Represented in Italy by Luxoro, the Kurz Group has long been engaged in the study and realization of projects aimed at environmental protection. The various innovations implemented over time, in terms of recycling and energy efficiency, have allowed the German Group to achieve satisfactory goals.
The Kurz Group is a global player in the field of cutting-edge technologies and solutions to make objects and their packaging unique and inimitable. In Italy its products are distributed exclusively by Luxoro.
The Group produces materials and systems for hot and cold stamping and digital metallization solutions suitable for different surfaces such as paper, fabrics and plastics. The sectors to which the company has been addressing over time are: food & beverage, cosmetics, wine & spirits, automotive, fashion and many others.
Both the Kurz Group and Luxoro have always been oriented to sustainability. For several years now, the two companies have put in place several measures to eliminate their impact on the environment in terms of production processes and products. Some examples of their commitment to the environment, supported substantial documentation, are: ISO 1400 certificate, Best practices for CO2 emissions or the Energy Efficiency Model.
In particular, thanks to strict company policies aimed at environmental sustainability, Luxoro has long been a 100% renewable energy company and WWF supporter with its protection and redevelopment initiatives for the fauna and environment.
SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES
Reduction of freight transport costs
The Kurz Group is an international company that has decided to produce locally; the various production sites are spread throughout the world, each at the service of a specific region: in the United States for North America, in Germany for Europe, in China and Malaysia for Asia. The Group has thus drastically reduced the environmental impact of freight transport, because it has managed to transfer its production operations to local sites in order to be able to manage logistics service in shorter times, cutting costs and significantly reducing its footprint on the planet.
Recyclability and reuse of materials
Kurz stamping technologies stand out not only for the exceptional quality and efficiency of processes, but also because they are able to guarantee a high degree of recyclability. Kurz products are not laminated substrates, metallized paper or laminated cardboard, but are produced with transfer techniques.
It is interesting to know that the aluminum foil used for a Kurz effect is 6,000 times thinner than a hair, so that technically the materials decorated with the products of the German Group are all recyclable. In addition, PET is not incorporated in the final product used, as exhausted PET is sent to an industrial waste disposal cycle for use as secondary fuel in an energy recovery plant. The properties of the energy obtained from the recycling of PET are extraordinary, in fact the high calorific value of this material makes it possible to power specially equipped plants, replacing traditional fuels such as gas, coal or oil.
The first worldwide PET recovery initiative put in place by Kurz dates back to 2010, but for some time now the Group has implemented a truly pioneering system capable of achieving a totally sustainable result. In fact, thanks to the innovative RECOSYS® programme, today the PET layer residue from the finishing process is converted and transformed from waste to the RECOPOUND® material for injection molding by means of a dedicated system. Along with the PET recycling system, Kurz also offers a separate collection scheme for the material included in the programme: RECOSYS® is the first scheme in the world for the recovery and recycling of the PET layer, finally closing the circle of sustainability. A step forward for the ecological transition and for the quality finishing technology which the German Group is planning to develop further by involving an increasing number of users.
On the certification side, Kurz transfer products were tested by an independent institute authorized to certify the deinking process. In these tests the German company scored 100/100, or the highest possible score. The products used remain separate from the paper fibers, so they remain separate also in the deinking process without affecting the recycled paper and are therefore suitable for all disposal schemes. In addition, the tests have shown that decorated surfaces can be 100% recycled. The existing disposal systems can detect materials decorated with Kurz products and send them to deinking in more than 90% of cases.
Recently, the compostability of several flagship products has also been certified; in particular, it is possible to apply on a substrate up to 1% of the mass of a product’s lacquer layer without limiting its compostability – which therefore does not affect the composting process of the substrate and has no negative effects on plant growth. The prerequisite is that the surface itself is compostable and complies with DIN EN 13432 standards.
Control of raw materials and green products
In terms of material procurement, Kurz has adopted a strict purchasing policy with stringent controls on incoming goods and is therefore able to ensure that the products contain only what is declared. The production process does not use raw materials containing volatile halogenated hydrocarbons that deplete the ozone layer, as well as heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, mercury or hexavalent chromium. In the production of transfer materials in all sites around the world, exhaust air is captured in the lacquering areas. Therefore, no wastewater is produced that contaminates the environment; this not only improves employee safety at work, but also reduces energy consumption and emission levels.
100% of the energy used at the German multinational's headquarters comes from renewable sources, while the Chinese headquarters are increasing the surface area of their solar panel installation up to 20,000 square meters in order to further reduce their environmental footprint.
At its locations around the world, the German company can adapt production globally in an efficient and homogeneous way, so as to reduce CO2 emissions and simultaneously support local and international markets. Kurz has obtained several global certificates in Environmental Management, Quality Standards, Energy Management and Health and Safety Management such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001 and ISO 45000.
