Sustainability
printing in such a way that the entire production chain, including the end product, is organised to minimise or even eliminate its negative impact with contemporary technology or actions.
This implies choices in terms of
The result is usually expressed in CO2 reduction compared to a benchmark. Ultimately the goal is to be carbon neutral or even carbon negative.
Our eco-friendly production process is part of our corporate sustainability approach.
General process
Resources
Paper
Our company’s most important resource is paper. We make responsible choices in terms of its procurement. Our publishers only use FSC® paper, guaranteeing that the wood fibre is solely sourced from sustainably managed forests. We cooperate with paper suppliers who are also making a concerted attempt to optimise their production process and make it more sustainable. Using recycled paper, which some consider to be more environmentally friendly, is not enough. Sometimes the carbon footprint of the process for collecting, de-inking and re-producing used paper as recycled paper is higher than that of new fibre.
Companies like ours must take the scope of their activities into account (see illustration below).
Swedish manufacturer Lessebo is a good example because their production is almost carbon neutral, with its focus on scope 3. The company’s pioneering role as an environmental producer is expressed in the effective CO2 figures for Lessebo Design Smooth, which are seven times lower than the figures for similar qualities from other suppliers. Lessebo is an almost fully integrated company, with trees being sourced from nearby forests, energy for paper production being generated by biomass, and surplus energy being sold for other purposes. Finally, used water is purified and returned to nature even cleaner than it was at source. Achieving a green economy involves so much more than an ideology and fancy words. It is a mindset, a coherent business model, and the key to future success.
Ink and plates
Corporate social entrepreneurship (CSE) is a priority in our partnerships with suppliers. The inks we purchase are produced from 100% renewable resources and are free from mineral oils. Here too we have purposefully chosen to work with suppliers who minimise their use of chemicals and fossil fuels, limit their waste streams, and opt for green energy. Moreover, our inks can easily be separated from their carrier, a determining factor when recycling paper and the main reason why die Keure has refrained from adopting LED UV technology, using conventional offset technology instead.
Besides paper and ink, we also need printing plates. The offset plates we use are process-free plates, with the non-imaged layer dissolving after dampening on the press. These plates are fully recycled by certified waste processing companies. Our plate setter uses up to 80% less chemical products and up to 50% less gum than the previous model. Moreover, plates no longer need to be rinsed, reducing our water consumption by up to 90%.
Finally, die Keure also buys a lot of packaging material. We pack all our products in chlorine-free corrugated cardboard boxes or post containers. If the client wishes to have each item packaged separately, we always used recycled shrink film. We also offer the option of having periodic publications packed in degradable biofilm. Although these alternatives to plastic are more environment-friendly, many end users fail to optimally recycle them. This packaging does not always find its way into the right waste and recycling stream. In addition to raising awareness, we also actively study alternatives to individual packaging, focusing on using paper rather than plastic.
Production process
As a company, we implement an environmental investment policy on all levels, from prepress to printing and finishing, which offers ecological and economic benefits. Die Keure invests in high-technological resources and machinery, enabling us to offer top-notch quality and work more efficiently and sustainably.
Some examples:
- Ink saving software
- We aim to reduce paper loss to a minimum. The layout of each publication is adapted to the chosen paper.
- We have been printing without isopropyl alcohol (IPA) for some time now.
- Our automated washing installations limit the use of laundry detergents.
- Detergents with a high flash point > 62°
Energy
But the buck does not stop at our production. We need energy for two different purposes, to power the utilities in our company building and to operate all the machinery. That is why we invest as much as we can in energy from sustainable sources, with the aim of achieving climate neutrality for all energy requirements on our company site (including the consumption of our company vehicles). Today 100% of the electricity we consume comes from sustainable energy sources, of which approximately 30% is produced by the solar panels on our own roof. The remaining green energy (sun, wind, water and biomass) is acquired from external producers. In the short term we hope to increase the share of onsite generated green energy to 50% by also installing a wind turbine, for which planning permission has been requested.
But that’s not all.
- We recover the residual warmth of the residual incinerator of Bruges (IVBO) (80%) to heat our buildings.
- Our sanitation facilities use rainwater.
- Die Keure uses self-extinguishing lamps in its office buildings.
- We take different energy-saving measures and have invested in sustainable solutions: additional insulation during renovation, air/air heat pump for heating and cooling, energy-efficient equipment, LED lighting in our production facilities, automated solar shades reducing the need for air conditioning, and frequency-driven compressors.
We invest as much as we can
in energy from sustainable sources.
target
Waste management
We have also made great strides in terms of our waste management. All waste, such as plastic, PVC, polyprop, wood and glass is sorted. By investing in modern printing presses and an optimal workflow with far-reaching colour management, we were also able to reduce infeed on our presses. As such, we were able to reduce our residual fractions and where possible reuse residual fractions as resources. Waste streams are collected by certified collection companies which process and recycle the resources according to the rules that apply to these specific resources (ink waste, rinsing water from our machines, varnish waste, waste oil, lamps…).
Transportation
Finally, our printed publications must also make their way to our clients. Although transport is not exactly environment-friendly we have also made choices on this level to reduce our environmental impact. Where possible, we opt for groupage when sending product and use slow air shipment for international shipping by airplane. Where available, e.g. in Scandinavia, we use electric transport.
Our ultimate goal is to become part of a green, circular economy. And as the EU has already previously stated, we are convinced that economic and ecological considerations are complementary. Greening the economy reduces the ecological cost by using natural resources more efficiently. At the same time, environmentally friendly technologies and techniques create jobs, boost our economy, and increase competition within the industry. Best of all, all these initiatives have a positive impact on our business and the environment, as well as on all our employees.
Positive impact
on our business
Die Keure makes a sustained effort across the entire production chain. This is not the work of one person but of an entire team. Does this mean that there is no margin for improvement? Of course not. Every day we rise to these challenges, as a company. Currently the company is looking at ways of replacing plastic packaging with carbon neutral alternatives, at using our own distribution and logistics knowledge to reduce the number of CO2 transport miles for our international clients, and we have already launched the migration to an electric fleet. We are also investing in sustainable company premises:
- Environmental permit until 22/09/2025.
- Soil survey by a specialised company at the legally stipulated times.
- Healthier indoor climate for production workers by installing new air humidifiers.
- We have a car park with 22 charge points for our own employees and visitors.
- We co-financed a solar farm on our flat roofs in which our employees could also invest.