For us, sustainability encompasses more than protecting the environment: We make responsible use of resources, focus on long-term retention of our employees and balanced growth.
Götz Schmiedeknecht, Co-CEO
More than just sustainability – we act with foresight
Sustainability has always been a top priority at Salamander: Words become deeds over a tradition spanning more than 100 years. Since our very beginnings, our resource-saving production methods and the reuse of sustainable materials have always been of paramount importance. Our current Salamander strategy "S500" also attaches particular importance to sustainability and the associated goals of reducing energy consumption and cutting emissions. To this end, we are building on new and modern technologies. Our own investments in renewable electricity, as well as our awareness and confidence in meeting our needs with 100% green electricity, underline our absolute commitment and path to becoming a climate-neutral company. Consequently, our new products and innovations are driven by our ambition to level our carbon footprint. The development and launch of our sustainable window profile system Greta®Fenster fills us with great pride and paves the way for a livable future.
Because, we at Salamander see the window not just as a building element, but as a sustainable and functional design element, a tangible link between the outside world and the inside.
Four paths to sustainability at Salamander
Environmental protection
− 100% green electricity at main production site in Germany
− 8% electricity generated by our own hydropower plants
− Company-owned wastewater treatment plant
− Investment in further ecological technologies,
such as photovoltaic systems
Saving resources
− Development of a modular system to reduce complexity & save materials
− Reusability of materials
− Cross-system use of accessories and tools
– Development & production of climate-neutral products
Responsibility
– Investment in education – offering a wide range of vocational training programs
– Support programs for employees such as health days and further training opportunities
– Promoting young talent at schools and sports clubs
– Diversity and inclusion – advocacy for cultural diversity
(currently 34 different nations)
Growth
– Family-run and family-friendly company
– Resilient alignment of the group of companies against
economic fluctuations
– Europe-wide involvement in various associations in the plastics industry
– Sustainable strengthening of partners through needs-driven innovations
The most sustainable material for windows – PVC
In comparison to the window materials wood and aluminium, PVC is the most sustainable material for windows.
A PVC window profile runs through a closed cycle from production to recycling. PVC can also be further processed with low energy consumption and is therefore ideally suited for recycling: Plastic windows can therefore be fully reprocessed without pollutants and reshaped into new profiles.
"Mission Possible" 100% Recycling
Used plastic windows can be recycled up to 100%, which is why Salamander makes a conscious decision to use recycled material to produce energy-efficient high-performance profiles from used windows.
This is how our latest innovation Greta®Fenster combines the needs of people as well as the environment. With Greta®Fenster, we use 100% recycled PVC, obtained from production residues and old windows.
Recycled material vs. virgin material: Decisive in energy & climate protection
– PVC profiles can be recycled up to seven times
– Sustained return of old windows into a closed recycling system
– Resource efficiency: Reduction in the consumption of raw materials
– Savings in primary energy for PVC production
– Reduction of CO2 emission
– Combines environmental protection with high quality & design standards
Award – CO2 savings thanks to PVC recycling
Our main site in Türkheim, Germany, received an award from Dekura for the purchase of 1481 tons of PVC regranulate in 2021. This contributes to a savings amounting to 2745 tons of CO2.
Going one step further with commitment
Salamander is a founding member of Rewindo, the window recycling initiative, and an active member of EPPA and VinylPlus, community of the European PVC industry's voluntary commitment to sustainable development.