Pioneering work from Bad Kreuznach
Pronova is rethinking sealant packaging! The innovative paper cartridge, which reduces the use of plastic and significantly improves recyclability, has already won two awards.
80% less plastic, 53% lower CO2 emissions - with these clear figures, Pronova presents the new paper cartridge for adhesives and sealants developed in-house.
As a manufacturer of products that are largely available on the market in plastic cartridges, Pronova has decided to declare war on plastic waste and has developed a completely new type of packaging. After all, around 100 million adhesive and sealant cartridges are produced for the DIY sector in Germany every year, which equates to around 5,000 tonnes of plastic.
‘This means that an enormous amount of plastic waste is produced every year,’ explains Pronova Managing Director Jörg Herberger. ‘Silicone cartridges cannot be recycled after use and, even if they are supposedly disposed of correctly via the yellow bin, they are bound to end up in incineration, as product residues remain in the cartridge even when it is empty. Otherwise, they would irrevocably contaminate the recyclate,’ Herberger continues. He sees a further problem in the illegal dumping caused by the mass export of plastic waste abroad and the associated environmental impact, such as the increasing pollution of the world's oceans with plastic parts.
The CO2 balance of the new paper cartridges also sets new standards: TÜV Rheinland has certified that the packaging reduces carbon dioxide emissions in the manufacturing process by 53% compared to conventional PE cartridges.
Pronova received two awards for its new paper cartridge at the International Hardware Fair in Cologne, which was attended by 38,000 guests from 133 countries: the ‘Iron Award 2024’ and the BHB industry award ‘Best of Eco 2024’. ‘The new paper sleeve does not impose any restrictions on the product content or the use of the cartridge,’ emphasised Herberger as he accepted the award from BHB board member Susanne Jäger together with the CEO of Meffert AG, Klaus Meffert.
Susanne Jäger explained the reasons for the award: ‘Pronova impresses in its product development with a very high degree of waste avoidance, the courage to break new ground and a high degree of innovation. As a result, the product development is virtually pioneering work in our industry, which should motivate imitation.’ The jury therefore named Pronova the winner in the ‘Best of Eco’ category.