Why we have an unshakeable faith in wood
Most of our products are made of wood. It is our primary raw material. But to us it is much more than that. It is a sustainable product that we use in a very conscientious manner. Our mission is to keep wood in the materials cycle for as long as possible. After all, wood that doesn’t end up in the incinerator is wood that keeps CO₂ out of the air. That is why we place maximum focus on recycling. Recycling two, three, four or more times: as long as the wood fibres can be used, they are processed in new products. Meanwhile the recycled materials content in our chipboards is up to 95%. Our ultimate goal? A fully circular process with wood in the starring role.
Trees as our ally against global warming
Trees are an asset in the fight against global warming. When trees grow, the process of photosynthesis stores CO₂ in the wood fibres. That CO₂ remains in the wood, also when it is processed in a new product such as laminate or furniture. That is why we do everything in our power to keep wood in the chain as long as possible. Recycling is no longer an option? Then the wood is converted into green energy.
What’s more, wood is renewable. Wood is never depleted provided that sustainable forestry is implemented. This means respecting forest regeneration and not harvesting more than grows back. Although we have known wood for ages, it is actually a very future-oriented material.
Where does Unilin source its wood?
Wood is one of our main natural resources. This wood isn’t sourced from just anywhere. A large portion of our wood is reclaimed wood. Alexander Kint, Business Manager Wood, explains what this means and why it is a sustainable solution.
Unilin: The origin of wood
Explained: the wood streams at Unilin
The wood we use mainly comes from two wood streams: reclaimed wood and recycled wood. Reclaimed wood is wood that is no longer suited for high-quality purposes such as solid wood furniture. It is the product of such activities as verge maintenance or sustainable forestry. Recycled wood is waste wood that has already lived a full life as a kitchen cabinet or a laminate floor, for instance.
Growing towards circularity. Recycling and more recycling.
We place maximum focus on recycled wood to make new products. This way the wood is given several lives, it stays in the chain for longer and the CO₂ remains stored in the wood for longer.
Belgium’s largest recycling company
Today we are Belgium’s number one wood recycling company. Meanwhile over 95% of the wood in our chipboards is recycled. This is also the percentage of recycled materials we strive for in our other product categories in order to do even better.
Recycling MDF on an industrial scale
In our pursuit of circularity, we have become the first company in the world to succeed in recycling MDF panels on an industrial scale. This is a world first and as a result, almost 400,000 tonnes of CO₂ remains stored in wood fibres for longer.
From non-recyclable wood to green energy
Our mission? Keeping wood in the materials cycle as long as possible. Unfortunately, wood can’t be recycled indefinitely. Over time the wood chips ‘run out&rsquo or become too small. But even then we put them to good use: we convert them into green energy.
Two green energy plants
Today we have two green energy plants in a joint venture with green energy specialist Aspiravi. They provide a large portion of the energy used at Unilin Panels’ two production sites. They are the final piece of the puzzle in our wood narrative.
A&S
Oostrozebeke, Belgium
A&U
Wielsbeke, Belgium
Discover how sustainability is central to everything we do
Waste wood that can no longer be recycled is turned into green energy
It is our ambition to recycle wood as long as possible. Unfortunately wood cannot be recycled indefinitely because the fibres have become too degraded. What happens to the waste wood that can no longer be used to manufacture high-grade products? Smart incineration in our green power plants to generate our own green energy!
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Unilin is investing in the world’s biggest MDF recycling plant.
Backed by a €20 million investment, Unilin is set to start recycling MDF on an industrial scale at its site in Bazeilles, France. This represents a great leap forward for the circular economy, as Unilin plans to make this innovative service available to the entire sector via Unilin Technologies.
Packaging materials also en route to circularity
Climate-neutral products, from raw materials to the end of their life cycle: that is the mission of the entire group. A concrete application of this ambition is the project that will see Unilin Insulation using only circular packagings as of 2025. The Utherm insulation boards are already being packed with packaging material that is 35% recycled as well as fully recyclable after use.
Recycling as a first step towards circularity
Unilin is Belgium's largest wood recycling company. Today our chipboards consist of 95% recycled wood. We now want to repeat this exercise with other product categories. It's time to do even better and recycle even more, sustainability expert Lasse Six explains.