At the site Sins, Switzerland, the total energy consumed was reduced by 10% in 2019 and by a further 8% in 2020 despite an increase in production. This was mainly achieved due to projects focused on the gradual reduction of gas consumption and corresponding CO2 emissions. Gas consumption fell by 26% in 2019 and by a further 9% in 2020. The total use of cooling water fell by 15% in 2019 and by a further 36% in 2020, as a result of our specific associated improvements. Despite much higher production volumes, the amount of waste was reduced by ca. 12% in 2019 and by an additional 8% in 2020. Moreover, the production of our Swiss site benefits from the country’s energy mix with 75% coming from renewable resources (66% from major hydropower plants and 8.4% from solar, wind, small hydroplants and biomass).
In 2018, the High Point site, NC, US implemented several efficiency projects that positively influence the site’s energy and water consumption. In 2020, High Point further increased its production volumes by 44% and reported -28% less gas and -16% less water consumptions and only 33% more electricity usage than in previous year. Waste recycling programs help to maintain waste at the same level (+4% compared to 2019) despite production volumes almost doubling.
Our Balsa operation in Ecuador benefits from an energy mix in a country which is almost entirely powered by renewables. Hydropower is abundant and inexpensive, allowing 3ACM to fuel its balsa cores production in a sustainable way. Moreover, both of our sites in Ecuador and Papua New Guinea use biomass to fuel the boilers responsible for the generation of water vapor that
is used in our kiln-dry process for wood. The sawdust from our operation is also utilized to reduce to the bare minimum the sourcing of biomass from external sources.
Our focus on sustainability and constant awareness of scarce resources resulted in 5% less energy consumption in factoriesin China, even during market boom in 2020. The factory is equipped
with a solar power generator that supplies shower blocks and bathrooms for co-workers.
All our products, AIREX® and BALTEK® are compliant with REACH and RoHs regulations and include zero illegal hazardous raw materials.
Most of our sites have projects reducing energy consumption
and, as a consequence, the greenhouse
gas output. We closely monitor environmental emissions
and fulfill all government requirements.
For the balsa product, BALTEK® SBC, a Life Cycle Inventory
(LCI) analysis was carried out to quantify the
CO2 absorption from our plantations. As a result, BALTEK® SBC is the first carbonneutral
core material in the world. Moreover, our
company’s policy is to have a planting rate higher
than a harvesting rate that together with our genetic
improvement program means a constant increase in
biomass and higher carbon capture.
We are proud of having engineered 3ACM’ PET foams to absorb significantly less resin in sandwich production and hence avoid excessive material usage at the customer level. Moreover, requested end products’ properties are reached by our products with much lower density range than those from our competition.
Our company’s R&D and engineering departments work tirelessly on the continuous improvement of our PET and Balsa quality and property combination. All those facts make us proud to announce that 3ACM is making the future lighter and greener, and the end products of our customers more sustainable.
