From covers for outlets to overspray: We recycle with passion and good ideas
We are working to use the materials we employ as efficiently as possible and to reduce material wastage during production, but still there is inevitably a certain amount of waste. And there may be the occasional mishap in production from time to time. We are constantly optimising our processes and reducing material consumption. The result? We don't automatically dump faulty products - we'd rather recondition them so they are flawless. Or choose a new path: The BetteAir waste cover, for example, is made from suitable offcuts of the steel sheets produced when the shower tray is cut to size.
What can be done against the exploitation of the earth? I look to see how we can make the processes here in the company more sustainable. After all, it's no good just talking about sustainability; we have to live it as well.
We also reuse suitable offcuts from steel processing for the waste cover on our new BetteAir shower tray. But that's not enough to us as a responsible company. We'd rather try to use the materials as effectively as possible in every stage of production.
So what specifically does that mean? For instance, that we recycle the remnants from the steel sheets that we cut the blanks for our bathroom products from. This calls for creativity so that we have important accessories such as bath feet or hanging tabs at the end.
The cover for our new BetteAir shower surface is one of these circular products. And we are proud that this circular approach to manufacturing the BetteAir results in very little waste.
We are able to achieve this because we continuously review our processes and work specifically to reduce material wastage and make more efficient use of the materials we use. This also applies to the oil that we use in our deep-drawing process to prevent the steel blanks from cracking as they are being shaped. We collect it and reuse it as a valuable raw material. The same applies to the enamel that mists as it is applied to the blanks - known as overspray. We also collect that and reuse it.
The issue of recycling is becoming increasingly important – not least because of the scarcity of raw materials. That is why we are constantly working to use materials as efficiently as possible and to reuse recyclable materials in the production process. I believe we have a responsibility to future generations in this regard.
Overspray:
We return about 0.55 tonnes of overspray to the enamel production every day.
Offcuts:
We recycle any remnant from a steel sheet that is longer than 300 mm.
Drawing oil:
The oil that we use to ensure that our steel blanks do not crack during the deep-drawing process consists of 5% recycled drawing oil. We collected it during the earlier processes and reuse it.
And of course, things do occasionally go wrong - perhaps the coating on a bath is flawed. The enamel may be uneven after firing. There could be a dent in a shower surface. We don't dump faulty products like these. We recondition them until they are flawless and comply with the high standards of our quality control. And if a product ever is beyond saving, we'll return it to the steel production process.
Are we perfect when it comes to recycling? Probably not, no. But we're working on it - we promise!
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