DURING COFFEE AT A BRAINSTORMING MEETING WE HAD THE BRILLIANT IDEA OF HOW TO MAKE FURNITURE SURFACING OUT OF RENEWABLE RAW MATERIALS: AND THAT‘S JUST THE BEGINNING....

The task

Melamine is the most important basic material in decorative furniture laminates, but it is obtained from fossil materials in an energy-intensive manufacturing process. In workshops we wanted to find a replacement material which is locally available in order to reduce transport costs, a material which should always come from renewable sources and have the potential to substitute at least 5% of the melamine used.

The solution

An innovative research project was initiated in cooperation with the Kompetenzzentrum Holz GmbH in St. Veit. The results exceeded all our expectations. While the characteristics of the end product remain the same, a large amount of the melamine can be substituted with modified sugar, replacing 60 tons, or 3 truckloads of melamine per month. Renewable, available locally, requiring shorter transport routes and less packaging, this „sugar sweet“ melamine substitute has a positive effect on the carbon footprint of these products.

Future prospects

For impress, the resin technology so successfully developed in this project forms the basis of further research in different fields in the exploration of renewable raw materials. impress is convinced that the solutions developed will have an exemplary role for other resin-producing companies and that it is only the beginning of such developments. Also within the parent company, Constantia Industries AG, impress can see many tie-ins for making resin technology more environmentally friendly.

THE IDEA

A PRODUCT MADE OF SUGAR NOW SUBSTITUTES 3 TRUCK-LOADS OF MELAMINE EVERY MONTH. THAT MEANS AN ANNUAL REPLACEMENT OF 700 TONS OF MELAMINE.

Saving transport miles

Until now, every third delivery came from overseas. In addition to shipping, long land journeysacross Europe were also made. Because of the local availability of the renewable raw material, the transport routes have been shortened and become more efficient, which in turn leads to a smaller carbon footprint.The reduction of packaging and the use of road tankers enable a cleaner delivery in liquid form. Therefore no more „big bag“ disposal is necessary (see photo above left).

Researchers

In modern times, the networking of skills and knowledge from different companies is the key to success. Scientific input, detailed analyses of chemical processes and laboratory trials were factors in the achievements of the Kompetenzzentrum Holz GmbH, who are currently the most important partner for impress in the research and development of coatings for wood materials. The second most important partner for the implementation of these important innovations was the affiliate FunderMax GmbH with its expertise in press technology and its welcoming attitude towards innovation.

THE ADVANTAGE

PART OF THE IMPRESS PHILOSOPHY IS SUSTAINABILITY.

Implementation

The new resin system can be used in all the normal ways for short-cycle lamination of wood material and also as scratch-resistant, extremely robust IPL-surface (IMPRESS PAPER LAM) for work tops.

Using all of these processes, the same excellence, the same durable surfaces of the same processible quality are offered to the customer - with the added advantage of helping to protect the climate by means of a sustainable surfacing.

RESPONSIBILITY

The Austrian Climate Protection Award is conferred by the ORF, the Austrian national broadcasting cor-poration, and the Lebensministerium, the ministry responsible for environ-mental issues, and organised in coop-eration with klima:aktiv, an Austrian climate protection initiative.

IMPRESS WINS THE AUSTRIAN CLIMATE PROTECTION AWARD 2010 IN THE INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE CATE-GORY. WE THANK EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN THIS WON-DERFUL SUCCESS.

Climate protection creates „green jobs“!Climate protection is a question of survival for humanity both today and for the future, as well as being an important motor in economics and job creation. 185 000 people are already working in „green jobs“ in Austria. If we use our climate protection know-how better, we can create another 100 000 new „green jobs“ in the next ten years. The Austrian Climate Protection Award shows how this can be done by bringing together a host of good ideas and projects.

Spotlight on the best!We at ORF have taken the topic „Sustainability“ as one of the key themes of our environmental policy. It is part of our public-law brief to be the public platform for communication and information on this issue. Especially private and company projects also make a very important contribution to climate protection. And this year as always, spotlighting the best and thus increasing sensitisation and commitment was the aim of the Austrian Climate Protection Award 2010.

Use climate protection know-how!By means of cooperation, processes with an effect on climate protection can be optimised over the long term. Our customers expect this, and we promote this. Nowadays, customers make increasing demands in terms of ecological thinking and sustainability. It is therefore important to define this aspect during the development phase of a product. In this day and age, the end consumer is aware of whether a company works in an environmentally-friendly way or not.

THE AWARD

Dr. Alexander WrabetzORF Director General

Niki BerlakovichMinister for the Environment

Heimo BresztowanszkyManaging Directorimpress decor GmbH

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

IMPRESS DECOR AUSTRIA GMBHKLAGENFURTER STR. 87 - 899300 ST. VEIT AN DER GLAN

ÖSTERREICH

E-MAIL AUSTRIA@IMPRESS.BIZPHONE +43.594.96 0

FAX +43.594.96 42 88

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THIS BROCHURE HAS BEEN PRINTED ON PAPER ORIGINATING FROM SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY.