Sustainability in the Laundry Sector, by Girbau
The topic of sustainability dominates many discussions around business today. There’s no question that building sustainable products and services is beneficial to people and planet. New research suggests that business leaders are clear on the return on investment (ROI), and a significant proportion of companies will increase sustainability investments in 2024.
But what about the professional laundry industry? As the Laundry market is expected to grow, sustainability is not just a trend but a crucial necessity for the future of our planet and our industry, and an impelling demand from customers, like it happens in hospitality. Therefore, we must be able to grow and be more sustainable at the same time.
Our market and segments face unique challenges on the path to sustainability, such as water, chemicals, energy, transportation, wastewater discharges… However, there are several steps that laundry companies can and must take to reduce their impact and lead the change.
One of the biggest challenges in laundry is water and energy consumption. Advanced technologies and water recycling systems are revolutionizing Laundry operations. For instance, using efficient machinery and optimizing wash cycles can significantly decrease energy consumption. Installing water recovery systems and adopting low-consumption wash cycles is crucial.
Investing in high-efficiency washing and drying machines is essential. Modern equipment using advanced technologies can considerably reduce energy consumption.
Innovation is key to sustainability. The Ecodesign Regulation for Sustainable Products (ESPR) just entered into force on 18 July 2024. It will enable the development of a comprehensive set of requirements for the sustainability of products placed on the EU market, and as such will drive consumer choice and green public procurement.
Sustainability in the professional laundry sectors is a journey filled with challenges but also opportunities. At Girbau, we are committed to leading this change by developing innovative solutions that not only improve operational efficiency but also protect our planet, as well as reducing waste.
A clear example of this is our solution for reducing microplastics, pioneer in the commercial machine sector: it removes 90% of all particles larger than 50 micras from the process water, converting it into solid waste which may be handled as such.
We have also succeeded in reducing our carbon footprint (scopes 1 and 2) by 27% in the past 3 years thanks to major investments aimed at saving energy and generating photovoltaic electricity; we also have a roadmap to become carbon neutral by 2030. We are also experimenting in the field of circular economy, investing in projects that open our business up to new sectors.
A consistent progress for a Positive Impact. 2023 marked a year of unprecedented success and sustainability at Girbau. While achieving our highest revenue and production levels, we managed to record our lowest carbon emissions to date.
Source: Girbau