Folex commits to becoming carbon neutral by 2045

Provider of finishing and coating of films and specialty media, The Folex Group, has revealed ambitious goals to reduce C02 emissions and become carbon neutral.

The company’s goals include reducing CO2 emissions by 40% by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2045.

Folex has compiled CO2 balances based on the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, which categorises GHG into three scopes, for all its locations in recent years.

Scope 1 refers to direct emissions from sources controlled by the company and Scope 2 refers to indirect emissions related to the generation of electricity, heat, steam, or cooling consumed by the company. Scope 3 refers to all emissions generated in a company’s value chain but not controlled by the company.

Having completed this assessment, Folex found that it was necessary to permanently reduce these emissions in line with the climate goals of the European Union.

The result is a transformation concept developed in collaboration with Rudolphi Energieeffizienz initially developed for Folex Coating in Cologne but which will be implemented across other FOlex Group locations in Schwyz and Erlangen.

Included in the concept are plans to establish an energy monitoring system with the aim of enabling valid CO2 accounting down to the level of equipment and products.

With Folex already covering its entire electricity demand with certified green electricity, the transformation concept focused instead on the emissions generated through the coating process and exhaust gas treatment. This will be reduced through the optimisation of processes and hardware. 

Folex will also aim to significantly reduce the use of solvent by moving to water-based systems; is switching its vehicle fleet to electric vehicles; and is utilising climate-neutral district heating or equivalent solutions instead of using oil or gas. 

Also highlighted is Folex’s sustainable PureLine product range which contributes to the responsible use of resources and the reduction of plastic waste.

Examples include the new Dialux R-50 Backlit Film for water-based inks and latex inks which is based on polyester with 50% post-consumer recycled content, and the REGU Pure Active Release 200 Rollup Film which utilises the ‘Split and Recycle’ technology for coated display films.

“Folex demonstrates that environmental and climate protection are achievable even in the field of film coating,” the company says, adding: “With its ambitious transformation concept the progress already achieved in CO2 reduction, and the development of environmentally products.”

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