Environment

Neschen AG demonstrate why taking the PVC out of their products makes a contribution to any company's sustainable performance.

Through its motto: "ideas for success", Neschen is committed to helping its partners to successfully market their products and services.

The graphics product portfolio ranges from finishing, protection and mounting films to print media which can be used with modern digital printing technology for avant-garde architecture, decoration and advertising.

Frank Seemann, Marketing Director, explains, ‘The decision to take part in EcoPrint was a logical one for us as we at Neschen see the trend for sustainable products growing. Some of the many aspects relating to this topic are "green" mounting and laminating print media, efficient processes or material and energy savings. Neschen is therefore active on many fronts at the same time’.

PVC is used considerably by the wide format print sector largely because it offers a relatively cheap and robust media option for those wanting to buy mass volume, cheap product. And in response to this, Neschen is innovating in order to reduce the use of PVC in the print sector. Frank continues, ‘One approach Neschen is focusing on is innovation to create PVC-free media. For example, the Erfurt wallpaper CA by Neschen, is made entirely of fleece. The cellular and textile fibres used are free of PVC and softeners; they do not emit any aromatic compounds and acrylics which can be damaging to health. The New York material database ConneXion even lists the Erfurt wallpaper CA in the category "Naturals"’.

But why is PVC considered to be so bad? The Greenpeace helps by stating the following:

‘From its manufacture to its disposal, PVC emits toxic compounds. During the manufacture of the building block ingredients of PVC (such as vinyl chloride monomer) dioxin and other persistent pollutants are emitted into the air, water and land, which present both acute and chronic health hazards. During use, PVC products can leach toxic additives, for example flooring can release softeners called phthalates. When PVC reaches the end of its useful life, it can be either landfilled, where it leaches toxic additives or incinerated, again emitting dioxin and heavy metals. When PVC burns in accidental fires, hydrogen chloride gas and dioxin are formed.‘

Neschen is also replacing PVC through the focus in use of polypropylene in banner construction.

So why is Polypropylene considered to be better?

Frank says ‘This simply structured synthetic is a compound of the two elements, carbon (C) and hydrogen (H). On combustion of the raw material or the PP film, only water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) are released. There are no other environmental or health-damaging by-products. Modern cleaning and filter plants also reduce the emission of the climate killer CO2 to a minimum which is actually ideal for Germany, where refuse is usually incinerated. This is in marked contrast to many other types of synthetics which have to be disposed of specially and often severely harm the environment.’

EcoPrint continues to develop with valuable additions to an exhibitor base fully focused on sustainable innovation that, in tandem with a strong content programme, will provide the print sector with the most focused forum for sustainable innovation in print, there has ever been.

Register now at EcoPrint 2012 www.ecoprintshow.com

Sustainability in print has to be about the money, money, money…!

However there does, to me, seem to be some confusion over what sustainability is. Is it about being nice about the environment? Yes, but it has to be about profit first and what’s in it for me!

Money is important. Because without money, we simply won’t be able to make a social or environmental contribution. It’s obvious isn’t it? Well no, not when you get such a clouded issue as sustainability.

Let’s go back in time. When I joined the print sector back in 2006, there was a lot of talk about ‘overcapacity’ and the challenge of competition and price. If you think about it, it is a little crazy to think that when the market was so strong and growth was so normal, we were complaining about there being too much capacity and that price was an issue, especially when times were so good.

But it was clear back then, that many print companies really just print. The focus was on technology and print production in line with consistent customer demand and economic growth. The general interface between customer and printer was relatively transactional.

Most print companies said ‘I can do whatever you want’ and they let the technology and their ability to print do the talking.  I could see this wasn’t the future. I could see there were some very switched on businesses out there pushing, being proactive and innovative.

These were the businesses that were profitable, growing and that were commercially sustainable.

The rest were simply printing to demand, they were reactive and transactional.

And then 2008 came, the great downturn, and demand contracted. Waiting for the phone to ring wasn’t any more acceptable, as price competition became even fiercer and a lot of the medium size print businesses suffered, downsized, got acquired, or went out of business. The smaller were small enough to either withdraw their spending or survive in a subsistent way or they niched their offering and survived by being unique. The top just survived because size protects!  This to me is strong evidence of how a price focused business model isn’t sustainable. There will always be someone who does it cheaper. I was hearing crazy stories about print businesses out there that were printing and knowing they were losing money, but they felt justified in doing so, as at least they were working.

That isn’t sustainable. The commodity print model isn’t sustainable. So it is heartening to see leaders in technology creating products and education that provide the printing company with the ability to create value through innovation.

This is a more sustainable path, and one that will lead to profit. It’s good business. And if we have a good business that is profitable, we can think about doing the right thing for the society and the environment.

EcoPrint is raising the issue of sustainability to the print community. We believe our print community has to change focus and become more oriented towards value creation. The first step for any sustainable business has to be about generating profit.

