertise Gerflor manufactures and distributes innovative, design-led, eco-responsible solutions for covering floors and walls. The Group is present in both the contract and housing sectors including education, healthcare, offices, retail industry, housing, fitness, and sport sectors. Gerflor has 4,000 employees working in 12 production plants and 29 subsidiaries in 100 countries around the world.

Learn more about Gerflor solutions, ask for a free sample or contact us to speak to a specialist today by calling 03332 412901, emailing contractuk@gerflor.com, or visiting gerflor.co.uk for the latest innovations.

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