Florim has a long history of environmental sustainability. An awareness that began in the ‘60s and has become an integral part of our business model over time.
Targeted investments worth more than 58 million Euros since 2011 and routine production process management practices have enabled us to achieve major new milestones in the conservation of the environment and resources.
WATER
Virtually no environmental impact of wastewater discharges is specified at Florim, since 100% of the wastewater from the production cycle is reused. The only water not recycled is that utilized for the company’s washrooms and kitchens and the water which evaporates. In order to optimize the use of water resources, Florim has introduced innovative dry rectifying lines which enable the company to eliminate the physical/ chemical treatment of the water used in the rectification process.
In Fiorano and Mordano there are rainwater collection tanks for the recovery of rainfall. In 2022, 10.1 million litres of water were collected and fed into the production process, a number that was down from the previous year due to lower rainfall.
WASTE
Florim recovers and recycles, within the production process, all tile and slab greenware scraps, dust residues from filters and sludge from the wastewater treatment system. As well as the waste from its own production process, the company also reuses waste produced by third parties in both its Italian and United States plants. In 2022, the Italian company was able to sort and send for recovery 58,419 tonnes of waste – including by-products (fired shards) – representing 99% of the total. Including the US site as well, the average is 88%. At Florim USA, fired scrap is recovered during the process, thus not quantified as waste. Furthermore, waste management in the state of Tennessee does not provide for complete sorting, thus not allowing for a better result for the company.
ENERGY
Very large amounts of energy are required to power the production processes of ceramic tile plants, with consequent direct and indirect impacts on the local area and the environment. All the Group’s locations have state-of the-art plants with low energy impact. With two cogeneration plants with power of 14.4 MWe and 64,000 m2 of solar panels for 12.3 MWp in total, the Italian sites have a unique plant set-up for energy production. On sunny days, the Florim plants are able to produce up to 100% of the electricity needed to power the Italian sites. Since 2021, when self-produced energy is not enough, Florim S.p.A. SB only buys electricity from certified renewable sources.
In 2022, self-generation of electricity reached 78% of total consumption. Florim earned UNI EN ISO 50001 certification for its attentive energy management policy.
The packaging of Florim materials can be divided into “primary” (containing the product and in direct contact with it) and “shipping materials” (functional for its transport).
The cardboard carton is the main method of primary packaging. In addition to being 100% recycled and recyclable, it has been carefully designed to minimize use and reduce waste to zero through the use of automatic packaging machines. Shipping materials vary depending on the format of the product (pallets or wooden crates, racks, plastic covers, etc.). Florim only buys EPAL wooden pallets for the transport of 9 mm tiles. This ensures reuse and recycling criteria according to European regulations and compliance with high safety and quality standards. Furthermore, to encourage reuse Florim encourages the return of wooden packaging in good condition through a cash refund. Thanks to a partnership with the Italian supplier of plastic films (hoods used to cover finished products), the company has introduced a project for recovering the waste plastic, which is separately collected and returned to the producer. The material is then treated and regenerated to make a new product ready to be purchased again.
In an effort to minimize the environmental impact also downstream of its production, Florim has drawn up a guide on responsible waste management in order to incentivize the reuse and recycling of materials wherever possible, and in 2022 a Digital Environmental Labelling (EAD) system was introduced to facilitate the retrieval of information on packaging composition and disposal/recycling.
All raw material suppliers are monitored via a software program which records quarry location, distance from the plant, recycled content declaration and technical safety data sheets.
Florim products are therefore manufactured with carefully selected, controlled “ingredients”, blended and transformed into a highly sustainable material.
The Florim ceramic product consists of almost 90% choice quality natural raw materials: clays, kaolins, feldspars and sand. It is followed by finished product packagings, and other typical inputs of the porcelain stoneware production process.
QUALITY AND SAFETY GUARANTEE
Made in Florim products are a guarantee of safety, high innovative content and eco-friendliness.
The people who produce them work in a safe place and in ethically sustainable conditions.
Due to their nature, all Florim products are guaranteed free from toxic and pollutant emissions, do not accumulate electrostatic charges, are frostproof and completely inert and are undamaged by contact with flames.
You do not have to take our word for it: we have a long list of prestige international process and product certifications.
OUR GOOD PRACTICES
It takes more than figures to define a company.
Today, passion, innovation and a constant commitment to improvement are the long-established guidelines of the new, MADE IN FLORIM way of doing business.
Read our Sustainability Report.
Download the 2022 Sustainability Report [abridged version]
Download the 2022 Sustainability Report [extended version]
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