So to those who don’t think sustainability is about profit. You are really missing the point.

Without money, value and profit we are nothing, we are non-entities and totally powerless to make a positive environmental contribution through business.

And business, I believe is the biggest opportunity for widespread change.

So discover how to make money through sustainability at EcoPrint 2012.

www.ecoprintshow.com

Miller Zell's Graphics Center in Atlanta, USA, has been Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP) certified. SGP is a non-profit organisation providing sustainability certification in the graphic communications industry.

The Miller Zell facility provides wide and super-wide format printing of POP and other in-store signage. The company chose to certify its facility due to increasing supply chain demands to adhere to environmentally-friendly methodologies and/or principles. With SGP Certification, Miller Zell has implemented best practices in sustainability and is staying in the forefront of this movement.

"Miller Zell is excited about going down the path of sustainability," comments Ford Bowers, General Manager, Graphic Center of Miller Zell. "We are working with every facet of our production model, from sales to the end user, to ensure everyone is educated on our initiatives to improve our environmental impact."

"It takes commitment for print facilities to become SGP Certified, and the benefits are worth it," comments Marci Kinter, SGP Chairman of the Board. "In addition to improving its operational efficiencies and reducing its environmental footprint, Miller Zell is well-positioned to meet the growing supply chain requirements."

Miller Zell is a G7-qualified proof provider, as well as a screen, litho, and digital printer. It uses state-of-the-art screen presses, computer-to-screen laser imaging, and the latest in digital print technology to provide its customers with the best value available in the print marketplace.

For more information, please visit www.millerzell.com

FESPA’s commitment to supporting the global print community in becoming more sustainable will continue at FESPA Digital 2012 in Barcelona from February 21-24, 2012.  Printers can benefit from free, independent advice from global experts on how to embed sustainable printing techniques within their business practices at the FESPA Planet Friendly Printing Zone (stand B15a) which will be open every day of the show. Printers can register for an appointment with an expert in the zone at http://www.fespa.com/digital/en/planet-friendly-printing/117-fespa-planet-friendly-printing-zone.html

Visitors will also have access to a whole host of environmental features and content at the show. Whether a printer is already involved in sustainable printing techniques, or is just setting out and is unclear where to start, FESPA has gathered together global experts in the field of sustainable printing who will be able to offer invaluable advice and tips to ensure their business is leading in this key area.

The global sustainable printing professionals offering their expertise include Paul Machin (author of the FESPA Planet Friendly Printing Guide); Laurel Brunner (leader of the Verdigris Project, and co-author of several EU standards relating to sustainability); Clare Taylor, (leading sustainable printing consultant); Dennis Geelen (FEBELGRA secretary and environmental expert); and Michel Caza (FESPA board member, screen-printing legend and co-author of the FESPA Planet Friendly Guide), plus a host of guests from organisations such as the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), an international not-for-profit organisation dedicated to promoting Sustainable Forest Management.

The two-day Planet Friendly Printing Conference within the Explore Conference programme (room 4.1) is focused on sustainability and the content is designed to offer insight from customers, printers and consultants on the drivers for adopting a more sustainable approach to business, the ‘why to be green’ – and on the many routes to improving the sustainable performance of your business - the ‘how to be green’.

The 'how to be green' presentations and debates are underpinned by three hour-long Planet Friendly Printing Workshops (room 4.3) giving more detailed insight and advice on improving your sustainable credentials in the area of carbon footprinting and energy efficiency.

Since 2004, FESPA has published the Planet Friendly Printing Guide which interprets and distils environmental best practice and legislation for printers and offers detailed advice on environmental management. To date, the Planet Friendly Printing Guide has only been available to members of FESPA’s 37 member associations. The latest version of the guide (11th edition) will remain exclusive to FESPA members. However, recognising that sustainability is a significant issue for all printers, FESPA will make an abridged version of the guide available to non-member printers around the world. Visitors can register for a free copy of the abridged Planet Friendly Printing Guide from the FESPA stand (B15).

FESPA’s Managing Director, Neil Felton comments, “Sustainability in printing is an issue that FESPA has championed within our community since 2004 as we encourage printers to embrace more planet friendly printing practices. The latest FESPA Economy Survey also highlighted that over 62% of respondents indicated that ‘green’ printing, or printing using more environmentally-friendly practices has seen an increase in demand as a service. Our continued emphasis on Planet Friendly Printing further helps to reinforce the message that sustainability can support profitability, while our vendor – neutral approach means that our advice and content is free of commercial ties.”

FESPA’s Planet Friendly Printing initiatives are part of its ongoing Profit for Purpose programme.

