VHZ introduces world's first fossil-free PVC window frames

With the development and application of plastic window frames made from bio-attributed PVC, VHZ has a worldwide first. In cooperation with profile supplier Kömmerling Nederland, subsidiary Kumij has for the first time processed these innovative profiles made of fossil-free PVC into frames, windows and doors for a sustainability project of BAM.

The development of plastic window frames made from fossil-free PVC fits perfectly within the strategy of market leader VHZ, the largest plastic window frame manufacturer in the Netherlands. Already in 2021, VHZ was motivated to set a sustainable course with all companies belonging to the group. "Everything you do must have a healthy impact. With that, we also have the ambition to be the first window frame company to be B Corp certified," says CEO Ben Bergsma.

Better living environment
VHZ consists of six companies: Europrovyl, Transcarbo, Kumij, Smits, Alwood Montage and Kozijn Service Nederland. The group provides sustainable window frame solutions. Bergsma: "We want to create a better living environment for future generations. We have therefore defined strong ambitions: we are going for 100 percent recycling, 100 percent emission-free and we want end users to be able to live 100 percent comfortably."

Sustainability model
Jan Slagman, Europrovyl's commercial director and driver of sustainability and innovation, is the catalyst within the group. "Before we set our ambitions, we started by getting a good grasp of the subject matter and all the concepts involved in the construction industry. It often quickly becomes diffuse and then the term sustainability no longer has any real value. "

Understanding circularity
Within construction, Slagman says it is increasingly about circularity. "Circular is always sustainable, but sustainability is not always circular. We have created our own circularity model: how do the various terms relate to each other and to the circular construction economy? It gives us insight and the connection becomes clearer, from waste management to CO2 footprint and from life cycle analysis to National Environmental Database."

Measuring impact
Of course, in this area VHZ is not only dealing with its own footprint. Slagman: "We make window frames from semi-finished products (profiles) so it is essential to include your supply chain partners in your ambitions. This is why we have very close contact with our suppliers. In this we are fortunate that our profile supplier Kömmerling has had a focus on sustainable developments for a long time."

Bergsma adds: "In 2022, one of the first results of deploying our sustainable course was that our residual streams were halved. Purely by engaging with suppliers. Packaging material is taken back to be reused, all sawing waste is reused and also all old plastic window frames are reused as raw material for new products."

Certified green
VHZ has also obtained the CO2 performance ladder certificate level 3. Slagman: "This gives us insight into how much CO2 we emit, so we can also see where we can still reduce emissions and take specific actions to do so. With Europrovyl we are leading the market in the field of sustainability and innovation. We are therefore super proud that Europrovyl is the first (plastic) window frame manufacturer in the Netherlands to achieve a registration of product card 1 of the National Environmental Database, with more registrations to come."

Fossil-free PVC
The introduction of the new fossil-free PVC is also helping to further reduce CO2 emissions, Bergsma says. "Bio-attributed PVC is a new development in which the fossil raw material is replaced by a renewable alternative: residual material from sustainable forestry and agriculture. This makes the material many times more sustainable than traditional PVC, with CO2 savings of up to 90 percent, without sacrificing quality."

This has not been used before in the window frame industry. "So we are proud of this sustainable first. By applying this innovation, we can reduce dependence on fossil raw materials and increase the sustainability of the plastics industry."

Value retention through innovation
According to Bergsma, fossil-free PVC is a logical consequence of the quest of the past few years. "Plastic lends itself to remontability and, at worst, recyclability again. Even window frames from the 1970s go back to our profile manufacturers, who make new profiles from them. We can reuse plastic window frames up to ten times. Value retention is most important. This is why we have also added a service company to our group. With this we can help our customers with maintenance and repairs to further extend the service life."

Continuing with innovation
Innovation at VHZ does not stop, of course, Bergsma concludes. "We continue innovation at the product level but also at the site level. For example, how can we further reduce our CO2 emissions during production? We are also striving for more recycling and making our vehicle fleet even more sustainable. Everything contributes to reducing the environmental pressure of the product," Bergsma concludes.