SUSTAINABILITY THE RIPPLE EFFECT
Sika Everbuild is investing to improve its sustainability credentials across a range of areas, as tells BMJ finds out.
C
arbon footprint, net zero, going green, whatever you call it there’s no escaping from the fact that sustainability is fast becoming
something that trade customers are having to sit up and take notice of. With more sites starting to impose restrictions or solvent limits on products being used, it’s more important than ever for merchants to fully understand the latest developments so they can advise their customers accordingly.
Sustainability simplified First, it’s important to acknowledge what affects the sustainability of a product. The manufacturing process and factory environment itself, as well as transport and logistics and the product’s packing all have an impact on a product’s embedded carbon. So, while products with low VOCs play an important role, they only really tell part of the story.
Small changes at every stage really can make a big difference. Sika Everbuild is one manufacturer committed to supporting UN Sustainability Goals and as such is working hard to make as many changes as possible, says senior product manager Hannah Sumner.
Packaging that packs a punch “We all know that plastic is bad for the environment but there’s also lots of reasons why it’s so commonly used for packaging, especially for building products – not least
because it’s lightweight and durable. So rather than searching for a different material which may not perform in the same way, companies like us are looking at ways to reuse recycled plastics for packaging instead,” she says. So-called ‘post-consumer recycled plastic’ or PCR plastic is typically the high-density polyethylene plastic commonly found in the packaging of many consumer goods such as milk bottles, shampoo and water containers, as well as sewer, water and gas pipes. Introducing packaging manufactured using PCR plastic is a way of reducing the industry’s reliance on virgin plastic and will save thousands of tonnes of plastic from going to landfill. “We are currently in the process of introducing new packaging, manufactured using a minimum content of 30 per cent PCR plastic, to the core product range. While the driving force is primarily to reduce the use of virgin plastics, the packaging’s primary goal is of course the need to protect products. The company’s research and development team has therefore carried out extensive testing to make sure that the new PCR packaging wouldn’t affect the storage, usability and performance of products. The only difference users may notice is the new grey colour,” she explains.
Leaner and greener Making manufacturing processes more energy efficient can help improve the embedded carbon of a product. This is a process or journey that a lot of manufacturers are undertaking at the moment, making improvements that will impact on their overall sustainability credentials.
Sika Everbuild has recently invested in its manufacturing facility in Leeds by installing 600 new solar panels on the roof. The panels will generate 180 MWH of power annually and with projected emissions savings of more than 228 g CO2/kWh per year. “We have also launched Pinkgrip MS, a new grab adhesive, in response to the growing demand for low VOC products. Expanding the popular Pinkgrip range in this way provides solutions for those customers looking for choice as well as performance allowing them to use the product that best suits their individual project requirements,
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budget and personal preferences,” she adds. The highly versatile Pinkgrip MS grab adhesive is formulated using hybrid polymer technology to bring together the application and performance benefits of both the original solvent-based Pinkgrip and solvent-free Pinkgrip SF products. But, Sumner is keen to point out, Pinkgrip MS’s low solvent formula does not come at the expense of performance. In fact, the new Pinkgrip MS has been developed to offer users more benefits with very few application barriers so as well as increased weather resistance, it will stick virtually any two materials together. “We also offer a range of low solvent products including the styrene-free chemical anchor adhesives – Everbuild Anchorset Green and Sika AnchorFix-1. Both provide the robust performance that the chemical anchoring process demands, while being better for the environment than similar alternatives and giving customers the choice to select the product that meets their needs.”
It’s not always viable to use a low VOC product, either it’s not available or it doesn’t meet the specific project needs. But taking into consideration other factors such as packaging or opting for a product that will last longer, can make a difference too. Sumner says: “As merchants it is often up to you to help customers make an informed decision at the point of sale. Making sure you’re armed with all the latest information from manufacturers and suppliers you’ll be able to guide your customers to make the choice that’s right for them, their client and the environment too. BMJ
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net July 2022
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