Sustainability

Sustainable Development Goals

We refer to the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda to evolve our business model in two directions:

Reduction of the environmental impact of our processes

At GHEPI we are determined to reduce our environmental impact through responsible use of resources with particular attention to CO2 emissions.
Our commitment had already begun in 2005 with the UNI EN ISO 14001 Environmental Certification but we thought we had to do more.
For some years we have activated a Resources Saving Project followed by an investment plan whose main steps to date are:

Specifically, these elements refer to Sustainable Development Goals:

N° 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.

N°12 Responsible Consumption and Production. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Since 2013 we have increased our production of about 49%, but thanks to our Resource Saving Project we were able to achieve relevant reductions in energy consumption, as shown below:

Contribution to the sustainability of Customers' products

This point refers to the role that plastics can play in the development of new, more sustainable, and circular products. See specific content at “Designing Circular Future” page

Redesign Replace Reduce Recycle Regrind Re-extrude Reuse

Plastics Injection Molding for Sustainability and Circular Economy

These principles relate to our core business, and we are trying to implement them in an increasingly structured way to ensure that our activities and processes translate into greater Sustainability and contribute to the Circular Economy. Let’s break down each term:

Redesign

Redesign means create the conditions for improving and increasing sustainability by substituting or modifying traditional materials and processes, optimizing product functionality and durability and defining product life cycle through eco-design.
Redesign allows to fight actual status of inefficiency generating resources-consuming products and is the way to plan subsequent steps to Replace, Reduce, Recycle and Reuse.

Replace

It is strategic because is related to replace Metal and Traditional Materials for product lightweighting, processes energy-saving and other advantages.  The replacement can be done with different kinds of polymers based on Customer’s product requirements while maintaining or improving performance and quality.

Reduce

It is about reducing the use of raw materials, energy, and resources during the manufacturing process but also reducing material waste since injection molding is not a material removal process. In metal replacement projects plastics also allows to use thinner walls reducing overall dimensions and weight thanks to functions integration too.

Recycle

Recycle involves collecting, keeping different types of materials separate, and processing plastic sprues and scraps to obtain secondary raw materials with which create new products. Recycling is crucial in reducing virgin plastics use, conserves resources, and contribute to circular economy.

Regrind and Re-extrude

They are recycle operating modes that consist of regrinding plastic sprues and scraps into small particles that can be reused as raw material in the injection molding process.
If needed, after regrinding, re-extrusion also allows the formulation of the material to be modified, for example by integrating masterbatch, reinforcements or functional additives.
Based on the product’s characteristics, the regrind and re-extruded material can be mixed with the virgin material in different percentages and used while maintaining the performance unchanged.

Reuse

It refers to our commitment to reusing as much as possible, for example bags of plastic materials and containers of other products, reused as packaging or containers of other materials for internal use instead of simply being recycled or becoming waste.Reuse extends the lifespan of plastic items, reduces the need for new production, and minimizes waste generation.

Integrating these principles into new products development and plastic injection molding processes leads to more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. By adopting strategies such as product Redesign, Replacing traditional materials, Reducing resources use, Recycling by Regrinding and Re-extruding, and promoting Reuse, GHEPI wants to minimize its environmental impact and support Customers in developing products with a lower carbon footprint.

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