Freudenberg Politex

December 2008

From Freudenberg Politex the panels for thermo-acoustic insulation, "green" in the aspect and in the substance

Ecozero® by Freudenberg Politex is a panel for the thermo-acoustic insulation of walls and roofs, made of 100% polyester fiber obtained by recycling post consume PET bottles. Ecozero® is eco-friendly, non-rotting and available in several thicknesses and densities. These panels guarantee high performances in terms of thermal insulation, in compliance with the regulations in matter of energy certification of buildings, as well as of acoustic insulation and reaction to fire.
Thanks to the unique properties of polyester fiber, Ecozero® differs from other insulating materials thanks to its compactness, durability and breathability. It is moreover a non-allergenic product as it does not contain harmful substances and does not release irritant fibers.
The majority of Freudenberg Politex products, including Ecozero®, is manufactured using in-house recycled polyester through vertically integrated processes. Polyester production starts with the recycling of post-consume PET bottles, which are selected, washed and reduced to flakes. The flakes are then used in the production of fiber or directly in the spinning process, resulting in the staple or spunbonded finished products.

The very nature of the integrated production cycle permits not only the recovery of waste, which would otherwise be disposed of, but also a significant reduction in carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere.
Effectively, replacing virgin raw materials with recycled polyester of the same quality allows natural resources to be saved, consequently reducing the environmental impact, by eliminating the energy consumption linked to the process of producing virgin polyester.

Dr. Riccardo Sollini, President and CEO of the Group, explains that "if we really want to protect the environment, we have to understand that the energy certification of buildings is for sure an important step, but still not enough. It is also necessary indeed that the reduction of energy consumptions starts from raw materials processing and industrial production".
That's the reason why Freudenberg Politex, together with the Department of Engineering and Environmental Physics of the University of Basilicata in Italy has started a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) project for its products. This analysis evaluates the whole manufacturing process in order to assess the environmental impact, or Carbon Footprint, that is the total amount of carbon dioxide emissions. In the case of Ecozero®, the evaluation will be done also comparing the recycled polyester panels of Freudenberg Politex with other insulating materials available in the market.

Freudenberg Politex is a multinational company with headquarters and production in Novedrate (Northern Italy) and other operations in Southern Italy, in France, United States, Russia and Poland.
Thanks to on-going research and development activities, besides the ecological panels for thermo-acoustic insulation, the Group offers a wide range of building materials: the traditional polyester nonwovens mainly used as geotextiles with drainage and load distribution properties, the underfloor mats for footsteps noise reduction, the nets for walls reinforcement, the watertight layers and the innovative products for the protection of roofs, such as waterproofing membranes, both breathable and vapour control, and heat reflecting shields.

SAIE International Building Exhibition 

15th-18th October, 2008 - Bologna, Italy

Pav. 14 SAIEnergia
Stand E12- F11

How to conciliate industrial production, environmental protection and energy saving?
With Freudenberg Politex products you can!

The decision to display its products at SAIE into the pavilion entirely devoted to Energy, more and more valuable resource for all of us, was not actually taken by chance by the Group.

Products first of all: Freudenberg Politex is world leader in the production of nonwovens for the construction industry. Visitors will find at SAIE a wide range of products for the protection of buildings, from foundations to the roof: panels for thermo-acoustic insulation (Ecozero), underfloor soundproofing mats (PhonoPAR), nets for walls and floors reinforcement (GlassPAR), waterproofing (AcquaPAR), breathable underslating and vapour barriers (B-PAR), waterproofing and heat-reflecting shields (ReflexPAR), supports for liquid waterproofing (VeloPAR) and geotextiles (Drenotex).

Let's talk then about environmental protection: pioneer in this field, Freudenberg Politex produces internally most of its raw material - polyester - by recycling post-consume PET bottles. Recycled polyester guarantees the same qualitative level of the virgin material, with an extremely reduced environmental impact. Besides the recovery of wastes, which would be otherwise disposed of, the benefits are a substantial saving of natural resources and the abatement of the energy consumption linked to the production of the virgin polyester, from oil mining to transportation. As a consequence the emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere are remarkably reduced.

Last but not least energy saving: in addition to the above mentioned reduction of industrial processes consumption, further benefits are granted by the application of the finished products. In particular, the products designed for roofs and walls allow excellent performances in matter of thermal insulation and waterproofing, in compliance with regulations in force concerning energy certification of buildings.

Freudenberg Politex, Building ReEvolution:
We build future by recovering past

See you in Bologna from 15th to 18th October, Pav. 14, Stand E12 - F11

The Freudenberg Politex Group, which celebrated the opening of its Russian production site in the Nizhniy Novgorod Region in September 2006, is moving a further step: starting January 2008, the Group will complete the renovation of the real estate in Zavolzhie.

The industrial building, bought at the end of 2004, was at that time only partially renovated for the installation of the first line for the production of polyester staple nonwovens with relevant offices and warehouse spaces. The civil works to complete the renovation have already started, as Freudenberg Politex needs to be ready soon for its further development.

Having set solid foundations in Russia with the staple fiber polyester nonwovens, there is now for Freudenberg Politex the possibility to install a second roofing line with spunbond technology. This investment would not only widen the capacity and the product portfolio, but also make Freudenberg Politex the only player in the Russian Territory able to offer to bituminous membrane manufacturers both staple and spunbond polyester nonwovens, thus strengthening the leadership on the local market as well as in the world.

The complete renovation of the real estate would furthermore leave space available, thus allowing the installation of other Freudenberg Business Groups in the Nizhniy Novgorod Region. As a matter of fact, Burgmann Industries already joined Freudenberg Politex in the Zavolzhie facility in 2006 and now other Freudenberg companies are evaluating the possibility to start Russian activities right in the same facility, as soon as ready.

Novedrate, January 2008