Voigt & Schweitzer is the world's first and only company in the field of surface technology to have recently received the coveted Cradle to Cradle® certification for its duroZINQ® product. „Cradle to Cradle®“ (C2C) describes the idea of thinking in complete product cycles from the outset, thereby avoiding the creation of environmentally damaging waste by circulating materials in cycles, modelled on nature.

In addition to eco-efficiency, where Voigt & Schweitzer has been expanding its leading role in raw material and energy use for years through the application of innovations, C2C addresses a further dimension of sustainability: effectiveness. According to its principles, input and output are capable of growth if all materials used and generated in the respective processes are free from toxicity and can be reused in closed material cycles. The product and process characteristics of hot-dip galvanising offer an excellent approach in this regard, as the metals used, steel and zinc, are utilised rather than consumed and can therefore be recycled infinitely often and with high quality. The achievable product lifecycles of hot-dip galvanised steel are in the range of generations, thus surpassing those of coated steel or alternative materials.

„It is about promoting the recycling of the materials used, the intermediate products that arise and the final product. To achieve this, it is fundamental to prioritise the use of environmentally compatible materials and the establishment of recycling processes – at all stages of the process,“ explains Dr. Thomas Pinger, responsible for Sustainability and Innovation Management at Voigt & Schweitzer.

This means that not only are the spent cleaning solutions and enriched rinsing solutions fed back into the reprocessing, but also substances generated at the zinc kettle, such as zinc ash or hard zinc, are recycled. This is supported not only by management systems such as DIN ISO 9001:2008, but also by continuously implemented practical requirements and improvement measures, the implementation of which is correspondingly controlled. The examination and evaluation of all substances used in the duroZINQ® hot-dip galvanizing process and the hot-dip galvanized surface itself at Voigt & Schweitzer were carried out over two years by the Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency (EPEA).

„We have continuously made extensive investments with regard to Cradle to Cradle®, optimising technologies, materials, their use and reprocessing. This certificate is the reward for our commitment to sustainability and an incentive to continue on this path,“ explains Lars Baumgürtel, managing partner at Voigt & Schweitzer.

As well as the environment, the customer also benefits: galvanising provides permanent corrosion protection for a steel structure during its service life, and at the end of its life, a fully recyclable product is available, from which the resources used can be recovered within the closed material cycles of the metal industry. Thus, Voigt & Schweitzer contributes to making every steel structure more sustainable through effective surface technology.

With this certification, Voigt & Schweitzer is committing to the concept of Prof. Dr. Michael Braungart and William McDonough of developing products in such a way that they do not become waste at the end of their lifecycle, but are instead reintroduced into biological or technical cycles.

„Our Cradle to Cradle® certified surface confirms to our customers that they are making a smart decision for the environment with ZINQ,“ summarises Lars Baumgürtel.