lundi 13 janvier 2025
KURZ is working on reducing the carrier material of all our products in the graphic industry
The company in a few lines
The KURZ Group is a global leader in hot-stamping and thin film technology. KURZ develops and produces decorative and functional layers applied to carrier foil for different industries, from the packaging and printing industry to the automotive sector and the electronics, card, and textile sectors.
KURZ supplies an extensive range of products for surface finishing, decoration, labelling, and counterfeit protection, complemented by a comprehensive range of stamping presses and stamping tools. The company also invests continuously in new technologies and develops innovative solutions for integrating functions into surfaces. The KURZ Group has more than 5,500 employees at over 30 sites worldwide and produces under standardized quality and environmental standards in Europe, Asia, and the USA.
A global network of subsidiaries, representatives, and sales offices ensures short paths and individual, on-site consulting.
2/ In 2023, Kurz presented « Cold Transfer for Sheet-fed Printing on a 6 µm Carrier – with First-Class Sustainability Benefits »
How has the packaging evolved since the show?
After reducing our carrier material of our cold foil products, we worked on reducing the carrier material of all our products in the graphic industry. Now we are happy to announce that most of our cold foil products are on a 6 µm carrier and for our hot stamping products we were able to reduce the carrier thickness to 10 µm, so we have reduced the carrier material by 17 % and 50 % respectively. In addition to reducing, recycling of our material has also been improved.
How has the packaging evolved since the show?
After reducing our carrier material of our cold foil products, we worked on reducing the carrier material of all our products in the graphic industry. Now we are happy to announce that most of our cold foil products are on a 6 µm carrier and for our hot stamping products we were able to reduce the carrier thickness to 10 µm, so we have reduced the carrier material by 17 % and 50 % respectively. In addition to reducing, recycling of our material has also been improved.
Now we are bringing important raw materials back into the cycle with our carrier recycling system RECOSYS® 2.0. With the help of RECOSYS® 2.0, used carrier materials from the graphic industry can now be processed into recycled PET (abbreviated: rPET) for the first time. rPET is used, among other things, in the manufacture of plastic bottles or plastic packaging and also offers a wide range of possible uses. Our long-term goal is to recycle all our products and use them to produce new carrier material. This will enable us to achieve a truly circular economy in the future, where excess material no longer has to end up in the trash.
All customers participating in RECOSYS® receive a recycling certificate, which is confirmed by the independent environmental expert organization Intechnica Cert GmbH. This certificate confirms the traceability of the process, and transparency towards end customers and consumers. It also provides information on the annual CO2 savings. RECOSYS® 2.0 can also reduce scope 3 emissions, i.e., greenhouse gas emissions along a company’s entire value chain, by up to 90 percent.
All customers participating in RECOSYS® receive a recycling certificate, which is confirmed by the independent environmental expert organization Intechnica Cert GmbH. This certificate confirms the traceability of the process, and transparency towards end customers and consumers. It also provides information on the annual CO2 savings. RECOSYS® 2.0 can also reduce scope 3 emissions, i.e., greenhouse gas emissions along a company’s entire value chain, by up to 90 percent.
With RECOSYS® 2.0, KURZ customers get a demonstrably optimized sustainability balance and a distinct competitive advantage that also benefits our environment.
3/ The certifications from KURZ
KURZ Partnerships: A Commitment to our Customers
Sustainability is more than a catchword at KURZ. It is reflected company wide in our products and processes – and in our commitment. As a member of numerous industry initiatives for more sustainability in different sectors, we are involved in sparking major initiatives on the road to a recycling economy.
Environmental Management: Certificate ISO 14001
The company KURZ presents its customers not only environmentally acceptable products for an ecologically beneficial technology, but commits itself towards responsible environmental protection.
We accept responsibility for our own actions and voluntarily practice more environmental protection than required by law. KURZ has created an active, tailored environmental management system (according to ISO 14001) that is managed from our Fürth site and is followed and implemented by our employees each and every day.
Environmental awareness, and putting it into practice, has gained more and more importance over the years and is now an integral and essential component of our daily business operations.
As an internationally active producer of foils and a global employer, we are well aware of our social responsibility towards our different stakeholders. Therefore we have created a global environmental model to encompass our entire organization :
• We will motivate our employees to dedicate themselves to following environmentally sound and responsible behavior.
• We will take precautions to ensure that the impact of our plants on the environment is minimized while at the same time providing safe working conditions for our employees.
• We will promote the economical use of resources – in our production processes and in the development of our products.
This model forms the basis of environmental policies in all our different locations and branch offices around the world.
