For over 30 years we have been promoting climate protection measures and reducing our ecological footprint through optimization processes in three main areas: energy, materials and packaging.
Energy
We already dealt with the topic of energy saving before it achieved today's global importance. Soudal is the world's leading producer of PU foam: an insulation product that saves energy. The quality of our products guarantees decades of durability, which means that improvements or renovations are less frequent. Our focus is on both the performance of our products and the reduced energy consumption during manufacture. We produce at 24 locations around the world, which are locally networked. With our 24 worldwide locations, we are close to the market everywhere and save transport costs. Some of our factories already run on solar energy and we also invest in geothermal and wind energy.
Materials
When it comes to materials, Soudal is developing a circular economy. We aim to increase the number of recycled materials and to reduce that of new materials. We have been replacing hazardous substances with less harmful substitutes for decades, focusing on water-based products and solutions for better air quality. The waste that is generated is recycled as best as possible. A strategic partnership with DNCP, pioneers in the processing and recovery of organic raw materials, enables us to recover solvents and use them in other industries.
Packaging
Our concept of circular economy also shapes the development of new packaging technologies. Soudal not only wants to reduce material consumption, but also the waste that is created by packaging. We are co-founders of the " PDR " recycling solution for PU foam, which processes 98% of the cans collected. More about The switch to thinner and therefore lighter cartridges also reduces plastic waste by around 285 tons per year. We also encourage the use of tubular bags. Packaging for our adhesives, which consist of 75% recycled materials, has been successfully introduced. We will reach one million recycled cartridges as early as next year.
Saving energy with Soudal
Soudal products, especially our PU foams, help to significantly reduce energy consumption and to avoid energy loss.
Polyurethane foam is an insulating material that comes in many shapes and uses. In the construction industry, PU foams are used on roofs, in basements, for floors, in industrial buildings and in cavity walls for insulation. PU foam has proven to be a reliable material, not only in terms of its high insulation capacity, but also because of its many areas of application.
PU foams from Soudal offer the highest possible insulation capacity in order to limit energy loss and thus reduce energy costs. PU foams also prevent air flows between the doors or windows and insulation, so that not only the thermal, but also the acoustic performance is improved. Flexifoam is a special example, because this foam is far more flexible than conventional construction foam. In contrast to other foams, it moves perfectly with the relative movement of the building and window.
PIONEER IN LOW-IMPACT PRODUCTS
Soudal is constantly on the lookout for innovation that leads to high-quality solutions and unique ecological improvements to its products.
Soudal's Filler & Damper SMX in the DIY sector was the first isocyanate-free foam on the market. This foam has all the advantages of classic PU foam and also offers additional insulating capacities that do not cause any irritation to the consumer in the event of skin contact. With this halogen- and isocyanate-free foam, Soudal developed a unique formula that was way ahead of its time in the construction industry.
Our Soudafoam PURe is also made from low- isocyanate (<0.1%) polyurethane in the professional sector. Compared to other PUR foams, the foam not only does without halogenated blowing agents and fire retardants and is also free from plasticizers, chlorinated paraffins, TCEP and TCPP. It offers the greatest possible safety in terms of occupational health and safety and is also particularly environmentally friendly.
In recent years, Soudal has developed further solvent-free product lines to replace conventional technologies. These products are examples of constant renewal.
Soudal is a pioneer in the market with water-soluble assembly adhesives with an extremely high initial tack. Soudal was considered a pioneer in this field with the development of solvent-free solutions with the same or even higher quality. Due to the high initial adhesion, the glued parts no longer have to be supported after they have been pressed on during the hardening of the adhesive.