At the Akzo Nobel adhesive factory in Kristinehamn, there is a focus on sustainable products with low emissions. The adhesive is used in the production of plywood sheets and glulam at Moelven.
"We have taken steps to make the adhesive deliveries for Moelven Vänerply’s sheets more sustainable through the use of dedicated transport," says Jenny Falkeling, Supply Chain & Logistics Manager at Akzo Nobel Adhesives AB.
The dedicated transport means that the lorry used to transport the adhesive does not need to be cleaned between each journey, helping the environment in terms of both water and waste.
Internal purification of production water
The water used for the production of the adhesive undergoes purification treatment at the factory using an approved treatment system.
"The water is cleaned completely and we have a permit to release the water into Väneren. This means that we choose to take responsibility for some of the natural resources we use," says Falkeling.
Sustainability is at the forefront of activities at the company, which exclusively uses electric trucks in its production and that has set clear targets for the future.
"By 2030, we will use renewable energy only and we will have cut 50 per cent of our carbon emissions. We also have a goal of not generating any waste that cannot be recycled," Falkeling says. As part of the efforts to use renewable energy only, the Kristinehamn factory is now looking at solar panels to get closer to its target.
Smarter use of adhesive
Several customers, including Moelven Vänerply AB, also have their own machines to mix the adhesive at the correct ratio and quantity for their products.
"We supply two-component adhesive. The fact that components can be mixed correctly and in the correct quantities at the customer’s premises is sustainable as it avoids having to dispose of adhesive or adhesive having the wrong consistency. Our new machine system can also communicate directly with our Adhesive department to achieve smarter production," Falkeling says.
The factory is also working to minimise emissions from the adhesive it produces. "We have developed several adhesive types that have less emissions than traditional adhesive. This benefits the environment," says Falkeling.
Moelven and the UN Sustainable Development Goals
To ensure that our work on sustainability has clear direction and a global perspective, we have chosen to connect our four main areas to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The article you’re now reading is linked to “Local values” and sustainability goal #8 Decent work and economic growth.
Read more about what the different goals mean to us here