For us the permanent improvement of our environmental standard is a duty and also a
challenge.
https://www.leonhard-kurz.com/portal/resource.nsf/imgref/Download_Kurz-CertificateEnvironmental-Management-ISO-14001-2023.pdf/$FILE/Kurz-Certificate-EnvironmentalManagement-ISO-14001-2023.pdf
challenge.
https://www.leonhard-kurz.com/portal/resource.nsf/imgref/Download_Kurz-CertificateEnvironmental-Management-ISO-14001-2023.pdf/$FILE/Kurz-Certificate-EnvironmentalManagement-ISO-14001-2023.pdf
Energy Management: Certificate ISO 50001
As an additional commitment to an environmental responsible and sustainable behavior, LEONHARD KURZ Stiftung & Co. KG has established an energy management system according to ISO 50001.
As an additional commitment to an environmental responsible and sustainable behavior, LEONHARD KURZ Stiftung & Co. KG has established an energy management system according to ISO 50001.
With the setup of an energy management system, we have created a tool for the systematic monitoring of our energy uses as well as for online measurement and evaluation of our energy-related performance.
A main component of this system is the continuous setting of strategic and operational targets with the goal of energy reduction. Thereby we optimize our energy efficiency,
counteract rising energy costs, and keep our business competitive.
counteract rising energy costs, and keep our business competitive.
Due to the integration of ISO 50001 into our existing environmental management system, we additionally raise awareness of the economic handling of energy.
This ambition for a responsible use of energy is driven by our global environmental statement.
Reducing energy use ultimately reduces CO2 emissions. This is a contribution to
preventing global climate change.
preventing global climate change.
https://www.leonhard-kurz.com/portal/resource.nsf/imgref/Download_Kurz-CertificateEnergy%20Management-ISO-50001-2023.pdf/$FILE/Kurz-CertificateEnergy%20Management-ISO-50001-2023.pdf
Sustainability Rating: KURZ with Above Average Results
KURZ’s sustainability strategy has received the silver medal in the 2023 EcoVadis ‘Sustainability Assessment Report.’ The renowned provider of sustainability ratings has analyzed KURZ and numerous other companies from the industry. KURZ performed above average in all dimensions examined – Environment, Labor and Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement – and received the prestigious award from the sustainability experts. Within these four analyzed dimensions, energy requirements and emissions are reviewed, for example, and the materials used, and product lifetimes are also analyzed. In addition, the focus is on protecting employees and their working conditions, on complying with anti-corruption regulations, and on the integrity of our other partners along the value chain.
KURZ’s sustainability strategy has received the silver medal in the 2023 EcoVadis ‘Sustainability Assessment Report.’ The renowned provider of sustainability ratings has analyzed KURZ and numerous other companies from the industry. KURZ performed above average in all dimensions examined – Environment, Labor and Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement – and received the prestigious award from the sustainability experts. Within these four analyzed dimensions, energy requirements and emissions are reviewed, for example, and the materials used, and product lifetimes are also analyzed. In addition, the focus is on protecting employees and their working conditions, on complying with anti-corruption regulations, and on the integrity of our other partners along the value chain.
With this award, we can underline the importance of a green value chain, demonstrate further progress in the sustainable use of people and resources, and send a strong message to our customers: KURZ is well on its way to becoming one of the most sustainable companies in the industry and is also a reliable partner in the manufacture of resourceconserving products.
The EcoVadis Rating at a Glance:
• Praise from the sustainability experts: « LEONHARD KURZ is actively
working on further improving its sustainability management system. »
working on further improving its sustainability management system. »
• Important milestone on the way to realizing the ‘Be a green leader’ vision
• Environmental aspects and human rights are particularly important in the
EcoVadis ranking. They are more heavily weighted and have a significant impact on the overall result.
EcoVadis ranking. They are more heavily weighted and have a significant impact on the overall result.
Sustainability Report 2022′: Our Path to a Sustainable Future
With our Sustainability Report 2022, LEONHARD KURZ is underlining that responsible corporate governance is one of the most important goals.
On more than 100 pages, KURZ shows what matters to the company in the value chain, labor and human rights, and environmental protection, among other areas.
With our Sustainability Report 2022, LEONHARD KURZ is underlining that responsible corporate governance is one of the most important goals.
On more than 100 pages, KURZ shows what matters to the company in the value chain, labor and human rights, and environmental protection, among other areas.
The KURZ motto, ‘Be a green leader,’ is backed by a holistic sustainability strategy. On the one hand, this message has an internal impact and makes clear to employees the importance of responsible business practices for humans and the environment. On the other hand, it is an offer to all KURZ customers – product innovations and the continuous development toward a circular economy also put them in the lead in the long term.
Successes in the Area of Sustainability :
• Globally valid requirements in the area of raw material selection are complied with.
• Environmental management systems ensure transparency and continuous improvements.
• PET substrates with recycled content are used.
• KURZ decors already consist of 30 percent raw materials of organic origin.
• RECOSYS® 2.0 increases the efficient recycling of production residues.
• Environmental management systems ensure transparency and continuous improvements.
• PET substrates with recycled content are used.
• KURZ decors already consist of 30 percent raw materials of organic origin.
• RECOSYS® 2.0 increases the efficient recycling of production residues.