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The strategy and objectives of the initiative are developed at the highest management level of the company: Once a quarter, the PÖPPELMANN blue® steering committee meets with representatives of the shareholders, advisory board, management and technical experts from the divisions and central departments.

 

"We have made very rapid progress in the use of recyclates in series applications“. 

The central contact person for the initiative and coordinator of activities within the company is Benjamin Kampmann. He is part of the TOMORROW team as a "creator" with a focus on resource conservation and climate protection. In this interview, Benjamin answers some questions about PÖPPELMANN blue®.   

 

First of all, the question of how plastic can be associated with sustainability at all. After all, the term plastic often evokes very negative feelings. Many people first think of our material in terms of the pollution of the oceans and many other problems such as microplastics. Wouldn't it be best if there were no more plastic?    

This begs the question: Wouldn't it be better if this or that plastic product didn't exist at all? From an environmental point of view, doing without is always the best option. But what are we really willing or able to do without? Let's take a look at our product portfolio at Pöppelmann: KAPSTO® produces protective elements that are indispensable in industrial production and as product protection. Or the area of mobility: We want and need to be mobile. Plastics enable lightweight construction solutions for vehicle parts that K-TECH® produces. Food is indispensable - and so is the packaging that protects it from spoilage and ensures hygienic standards. Medicines are also essential. Both sectors affect our production at FAMAC®. We also need products for horticulture, a market that TEKU® supplies.

 

If we consider complete abandonment in all these areas to be unrealistic, it becomes clear that a world without these products is hardly conceivable. The real question we should be asking ourselves is therefore one of eco-efficiency. 

 

What does that mean?

The term "eco-efficiency" describes the relationship between value creation and the emissions and environmental impact caused. The aim is to achieve the best possible product solution with the least possible use of resources and energy. This also includes evaluating which material is best suited to achieving this goal. This is why, for us, requirements-oriented eco-design is the turningpoint of product development. This design approach involves much more than the recyclability of packaging or the use of recycled materials. In eco-design, we look at the entire life cycle of a product.

 

How can manufacturers influence the entire product life cycle?  

By thinking beyond the factory gate to include logistics, use and disposal. This applies not only to short-lived products such as packaging, but also to long-lasting components, for example in the automotive sector.  

 

We always want to find the most functional and economical solution possible through eco-design. This can lead to conflicting goals, for example when you think about what is more important during the development phase: minimizing the use of materials, which can perhaps be achieved by using a non-recyclable material structure? Or recyclability?

 

How is this approach implemented in the company?  

At the beginning of every product development, we first ask ourselves: What is the core function of the product? And immediately afterwards: How can we combine cost-effectiveness and environmental sustainability, i.e. minimizing environmental impact, with our solution? The evaluation of the environmental impact is an important criterion for us. This includes, among other things, the CO₂ footprint. We work to maximize the advantages of our material in every product development, design and production process. In this way, we are reducing our greenhouse gas emissions step by step and moving closer to our climate targets.

 

This brings us to the PÖPPELMANN blue initiative, in which these targets were defined. Was it difficult to raise awareness of sustainability issues within the company?

The initiative was not founded in a vacuum, but on the basis of an environmental management system that was already firmly established at the time. Since 1996, we have been voluntarily participating in the European Union's Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS). It is considered the most demanding system for sustainable environmental management worldwide. Building on this, we have introduced further management systems over the years, such as energy management. The topic of environmental protection and the aspiration to operate sustainably and use the earth's raw materials sparingly have therefore always been at the top of our agenda.    

  

What was the impetus for PÖPPELMANN blue to give such weight to the circular economy and resource conservation and, from 2022, to climate protection in its strategic goals?  

When we founded PÖPPELMANN blue®, we were aware of the challenges posed by the plastic crisis and, above all, the climate crisis. We wanted to take action because we are convinced that we can contribute to new, future-proof solutions with our material and our work. The recycling of our valuable raw material according to the circular economy model is a key aspect of this. With this in mind, the TEKU® division decided to launch a circular lighthouse project in 2017. The aim was to investigate how a recyclable plant pot can be manufactured and how recyclates from packaging waste, for example from the yellow garbage can, can be used to produce this product. The initial product results led to the first series product made from post-consumer recyclate: we presented our blue plant pot for herbs at IPM 2018. This lighthouse became the initial spark for the founding of the PÖPPELMANN blue® initiative.