International paper merchant PaperlinX has successfully expanded its recycling service called YoYo. Initially designed to make it easier for offices to recycle waste paper, the programme now extends to recover additional waste materials for Robert Horne Group, The Paper Company and Howard Smith Paper Group commercial print customers, and Robert Horne Group sign and display customers. The service operates both in the UK and via Ospap in Continental Europe.

In the UK, PaperlinX supply chain partners include over 600 local and national expert waste service providers. By operating a highly flexible brokerage model, the company is able to tailor-make individual solutions for each customer to meet their specific service needs. In direct response to customer demand, PaperlinX extended the programme to recover additional segregated materials in paper, plastic and aluminium, to create second life products. The efficient logistics operation both saves raw materials and provides customers with recycled product options.

Customer feedback has been really positive. “We are delighted with the way the programme is delivering real customer value,” says Bob Latham, Head of Sustainability at PaperlinX.

Gary Hassell, Director, Aurora Graphics, Birmingham adds, “The YoYo recycling scheme has significantly improved our recycling rates and has enhanced our company’s sustainable credentials.”

“We are delighted with the services supplied by YoYo,” says Martin Wheatley of Melville Exhibitions in Coventry. “Since we started at our Coventry site we have seen both an increase in recycling and a reduction in costs. We have now awarded YoYo contracts to our five other UK sites and we anticipate useful administration savings as well as management information for waste compliance regulations.”

Commenting on the service, Richard Green, Director, Sign Specialists, Birmingham says, “We are very impressed with the new YoYo recycling scheme, it works extremely well in terms of managing our waste and has improved our recycling rates and manufacturing efficiencies.”

Following the success of the UK service, the first YoYo scheme on the Continent is running at PaperlinX’s Czech Republic subsidiary, Ospap. Over a twelve month pilot, the company has seen a rapid rise in customer demand for its collection and materials sorting service. Last month nearly 200 tonnes of materials were recovered and sorted. In addition, utilising its own logistics for returns has also helped the company enhance the carbon efficiency of its delivery fleet.

In his latest blog, Marcus Timson, Director of FM Brooks and co-founder of the EcoPrint Europe Live 2012 event, writes about the changing face of sustainability...

"One of the problems that some people seem to have with sustainability is its image.  For many people, the image of sustainability is that of an anarchic, righteous, self-satisfied, virtuous individual who recycles, eats pulses, campaigned for nuclear disarmament in the 1980’s and wears odd clothes.  While this image - or indeed stereotype - still exists, is making way for a modern, local, global, trend-aware and visionary individual who wants to conduct their life and business in a different way. Of course, it is difficult to shake of the image of the past, but in my opinion, sustainability has definitely moved mainstream and is becoming more and more business- focused.

And that is good because for sustainability to succeed, it has to be commercially successful.  No business is sustainable if it doesn’t make money.  No business can grow unless there is something of value that is being created and sold for a healthy profit.  And no business can generate social and environmental value without money and a commitment to innovation. A strong sustainable business has to be innovative throughout its processes, its personnel development and its product ranges in order to thrive in the long term.

But let’s get back to the image of sustainability.   In the UK in the 1990s, we had a character called Swampy (out of interest - where is he now?)   Anyhow, he was pilloried by the UK media and the political institution as an example of an irresponsible, but educated youth who had nothing better to do than cause a nuisance of himself.  Regardless, he raised the profile of the pro-active eco-warrior by protesting against road building in certain parts of the UK.

I am not doubting his good intentions or accusing him of anything other than good-natured and committed protesting.  However, he went some way to generate the stereotype that many people still have of environmentalism and sustainability: the generic view that - to be sustainable - you must be part of a small minority of misfits, with whom the mainstream cannot identify.

The current lead eco-warrior, as far as I am concerned, is Mike Duke, the CEO of Wal-mart.  The single biggest retailer and commercial employer on the planet, Wal-mart is making great strides in sustainability. It asks its enormous supply chain to align with Wal-Mart’s goals for carbon reduction. This is a real force for change and the brands, productions, employees, suppliers and customers of Wal-mart are all gaining some green credentials from this strategic and significant change. The collective impact of change on a massive scale reaches out and can make a big difference.

So over the past 20 years, the face of sustainability has completely changed.  For those who don’t understand or don’t want to understand sustainability then fine, continue doing what you have always done.  However, the world is changing and soon enough bad print won’t be tolerated by the mainstream.

ASDA, which is owned by Wal-mart, recently reported that its customers consider that green is actually the ‘new normal’. To them, it isn’t such a big deal or nor does it represent a big change.  So people are changing and have changed; businesses are changing and have changed; ergo so must print. Whether you are a wide format printer, offset, litho, flexo, label, screen or digital, narrow, whatever, and however you describe yourself, change will occur.  The EcoPrint Show will help any print company make sense of this change, align with the new face of sustainability and profit in the process."

For more information on The EcoPrint Show, please visit www.ecoprintshow.com