Today Formica Group has announced the achievement of another key goal in its sustainability journey, with the introduction of FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council®) Certified Laminates manufactured in its European plants.
In this important step, FSC certified laminates are now available as standard across the majority of Formica Group’s European product portfolio. This includes the full plain colour offer and over 70% of patterns, available in High Pressure Laminate (HPL) and Compact Grade laminates and also specialist Formica® product ranges such as DecoMetal® metallic laminates, ColorCore® through colour laminates and VIVIX® exterior façade panels.
An increasing number of commercial and residential projects are demanding certified wood-based products; Formica Group FSC Controlled Wood Laminates can be combined with FSC Mix board/materials to produce a final certified product. This can be used for applications such as furniture, wall panelling, doors, worktops and washroom cubicles, and can also contribute to credits under Green Building schemes such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) ratings systems.
Formica Group announced in 2012 that it had achieved the internationally-recognised Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain of Custody (CoC) certification for its global manufacturing operations.
"At Formica Group we have adopted a forward thinking approach to understand the future sustainability impacts on the business. FSC compliance in all of our facilities was a key goal and now with FSC Certified Laminates, and in particular with the introduction of new EU Timber Regulations, customers across Europe can be assured that the materials used in the production of our products are from carefully monitored sources," said Gavin Todd, Group Development Director.
EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) came into force 3rd March 2013, making it illegal to place illegally harvested timber and timber products onto the EU market. Forest certification schemes, such as FSC, can play a major role in reducing the risk of illegal timber in the supply chain as all certified timber originates from a forest or forest region that has been risk assessed against a number of criteria including legality.
Formica Group’s sustainability journey
Sustainability is more than just a goal with Formica Group; it is a fundamental business requisite across its operations all over the world. As a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of innovative surfacing products, Formica Group strives to meet customers' evolving needs for sustainable products as well as keep its commitment to reduce its environmental impact.
Having adopted sustainable business practices throughout global operations, conformed to the standards set out by the green building community, Formica Group continues to innovate and has raised the bar for the surfacing materials industry internationally.
Initially, the company undertook a comprehensive study in the form of a product Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to benchmark existing processes, help set goals for the future and provide a full carbon footprint for its manufacturing facilities.
Formica Group completed this LCA on key products and their environmental impact on energy, water, waste and greenhouse gases in all its ten plants worldwide. The assessment was conducted by an independent, third-party carbon and sustainability consultant in accordance with the international standard ISO 14040 series.
Formica Group is the first laminate manufacturer in the world to be awarded the Carbon Trust’s Carbon Reduction Label. Products from Formica Group’s international manufacturing sites have achieved GREENGUARD™ Indoor Air Quality Certification, the premier mark for low-emitting products.
The European manufacturing plants operate an environmental management system which complies with the requirements of ISO 14001:2004.
Formica Group is this year celebrating 100 Years of innovation in the production of Laminate, and continues to develop in the 21stCentury by evolving its product offering and operating as a responsible company.
