Kiilto's Promise to the Environment is constantly seeking new ways to make packaging and raw materials more environmentally friendly. Vilma-Lotta Moisio believes that her work with Kiilto's packaging and raw materials makes a difference in terms of the environment. Juha Mikkonen points out that customers have learned to associate Kiilto with environmental responsibility.
Kiilto has set an ambitious environmental promise for raw materials and packaging: the proportion of recycled and renewable raw materials will be doubled by 2022; and 70 per cent of packaging will be made from recycled or renewable materials, and be recyclable, by 2025.
Vilma-Lotta Moisio, Head of Purchasing at Kiilto, says that many raw material suppliers are now considering how to improve the environmental performance of their products.
“In my work, I noticed the start of the transformation a couple of years ago. The options are continuously growing for using raw materials and other materials obtained from recycled and renewable sources,” she says.
Minimising environmental impact
Vilma-Lotta Moisio is currently investigating issues such as how to utilise different industrial side streams.
“This often involves aggregate, for example. Industry side streams like these are seldom properly utilised. It’s fascinating to look into how side streams can be processed further to make the resulting material usable.”
The aim is to find materials that are local enough to minimise the environmental impact.
“Of course, we are also exploring bio-based and recycling-based non-aggregate alternatives. Our product development and purchasing solutions play a key role in achieving our goals in this respect.”
Vilma-Lotta explains that fulfilling the environmental promise will require a wide range of measures due to Kiilto’s wide product range.
“However, a large amount of our raw materials and packaging are already made from renewable and recycled materials. More than 50% of our packaging is made of recycled materials, including post-industrial recycled plastic.”
Working towards same goals with customers with shared values
Juha Mikkonen, Regional Manager from Kiilto Industrial Bonding, wants to help customers make their processes more efficient. Naturally, this involves challenging clients to consider how to make their operations more environmentally sustainable.
“Because they have their own environmental programmes, large companies are particularly interested in environmental friendliness and using recycled materials. Over the next few years, use of bio-based solutions will be unavoidable for many such companies,” says Juha.
Juha Mikkonen believes that shared values are a key element of cooperation.
“Our portfolio includes green options. This lays the groundwork for a better discussion. I take professional pride in our innovativeness and bold, forward-looking approach in these respects,” Juha comments.
For example, Kiilto Biomelt, a biodegradable hot melt adhesive, attracted huge worldwide interest when launched last year.
“The idea is to a offer a 100% compostable product that will decompose. There is a clear need for such an adhesive as the amount of fibre packaging increases, for example.”
