20 patents, 9 certifications, two 100% environmentally sustainable production lines ( cArtù ® and cushionPaper™), 10% of production value invested in R&D and machinery
Grifal Group ended the year 2020 with a +14% growth in demand in the last quarter, a clear sign that the post-pandemic period has significantly increased customers’ awareness of sustainable choices, recognizing the Group as an excellent interlocutor capable of meeting this type of demand.
This is one of the most significant insights emerging from the new Sustainability Report , a report recognized for its original design and prepared in accordance with the GRI Standards. Other important indicators include:
- 20 international patents
- 9 environmental certifications
- two production lines of cushionPaper™ and cArtù ® 100% environmentally sustainable, highly efficient in terms of speed and reduced energy consumption
- More than 10% of the value of production invested in research, development and machinery
- Increasing the paper-to-polyethylene ratio within packaging solutions-a goal achieved at 75 percent
- The design of new technologies with lower environmental impact
Life Cycle Assessment
According to the life cycle assessment (LCA) study On the product life cycle, cArtù®, created and patented in 2016, is a Up to 80% more environmentally friendly solution than traditional packaging, while the use of a single box of cushionPaper™ avoids the emission of 20.52 kilograms of CO2 into the atmosphere, equal to the carbon dioxide absorbed by 60 trees. In 2020, as many as 179 projects were made of cArtù® and paper-based material.
Also from the LCA analysis, it was also found that the environmental impact of Grifal Group’s role on the entire supply chain of cArtù® affects only 8 percent, which includes raw material transportation, production, and scrap transportation. The remaining 85 percent relate to the raw material production and procurement phase and 7 percent to the distribution, utilization and disposal phase.
Raw Materials and the Circular Economy
In 2020, Grifal Group’s purchase of paper increased by +204% while cardboard (-15%) and polyethylene (-9%) decreased.
100 percent of the paper purchased to make packaging is guaranteed FSC® and PEFC™, internationally recognized certifications for all forest-based products that ensure the raw material comes from forests managed exclusively in a sustainable and responsible manner.
Finally, 90% of the Group’s production waste is recyclable, while polyethylene waste is returned to the manufacturer to be put back into the production cycle. On the water-saving front, there was a significant -30% reduction in water consumption in 2020.
The message from Fabio Gritti, CEO of Grifal Group
“Our approach to sustainability and the area in which we operate is a consequence of our mission: to design, develop and manufacture packaging while minimizing the environmental impact of our activities.
In fact, the innovative technologies we have developed produce corrugated materials that, for the same volume, reduce raw material consumption and thus also decrease CO2 production.
With our products and technologies, we help influence the impact of all production chains as the adoption of environmentally friendly packaging improves the level of sustainability of our customers’ products and, indirectly, also raises the awareness of the consumers who buy them.
By 2022 we will conclude the expansion of our Cologno al Serio facility where a new high-performance production line will be installed, meeting the characteristics required by Industry 4.0 standards, and we will continue to lay the foundation for our development process.
In fact, in partnership with other packaging companies, we want to create an international network of production sites with the goal of locating close to outlet markets so that our more products are more competitive, especially in terms of cost.”