 

Other companies often hire a sustainability manager for these topics. Who takes on this role at Pöppelmann?

PÖPPELMANN blue® is anchored at the highest management level of the company. We did not want to isolate sustainability in one department. Instead, everyone in our company is a sustainability manager in their own area. In the initiative's steering committee, representatives of the shareholders, the advisory board, the management and experts from the central departments and divisions exchange ideas on a quarterly basis. They constantly agree on new projects and goals and continuously drive them forward. This approach is one of the recipes for success, which has enabled us, for example, to make very rapid progress with the use of recycled materials in series applications.

 

How does the initiative become visible and effective in everyday working life?   

The opportunity to contribute to limiting global warming with your own work motivates and inspires people within the company. At the same time, it is very clear that we have to survive on the market with our products and be economically convincing. When we talk about the circular economy, climate protection and resource conservation in our industry, we always do so under the premise of economic efficiency. Over time, our departments and teams have developed a holistic view of our customers' requirements. Today, we say that sustainability aspects are part of our decision-making process. Here, it is negotiated on an equal footing with criteria such as quality, cost-effectiveness, process reliability and consumer benefits.

In the meantime, there are not only lighthouse projects in each division as part of PÖPPELMANN blue®, but also series applications that have brought the topic to the streets and set standards across the industry. What were and what are the prerequisites for this success?

In the lighthouse projects, we were able to gain many insights for the development of further closed-loop products. To name one example: Design requirements need to be scrutinized as early as the product development stage. In this way, we can influence the use of recyclates in production and the recyclability of the product at the very beginning of the project. Design for recycling, or design for circularity, has now become the standard for packaging in particular. Even the decisions made at this early stage make a significant contribution to securing future material flows.

 

Are customers going down this path?

Many customers now approach us proactively, while we are able to convince other customers of our circular approach during the development phase. Our approach means that we often question original product requirements. In most cases, our proposals are met with interest, for example when it comes to material diversity. The processing of recyclates requires flexibility in various areas. The objective here is not maximum productivity, but rather the coordination of application, processes and material for an optimal compromise in terms of the circular economy, sustainability and cost-effectiveness.

 

How does this holistic view affect Pöppelmann's climate targets?

I would like to briefly explain how these climate targets are defined. First of all, we determined our complete CO2 footprint - the corporate carbon footprint - for 2021. On this basis, we set our climate targets for 2030 using the science-based method of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). According to this method, greenhouse gas emissions are divided into certain categories, namely "scopes". Scope 1 and Scope 2 measure the emissions that arise directly on site, for example through the combustion of petrol, diesel and gas and through the consumption of purchased energy. Scope 3 emissions are generated indirectly along the supply chain, including through purchased goods, transportation and disposal of our products, but also through employee commuting, for example.

 

And what climate targets has Pöppelmann now set itself?

We have made a commitment to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in 2023 to reduce our absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% and our absolute Scope 3 emissions by 25%, in each case by 2030 compared to 2021. We are now obliged to recalculate and publish GHG emissions every year. We publish the latest data in our greenhouse gas report. Each of our departments and divisions has formulated its own strategic goals to contribute to this climate target. To reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, for example, we are optimizing our energy consumption, procuring electricity from regional wind farms and building solar power systems on our buildings. 

 

And what about the emissions in Scope 3? Does the circular economy come into play here?

Yes, that's exactly it. For us, the circular economy is the biggest lever for reducing GHG emissions in Scope 3. As described above, we only have an indirect influence on these emissions, as they are generated in the supply chain outside the company. Just as these emissions are generated along the entire supply chain, they can also be reduced most effectively along the entire supply chain. One example: If a plastics company uses post-consumer recyclates instead of virgin material in production, this has a positive impact on both its own carbon footprint and that of the customer. 

 

What does this mean for PÖPPELMANN blue®?

As I wanted to make clear, a holistic view of the tasks is essential for achieving a circular economy. That is why exchange and dialog with all players in the value chain is of fundamental importance. We want to actively drive forward the transformation processes towards a circular economy. The link with digitalization, for example through the introduction of the Digital Product Passport, can generate real added value for the internal organization, the supply chain and sustainability in the future. We are certainly prepared to contribute our knowledge and expertise in dealing with plastics to this goal. However, this cannot be achieved alone, but only together with all those involved.