Adligenswil, Switzerland, May 2023 – Sekisui Alveo, European manufacturer of high-quality polyolefin foams, has achieved a further milestone in demonstration of its commitment to environmental and social responsibility, sustainable material sourcing policy and certified sustainable product approach. The company was the first manufacturer of physically cross-linked polyethylene roll foam to offer ISCC PLUS-certified polyethylene foam using the mass balance approach – and now all its plants are ISCC PLUS certified.

The Sekisui Alveo polymer foam processing plant in Bad Sobernheim, Germany implements the strict principles of International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC). The plant received ISCC PLUS certification in May 2023 following a successful third-party audit by the recognised independent certification body TÜV NORD CERT GmbH. It can now process certified materials as a polymer foam production plant and offer certified sustainable products to its customers from the Alveocel product range. In addition, coatings can also be specifically designated as ISCC PLUS certified, thus increasing the overall proportion of sustainable product components in coated foams. This accelerates Sekisui Alveo further in the transition towards a sustainable circular economy.

Fulfilling strict requirements

Various applications and customers require reliable information on sustainable foam products, which are also certified by an independent third party. ISCC PLUS certified foam products ensures transparency and traceability along the entire supply chain and confirms that the certificate holder meets the prescribed environmental and social standards. This helps customers to make credible and  verifiable decisions on sustainable products that contribute to saving fossil resources along the supply chain.

Chief Operating Officer, Frank Voermans at Sekisui Alveo says "This certification further demonstrates our commitment to environmental and social responsibility. In our everyday business, not only do economic targets count, but also uncompromising ecological and social aspects. This principle shapes our company, what we offer, and what we do. Thanks to our strategy, which is implemented throughout the supply chain, our portfolio incorporates high-quality foams as sustainable, resource and energy-saving  solutions for a wide variety of applications."

Both Sekisui Alveo plants are now ISCC PLUS certified

The certification of the Bad Sobernheim plant follows that of Sekisui Alveo’s polyolefin foam production plant in Roermond, Netherlands, which received ISCC PLUS certification in July 2020. This plant already serves a broader customer base with certified sustainable foam products Alveolit, Alveolen, Alveobloc and Alveosport. Such certified product approach in addition would support the upcoming stringent requirements like recently proposed European directive (March 2023) on substantiating and communication of explicit environmental claims. This directive would make it mandatory for companies to have their sustainability claims verified by a third party. Certified foam products enable customers of Sekisui Alveo to make sustainable product selection and communication based on information which is credible, transparent, and verified by an independent third party.
 

The ISCC PLUS certification of all its plants is just one aspect of Sekisui Alveo’s broader sustainable management approach. The certification makes a significant contribution to the implementation of ecologically and economically sustainable production, as well as to the bio and circular economy. In conjunction with its business activities, the company seeks a significant reduction of carbon emissions, compliance with EU sustainability criteria such as the Green Deal, and improving the environmental balance by reducing the use of fossil raw materials in production.