Environment

ENVIRONMENT

RESPECT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
IS BOTH A DUTY
AND A PRIORITY

Protecting people and the natural heritage that surrounds us is a commitment that Coem has been pursuing for some time and on which it intends to direct more and more resources.

Investing in innovation means promoting environmental protection through continuous research aimed at improving the entire ceramic production system and avoiding unnecessary wastage, waste and time, optimising materials and resources to ensure beautiful and sustainable surfaces. Requirements of eco-sustainability help to improve the quality and safety of environments within buildings and do not interfere with the visual appeal of the porcelain stoneware, which is always at the forefront of design and technological innovation.

RESPONSIBLE
PRODUCT DESIGN

We believe that in the future any waste can be transformed into a new resource, reducing the consumption of raw materials. With this in mind, we are working on a number of programmes of circularity for each area of our business. We have coached our designers on eco-friendly design, installed recycling bins in all our offices and created packaging that can be reused or recycled.

In addition, we are working with research centres and start-ups to try to promote technological innovations that enable more efficient waste management, the development of new recycled raw materials or eco-design tools that promote circularity.

CAREFUL MANAGEMENT OF
WATER RESOURCES

In 2022, specific water consumption fell by 19.3% compared to 2020. Absolute water consumption increased by 29% in 2022 compared to 2021. There was an increase in the quantity of wastewater and first rainfall treated and reused in internal processes (+10%) in absolute terms.

In order to minimise water consumption in its production processes, Coem has over the years developed an internal water reuse system through a water purifier.
In this way, almost all process water can be reintroduced into the production system several times, reducing the demand for water taken from the mains or wells. Coem can also boast of having implemented a rainwater recovery system, through a tank with a capacity of 25 cubic metres, located in the raw material storage areas, which allows first rainwater to be collected, treated and reused. Thanks to the low specific water consumption, Coem has obtained a level of excellence, as independently verified by Certiquality, for a number of aspects on the basis of the ISO 17889-1 standard.

REDUCTION OF 3.7%
OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION
COMPARED TO 2021

In both plants, Coem recovers waste heat from the kilns, which is conveyed to other thermal production processes with respect to firing, such as atomization and drying after pressing and forming of the piece, and for the heating of production environments in winter, recently updated in 2021. This reduces heat consumption and consequently the associated CO2 emissions. For thermal energy production, Coem uses methane gas, which among fossil fuels is the one with the lowest environmental impact, and prefers to purchase electricity generated from renewable sources to support its activities.

OUR CATALOGUES
ARE PRINTED ON FSC®
CERTIFIED PAPER

The Forest Stewardship Council ™️ (FSC) aims to ensure that forests are managed in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way, while also supporting local communities.

The importance of forests cannot be emphasised enough. They cover about a third of the planet, store carbon, filter water and provide millions of species with the habitat they need to survive. Despite being essential for the survival of our planet, forests are still subjected to destructive activities including deforestation, exploitation for crop farming and other poorly managed resource extraction activities.

PACKAGING WITH 100% RECYCLABLE MATERIALS

Coem has reduced the consumption of packaging materials by 50% compared to 2021

Our packaging uses mainly three categories of materials: wood, plastic and cardboard. Data show a fall of 10.5% of specific consumption of packaging materials compared to 2021. Wherever possible, cardboard bubble wrap and other environmentally friendly cardboard material is used for sample preparation, and where this is not possible as its use would cause the sample to break, recycled plastic bubble wrap is used. The shrink sleeves we use for packaging are made partially of recyclable plastic and are recyclable.

For several years we have adopted a packaging technology that makes it possible to reduce the consumption of cardboard by up to 50%, composed of recycled and completely recyclable material. In 2022 a programme for the gradual elimination of white cardboard, subject, therefore, to chemical whitening treatments, replaced by neutral unwhitened cardboard. The use of cutting-edge packaging machines, which package our ceramic surfaces directly in the machine and just-in-time with personalised graphics, make it possible to limit the consumption of cardboard. It is worth mentioning that achieves excellence in all the packaging parameters linked to the new ISO 17889-1 certification, as independently verified.