Kömmerling Netherlands has been committed to sustainability and innovation for more than half a century. "Started with an extensive recycling program, an increasing proportion of recycled PVC is used in our profiles," explains Sustainability & Innovation Manager Jelmer Bijlsma. "Meanwhile, even window frames made of 100% recycled material are possible! And also the first fossil-free plastic window frame profiles are now a fact, underlining our 'Today for Tomorrow' strategy."
"We are highly committed to Rethink, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle," says Remco van Overdijk, account manager at Kömmerling Netherlands. "One way we do this is by using materials more efficiently. By researching alternative raw materials, our
environmental impact continues to be reduced. We actively collect old plastic window frames, saw waste and residual pieces for equivalent reuse or recycling. In addition, granulate losses during our production are minimized. An increasing proportion of recycled PVC is used in our window frames, frame profiles and intermediate posts. No more plastic fiber is thrown away or downgraded; a true closed loop, in other words."
Those who choose K-VISION ReFrame are even guaranteed 100% of recycled material. "This saves substantially on raw materials, transportation and CO2-emissions, while the circular frame profile has exactly the same quality and properties as a "virgin" profile. Meanwhile, we see that fellow companies are also taking up similar initiatives. We are proud of that. We like to be leaders in the industry, but to make a truly sustainable impact, the whole industry has to go along."
Van Overdijk notes that there are sometimes concerns in the market about the recycling strategy because the very first plastic window frames contain a minimal factor of lead. "Because this is safely locked up in the plastic matrix and because we as an industry have a well-organized material cycle, the European commission has made an exception. So even 30-year-old plastic window frames can be properly and safely reused."
In 2019 and 2020, an independent certification body analyzed and recorded Kömmerling Netherlands' recycling streams. "Based on this, in spring 2020 and as the very first system supplier, we were able to receive the Kiwa Covenant Circular Enterprise," said Van Overdijk. "A great appreciation and proof of our company goal, namely to contribute to a better world with our K-VISION window frames."
Kömmerling Nederland's efforts were also recently rewarded with a category-1 product card for the K-VISION Trend and K-VISION Trend ReFrame systems in the National Environmental Database, which is continuously updated. For K-VISION Trend ReFrame, for example, an MKI score of €0.97 per m2 frame achieved. "This means that our window frame products guarantee a very low environmental impact and very high sustainability scores."
With the recent development and application of the very first fossil-free plastic window frame profiles, Kömmerling Nederland, window frame partner VHZ and raw material supplier Ineos Inovyn are taking another big step in sustainability.
"Bio-attributed PVC is a relatively new development, replacing fossil oil with a plant-based residual product from sustainable forestry and agriculture," said Bijlsma. "In recent years, bio-attributed PVC has been used sparsely in the production of flooring and car tires, but never before in a plastic window frame! With this raw material adoption, we are taking important steps to achieve, in accordance with the Paris Climate Agreement, significant CO2-reductions can be realized. Without sacrificing quality, features and longevity."
The very first fossil-free window frame profiles were recently installed in a renovation project involving 19 homes in Steenwijk, in cooperation with Syntrus Achmea, BAM Wonen and Kumij. "With the deployment of 106 window frames, approximately 6,000 kilograms of CO2 saved!" said Bijlsma. "Meanwhile, several follow-up projects are also underway." As an example, he cites a new construction project of 23 homes in Pijnacker, where a combination of bio-attributed PVC and recycled material was chosen in collaboration with Heijmans and Europrovyl.
Kömmerling Nederland's 100% recycled window frame profile is a huge novelty that also brings major challenges, Bijlsma acknowledges. "After all, the material has to be protected, which requires specific knowledge as well as coatings. In the market we see more and more intermediate solutions emerging, which we too have now included in our standard range. For example, K-VISION Trend has also been available with a core of recycled material and a shell of new PVC for several months now. This frame is also included in the National Environmental Database, with an EQI score of €1.09 per m2 fixed frame. When the new PVC will soon be fossil-free, as in Pijnacker 100%, we will have the best of both worlds. But also a system that can sustain itself for a long time."
A final development that Bijlsma and Van Overdijk like to highlight is not so much related to sustainability, but is at least as relevant. Indeed, after many requests from the market, Kömmerling Nederland has brought the AcrylColor color system back into its product range. Thanks to the co-extruded acrylic color layer, high scratch resistance and long-term color fastness of - initially - K-VISION Trend profiles are guaranteed. This allows building users to enjoy their plastic window frames even longer.