Lifecycle Thinking
Sustainable surface finishing
Sustainability – our responsibility
As a global company, we are aware of our responsibility to protect people and the environment. Being a pioneer in the industry when it comes to sustainability, we have been dedicated to a responsible approach to the environment and resources for decades. By joining the UN Global Compact, we have committed ourselves out of conviction to complying with the strictest standards. We received the silver medal from EcoVadis for our sustainability strategy, documented in the Sustainability Assessment Report 2023. This puts us among the top 25% of all companies assessed. In a sector comparison, we are even among the top 17%. We continuously optimize each of our areas of responsibility, from production to recycling. 'Lifecycle thinking' is the motto. With the highest quality standards and our unique PET recycling systems RECOSYS® and RECOPOUND®, we are taking a major step closer to the recycling economy every day. In Germany, we use 100% green energy for our efficient production processes, which is largely generated by our own photovoltaic, renewable, heat and energy systems.
What does this mean for you? Stylish surfaces inspired by nature that save natural resources. Because our sustainability innovations give you a competitive edge. This is what we focus on throughout our entire value chain: Robust finishing of your products, component recyclability, saving resources, and improving your eco-balance.
Excellent!
KURZ receives the ECOVADIS Medal in Silver underlines KURZ
for the Sustainability Assessment Report 2023.
Our production process
We always have one thing in mind: The careful use of resources in the production of our transfer decorations. We strictly monitor and sustainably optimize every production step – from pre-treatment to the design, order, and processing. This saves as much material as possible. Thanks to our renewable heating and energy systems, we remain far below the legal emission values. Our internationally uniform environmental standards even go beyond the statutory regulations. We are also setting an example in terms of electricity supply by continuously expanding our photovoltaic systems worldwide. With our production sites in Germany, China and the USA, we also enable short transport routes to reduce your CO2 footprint.
Certified reliability:
The application process
Your advantage with KURZ: Optimized processes, reliable machines, efficient results. Our wafer-thin transfer products are applied dry and emission-free, both in hot stamping and In-Mold Decoration (IMD) processes. Where possible, we offer our surface decoration on suitable backing material to match the injection molding material used for processes such as insert molding, IPD-skin®, IMD VARIOFORM®, or print mold design. We strive to follow a mono material approach wherever possible. With our products, recycled plastics can also be decorated.
During application in the IMD and hot-stamping processes, the PET film of our surface decoration only serves as a carrier material. As soon as the design decorates your product, the PET remains as a residual material. But we have developed an innovative solution for the residual material as well: RECOPOUND®.
Efficient, custom solutions are also the top priority when selecting machines. We configure our machines specifically for your applications. As part of our complete solution approach, we make sure that machine, process, and material form a perfect unit.
Your final product
Our guiding principle: Design for Recycling. Our decorations don't just impress with their spectacular appearance. They also score points for sustainability. They do not restrict the recyclability of products. Recycled materials also look as individual and high-quality as new materials with our finishes. To top it off, plastics are enhanced with KURZ finishes to make them more durable and long-lasting. The weight of your product is hardly influenced at all, because our in-mold and hot stamping decorations claim only one percent of the component weight as a whole.
And we know: Sustainability may be visible. That's why we also develop special designs for you to show that your product contains recycled content. By doing so, we contribute to raising awareness for our environment.
Recycling
Residues left over from production are also a valuable resource that can be used. That's exactly what we do. KURZ is currently the only company in the industry that takes back the PET carrier, RECOPOUND® processes it into pellets and makes them reusable for other products. We are working on gradually expanding our return system for PET carrier and are planning to set up recycling plants at all our production sites in the future.
Quality meets responsibility
Quality and responsibility come hand in hand. As a global player, we take our social responsibility very seriously. Future-proof manufacturing processes, optimized supply chains, increasing use of renewable raw materials, and much more - see for yourself what the conscious use of our resources means for KURZ.
renewable raw materials are currently used in KURZ decorations, with their share constantly growing
reduction in our customers’ carbon footprint through elimination of chromium metallization.
reduced carbon footprint for our customers with In-Mold Decoration
of exhaust bi-products from the production process is directly reclaimed and processed as heat in the production of new components
recyclable decorations
CO2 we are currently saving in the production of our decoration products, and the trend is upward
convincing results in terms of quality and design as with new materials
OROFIN – online
Magazine from KURZ
Take a look with us into the future of surface decoration and find out what is already possible today. Get inspiration and new ideas, hear exciting stories and learn more about innovations from the world of KURZ!
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