Product Sustainability at Remmers

Product
Sustainability

Products Packaging Documentation

In a world where resources are finite and environmental awareness is more important than ever, we take responsibility - for our products, our processes, and our planet. Our goal is to develop innovative solutions that are not only functional and of high quality, but also environmentally and socially compatible. That is why we are continuously working to make our products and packaging more sustainable and to make their impact on the environment and society more transparent.

How our products contribute to sustainable construction

Our products inherently promote sustainability by, amongst other things, protecting wooden components and enabling and simplifying the renovation of existing buildings. In this way, we contribute to the conservation of resources and extend the service life of buildings and components.

The following video from Deutsche Bauchemie (DBC) illustrates how construction chemical products contribute to sustainable building:

How we make our products more sustainable

With sustainable product solutions and responsible raw material procurement, we are continuously working on improving the environmental performance of our products. The products in our [eco] range are already among the pioneers in terms of sustainability.

In addition to integrating our products into sustainable systems, we are of course continuously working on the new and further development of sustainable products. This concerns the selection of sustainable raw materials as well as the performance optimisation and efficiency improvement for our products. We are continuously reducing the emissions of our products, especially in the interior sector. For us, the development of sustainable products includes the following initiatives, amongst others:

Water-based products

Where possible, we are switching to water-based products, thereby reducing the use of organic solvents. This not only helps to protect the environment but also increases occupational safety for our employees in production and our customers employees in the application phase. At the same time, it enables us to offer a wider range of low-emission products.
Renewable raw materials

We rely on renewable raw materials and increase their share in our products whenever possible. Since the use of bio-based materials still poses challenges, we also use biomass-balanced raw materials. At the same time, we dedicate part of our research, development, and innovation activities to the advancement of this future field.
Biocide-free alternatives

The development of biocide-free alternatives is an important concern for us. In recent years, the number of biocidal products in our portfolio has been significantly reduced. With products such as IW-130, we will continue to offer our customers reliable solutions in the future – without the use of biocides in areas such as wood protection and mould remediation.
Product innovations

Our Innovation Core Team (ICT) was founded in 2023. The team is dedicated to developing innovative, sustainable products, solutions, and technologies for Remmers. In its search for, processing, and evaluation of ideas, the focus is on the three principles of innovation, sustainability, and economic efficiency. Based on its work, a number of innovative, sustainable products have already been developed and are on their way to market launch. Many other exciting projects are currently in the works.

How we make our packaging more sustainable

We consider not only the ingredients of our products, but also their packaging. We are continuously increasing the proportion of recycled materials, but we are also considering new packaging systems. Here is an excerpt of our initiatives to date:

Industrial customers have the option to receive larger quantities in IBCs (Intermediate Bulk Containers), thus saving packaging materials.
In recent years, we have converted some of our plastic containers to PCR-containers (post-consumer recycled). These are made from previously used plastic products.
We further support the circular economy by sending raw material IBCs to a reconditioner.
With the introduction of a new FFS (flexible manufacturing system) in the dry goods sector, recyclable plastic bags can now be used. These replace the previously used paper bags with plastic liners, which could only be disposed of as hazardous waste.

How we document the sustainability of our products

It is not only important to be sustainable and to report on this, but above all to document it transparently. The following instruments in particular help to make the sustainability performance of our products measurable and to communicate this transparently:

Sustainability data sheet (NHDB)

A sustainability data sheet is a document voluntarily created by a company that summarizes information and data on the sustainability performance of a product. Typical information found in a sustainability data sheet includes hazardous ingredients (biocidal active ingredients, volatile organic compounds, etc.), emission values, information on compliance with building certification system requirements, and recycling content in products.
You can already find a sustainability data sheet for many of our products on the website. To do so, go to the product page for the specific product and select the "Show all documents..." option in the "Downloads & documents" section. If no sustainability data sheet is listed amongst the documents, please contact your sales representative or the Remmers Technical Service Team.
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)

An EPD is a Type III environmental declaration in accordance with ISO 14025 and EN 15804. The externally verified document contains information on the environmental impact of a product or product group. This form of environmental declaration provides quantifiable data that makes the environmental impact of a product's life cycle transparent. We are working on expanding the number of product-specific EPDs. For example, you can find a product-specific EPD for MB 2K [eco] in the document download area of the product page. At present, many of our products for which an EPD is requested by customers or is required for construction projects can be covered by so-called industry-wide or model-EPDs from associations such as the Verband der deutschen Lackhersteller (VdL) or the Deutsche Bauchemie (DBC). Assignment to these is provided on a case-by-case basis. You will often also find an assignment to an industry-wide or model-EPD in the sustainability data sheet. If this is not the case, please contact your responsible technical representative or the Remmers Technical Service Team.
Building certification systems

These are independent assessment systems that classify buildings according to various sustainability criteria. Each system is based on different catalogues of requirements. The degree of fulfilment of these requirements determines the certification level that can be awarded to a building. This means that it is not Remmers’ products themselves that are certified, but the buildings in which they are used. We therefore provide the necessary information so that customers, planners, architects, or auditors can assess whether our products meet the required criteria. This includes, amongst other things, data on hazardous, harmful, or environmentally hazardous ingredients in products. In order to standardise this declaration, the data required for evaluation is maintained in the sustainability data sheet and, as a rule, is already listed as suitable for common systems such as DGNB, BNB, or QNG. A steadily growing number of our products are also listed on various platforms such as the German DGNB Navigator or the Austrian web portal baubook. If the relevant certification for a product is not yet available on the website, please contact your local sales representative or the Remmers Technical Service Team.
Product certification

Product certifications attest to the fulfilment of selected criteria, e.g. with regard to sustainability, by a specific product and are verified externally and independently. Amongst other things, the materials used, the manufacturing process, or the use of the product - i.e. the entire life cycle - can be considered. Our portfolio includes various product certifications. You can find out which certification a specific product has been awarded on the product pages on our website or in the sustainability data sheet. If you have any questions about the certification of specific products, please contact your local sales representative or the Remmers Technical Service Team.