ANALYSIS | Sustainability
decisions in terms of our sustainability pledge”. Similarly, Falmec UK’s managing director, Sean Drumm, believes that all is not lost just because we can’t see the bigger picture or end goals. “If we all look at our supply lines and where it’s all coming from, we have a chance. Even the small changes matter, so we need to keep going along this path.” He concludes that, in the grand scheme of things: “All we can do is our best.” For Tim Spann, UK national sales manager at
Keller, such philosophical questions don’t actually matter as much as their solutions. He firmly believes that: “not knowing you are on the right track is not an excuse for inactivity. Find the right track, set goals and deliver”.
Retailer responsibility However, even if manufacturers believe they’re leading the way with sustainability, they have to get the retailers on board to have any hope of reaching the end consumer. Speaking from experience, Keith Myers, owner of The Myers Touch in Winchester, feels that “more knowledge about the issues of sustainability would be useful” to retailers. He believes that independent retailers offer a vital link to changing consumer attitudes, and if suppliers keep retailers informed, they can help feed this back to consumers. Hisense UK’s Matthew Glynn echoes Myers’ point, agreeing that: “Retailers do play a big role in the journey to improved sustainability. They act as the middlemen, speaking to brands on behalf of their consumers, so it’s a real collaborative approach.” He also agrees that: “Brands and retailers must work together in an effort to become more sustainable, in a way that works for all parties.”
Ziggy Kulig, CEO at Graff, also believes that working with retailers will become vital as consumers become more and more critical of their products. Kulig says: “Providing education and availability of information – such as transparency in supply chain, – allows consumers to trace the origin and impact of products. This is key to ensuring retailers understand not only what makes a product sustainable, but also why it is so important.”
Collaboration
One of the key takeaways from Egger’s press conference was that a climate crisis threatens us all, so in turn, we all need to work together to find solutions. Although it’s clear that global brands are working together for the same goals, is it enough to make real change? Roman Showers believes that: “although strides have been made towards sustainability in the industry,
the sustainable shift will give us “some excellent new opportunities and it will be those suppliers and retailers that lead the way who will reap the biggest rewards”.
there is certainly more that can be done”. The manufacturer believes the KBB industry can collectively strive for more ambitious sustainability goals, such as having retailers rank suppliers based on their sustainability practices, and advocate for a shift towards circular economic principles. Head of UKE Home Solutions, Helen Lord, believes that collaborating with other sustainability-driven organisations has the potential to accelerate sustainable initiatives. As an example, she cites her company’s recent collaboration with Magnet to extend UKE’s Rehome or Recycle trade-in service to customers. Lord explains: “This collaboration has enabled Magnet to expand their sustainability focus by taking responsibility for the kitchens they replace, thus supporting the circular economy by reducing landfill waste and protecting the environment.” Meanwhile, Blum UK’s technical manager, Matthew Glanfield, thinks we should look beyond the KBB industry and “ask whether we are doing enough on a global scale”. He believes that we all need to adapt to new advancements as they are introduced. “As new technologies are developed, as we find better ways of handling waste or more recycling options become available to us.” Managing director of the KBBG, Bill Miller, thinks that the problem goes beyond that of just manufacturers, and is the responsibility of the whole industry,
“including SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS
What are some of the ways suppliers are embracing sustainability in novel ways? Stephan Patrick Tahy, CEO at Duravit – “Construction is under way on our Canadian production facility, where the world’s first ever ceramic furnace, powered
with 100% green energy, will commence operations in 2025.”
Steph Harris, product manager at Showerwall – “In recent years, we have eliminated the use of UV ink in our acrylic printer to mitigate environmental damage caused by
the high energy consumption and recycling challenges associated with this ink. All of the forklifts at the Showerwall factory are electric,
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which is contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable operation.”
Tom Hopper, kitchens manager at Miele – “We test most of our appliances for a 20-year lifespan where possible. This means that every new Miele series is subjected to gruelling endurance and load tests that are unparalleled in the industry.”
Andrea Hayes, product manager at Aqualla – “In further alignment with our eco-conscious ethos, all our brochures are crafted from recyclable paper, complemented
by a QR code encouraging digital brochure downloads to minimise paper usage.”
suppliers, retailers, associated business partners and the media”. He believes that
Eco-conscious earnings So, if retailers believe the responsibility is on suppliers to ensure a sustainable supply chain, how can they balance earning a profit with their sustainable responsibilities? Guy Tooth, operations and supply chain director at Moores, believes that even though sustainable manufacturing and processes could cost suppliers more, they need to focus on the long-term payback they’ll have, instead of focusing on the short- term cost. Similarly, VitrA’s sustainability director, Gokce Otkun, believes that there can be benefits for sustainable suppliers – as well as the planet – down the line. She says: “The obvious advantages are improved
cost efficiencies against energy
Not knowing you are on the right track is not an excuse for inactivity. Find the right track, set goals and deliver Tim Spann, Keller
consumption and reducing waste and operational costs, but being more sustainable can also open opportunities. It can engender improved value for employees, customers and the communities in which we operate and become a key competitive advantage.” Interestingly, Stefan Gesing, CEO of Dornbracht, doesn’t believe that profit and sustainability need to be mutually exclusive. He says that Dornbracht’s ReCrafted range helps demonstrate that refurbished products can be just as valuable as new ones, and helps highlight “the beauty of a circular economy”. Returning again to that theme of collaboration, Lee Hudson at Just Trays believes that the answer lies in being open and honest with each other.
He acknowledges that: “There will be a cost to producing more eco-friendly products and operating in a more sustainable manner. But if
everyone in the industry can get behind it, costs will of course become standardised.” Unsurprisingly, the outcome of Egger’s January press conference was that there aren’t any simple and definite answers about the challenges to sustainability. Similarly, none of us has a comprehensive guide to navigating the issue, and none of us ever knows quite what is around the corner. However, although this is a concern, today’s industry leaders are also optimistic that through collaboration we can use the challenges of sustainability to create new opportunities. Blum CEO Philipp Blum concluded that: “[Blum is] intrinsically motivated in sustainable efforts. It’s not a new topic, but new solutions are emerging all the time, and we need to pursue them with motivation and passion.” Similarly, Häfele’s chairman Gregor Riekena said: “I’m confident this will work out, and we’ll have a sustainable company in every sense of the word. Sustainable investments can be implemented with as small a footprint as possible. With a positive mind-set, we will get there.” As the host of the conference, it’s only fair that Michael Egger Jr has the last word. Despite identifying some major challenges to sustainability, he feels like these are not insurmountable problems. “My grandfather was already thinking sustainably in 1961. He believed that woodchips are simply too expensive to throw away, so he first looked at how we can reuse them again and again”, he recalled, concluding: “In these times, we can’t do it alone, and we’re all going through this process together. If we communicate openly and honestly, I truly believe this always pays off, so we need to look to the future together as an entire industry.”
• March 2024
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