Gallus has pledged make its products carbon neutral by the end of 2022.
The company has partnered with climate solutions specialist Forliance. It will offset the remaining emissions from its production process and help achieve its target.
Gallus’s sustainability programme is already ISO 14001 certified, the international standard for environmental management systems. It ensures organisations meet their legal obligations, adopting environmentally sound processes. Also, they take a responsible approach to environmental management.
Michael Sahm, director of climate change strategy at Forliance, says, “Climate change is increasingly becoming a stress test for print manufacturers and their business models. For some, it’s one of their biggest challenges they face. But a well-planned corporate climate solution can turn climate change related risks and headaches into tangible opportunities.
“For Gallus, we are confident that we have the right strategy in place to meet its objectives. Following the Kyoto protocol gold standard will ensure a meaningful environmental change for the business, its customers. In addition, it will lay the foundations for future aspirations.”
Gallus has production facilities in Switzerland and Germany. It manufacturers conventional and digital narrow web, reel fed presses designed for the label and packaging business. The company employs around 300 people worldwide. It serves over 1,250 customers with more than 3,800 presses in the field.
Assessing emissions
Gallus says its first project objective is to explore the way in which these presses are manufactured and calculate the related carbon emissions. It will assess each step in the production process, from design and material selection to energy consumption and packaging. Gallus will compensate for the resulting carbon dioxide emissions, adhering to the gold standard offsetting programme. At the same time, a team is driving the company’s decarbonisation. It will increase energy efficiency and the use of renewable energies to reduce scope 1 and 2 emissions.
Dario Urbinati, chief sales and service officer at Gallus Group, says, “As a business, we recognise that there really is no time to waste in bringing sustainability to the top of the agenda. It is critical that we address our environmental impact. We do this with the same expertise, dedication, meticulousness and speed as our print solutions. Also, we must ensure that we provide our customers and wider brands with the same confidence in our sustainability credentials as we do for every other aspect of our service.
“Over the last 10 months we’ve worked in alignment with Heidelberg’s corporate environmental programme. This has been built into the business at a practical level. It enables us to make conscious, informed decisions as to resourcing, management of facilities and to how we design and manufacture our presses. But we need to do more. So, while we are still at the start of this journey, ensuring that our products are carbon neutral in the future will be an important step in demonstrating our ambitions.”
Transformative projects
In 2023, Gallus celebrates its 100th year in operation. In addition to its sustainability programme, the business has a number of other transformative projects lined up. It will realise a new vision for its future, and cement its next century of successful business. It can also effect positive change in the wider industry.
Dr. Frank Schaum, chief executive officer at Gallus Group, adds, “As we move forward into this new evolutionary phase of our business, our focus is on doing everything we can to build a more positive, sustainable future for the print and packaging market. The approach of the company’s centenary year has provided the ideal opportunity to evaluate our processes. We can realign our priorities so that we are now making conscious, purposeful strides towards bringing this vision into reality.”
