09.11.2011 - The box plants of the Klingele Group have been awarded FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council®) certification. This means that – as well as the paper mill – the box plants of the Klingele Group are now FSC®-certified. The Weener paper mill of this family-owned enterprise received FSC® recycling certification in 2010. It was one of the first paper mills in Germany to do so. The entire production process for Klingele products – from the raw material (container board) to the finished corrugated packaging – is now compliant with the criteria of the international certification organisation FSC®, which promotes environmentally friendly, socially beneficial, and economically sustainable forest management.
Responsibility for people and the environment
"Responsible, economically sustainable activity and production are fixed components of our corporate philosophy" explains Dr. Jan Klingele, Managing Partner of the Klingele Group. "So FSC® certification was a natural step for us." In order to achieve certification as per FSC® guidelines, a meticulously thorough analysis of all relevant corporate processes was required. Some of these processes had to be modified. Finally, the entire FSC process chain was detailed in extensive documentation. "Now, we are able to verify at all times that we exclusively use waste paper or wood from responsible and controlled forest management throughout the entire material flow for FSC® orders, starting from the procurement of raw materials through to the processing of these materials to create corrugated board and the production of the final product – corrugated packaging" explains Mathias Goelz, Head of Central Quality and Environment. This means that the company's paper suppliers must also be FSC®-certified.
Corrugated board - a recyclable material
As well as the manufacturer, customers in particular are also increasingly placing a high value on sustainable, environmentally friendly products and production processes. "By attaining FSC® certification, we are affirming the inherent value of our products. In addition to the raw material - paper - all other components of our corrugated packaging are also ecologically harmless: The adhesives used are corn- or wheat-based and the printing inks are water-based" says Christian Hössle, Head of Central Environmental Management. "After use, the corrugated board is collected via the recycling system and reused in the paper mills. This makes our products all-round ecologically friendly materials – recycling products made from renewable raw materials that make a sustainable contribution to the future of our environment."