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septembre 17, 2021

Tana-Chemie GmbH receives the highest rating from EcoVadis

For many years, Tana-Chemie GmbH, the Professional division of Werner & Mertz, has been recognized as the sustainability pioneer in professional cleaning products. Once again, the company has lived up to its reputation. In June 2021 the Mainz-based cleaning specialists received a Platinum medal for sustainable business from the renowned CSR/Sustainability rating agency EcoVadis. That designation places Tana-Chemie among the most sustainable companies in the world because the best score is awarded in only one percent of all cases.

Since 2007 EcoVadis has assessed companies’ environmental and social practices. The ratings are made in four assessment classes of Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. More than 75,000 companies in 200 industries around the world engage EcoVadis to assess their value chains objectively. In many industry sectors the rating has become a key prerequisite for receiving approval as a supplier. The demanding audit encompasses 21 indicators in the four major themes of Environment, Labor and Human Rights, Ethics and Sustainable Procurement.

With the Platinum rating, Tana-Chemie receives the second EcoVadis rating in its history and takes a direct leap from Silver status into the top group. The themes of Environment and Sustainable Procurement played an important role in the rating. EcoVadis gave positive assessments for the use of recyclable packaging, the utilization of renewable energy and the reduction in water consumption by means of innovative methods, including re-use of water from operational processes.

Business partners of Tana-Chemie can thus enjoy transparent insight into the entire supply chain. They benefit from the continuous improvement of the comprehensive criteria in all areas covered by the certification process. And that creates lasting trust.

Sustainability at all levels

« We are very proud that EcoVadis has awarded us the highest rating, » said Thomas Ulbricht, Head of the Professional Division of Werner & Mertz. « This result reflects our years of efforts to promote the circular economy with our products and packaging and to fulfill our economic, social and ecological responsibility at all levels. »

For a long time the Professional Division of Werner & Mertz has proven its integrally sustainable approach with comprehensive certifications. Among them are EMAS, the world’s most demanding environmental management system and the sustainable building standard « LEED Platinum » awarded to the Mainz headquarters. In 2013 the Green Care Professional brand products were the first professional cleaning agents that were Cradle to Cradle Certified® at the Gold level.

Together with its parent company Werner & Mertz, Tana-Chemie actively supports effective recycling of plastic from post-consumer waste collections within the Recyclate Initiative for the benefit of the circular economy. Established in 2012, the Initiative has received several awards for recycling achievements such as bottles made from 100% recycled polyethylene obtained from the Yellow Bag and the development of a completely recyclable refill pouch.

In addition, Tana-Chemie is collaborating with NABU (Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union) and the Forschungsgruppe für Recht und Management öffentlicher Beschaffung (FoRMöB) at the University of the German Armed Forces in Munich to advance the issue of green public procurement.

juillet 6, 2021

An important step to more sustainability: European Customer Synergy S.A. and Tana Chemie GmbH enter into strategic cooperation

Integrally sustainable cleaning under the banner of the circular economy. With support of this cause, Tana-Chemie GmbH, part of the family business Werner & Mertz that’s known for the Frosch brand, won over the pan-European company European Customer Synergy S.A. (ECS). Operating as a strong network for facility services, ECS offers an extensive portfolio ranging from single services to integrated facility management solutions. Effective immediately, the Professional Division of the Mainz-based cleaning products manufacturer Werner & Mertz joins the ECS « Preferred Supplier Program ». That means offerings from ECS will include cleaning products from Tana-Chemie with a special focus on the eco brand Green Care Professional.

The Green Care products from Tana-Chemie are developed according to the Cradle to Cradle® principle. From the outset they are designed to be suitable for closed material cycles, that is, their materials can be returned completely and harmlessly to the biosphere or recycled for qualitatively high re-use. Cradle to Cradle® Design includes a detailed evaluation key to assess the materials used and their recyclability, use of renewable energy and CO2 management, prudent use of water and social responsibility. In 2013 the brand Green Care Professional was the world’s first professional cleaning portfolio to receive the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Gold award.

Since the end of last year, Tana has been the sole supplier of cleaning chemicals for maintenance and special cleaning to ECS Shareholders WISAG Gebäudereinigung GmbH & Co. KG., which has customers throughout Germany. For some time now the market for facility services has not been purely national. “There’s great potential there”, says Thomas Ulbricht, Head of the Professional Division of Werner & Mertz. « The cooperation between Tana-Chemie GmbH and ECS with the Preferred Supplier Agreement supports us in our plan to anchor integral sustainability in professional cleaning beyond the German borders. »

“In facility management services for international customers, ECS emphasizes sustainability, environmental protection and quality in its use of resources and materials. To support those efforts, the company entered into a partner agreement with Tana-Chemie GmbH, the Mainz-based manufacturer of hygiene and cleaning products. The products convince users with their quality, low-dosage use and – unique to the market – packaging made of 100% recycled plastic. We look forward to our close cooperation, » says Thomas Fastenrath, CEO at ECS. « From now on we will include the Tana products in our sustainability concept for new and existing customers. »

About European Customer Synergy S.A. (ECS): European Customer Synergy S.A. (ECS) is a Pan-European facilities management company, headquartered in Brussels (B), delivering a full suite of facilities management services varying from single services to integrated facilities management solutions. ECS proactively manages its customers’ facilities management operations and real estate portfolios by exploiting its local expertise, European experience and technology. The goal is to be the leading local owner-driven pan-European facilities management services provider, appreciated for delivering peace of mind, top quality, and value enhancement for owners and tenants. Each customer is different. That is why ECS offers tailored integrated facilities management solutions. Based on a thorough analysis of customer needs, requirements and strategic objectives, ECS develops an industry-leading solution.

février 2, 2021

Werner & Mertz makes a quantum leap in recycling

Cleaning products manufacturer increases rPET share in its bottles to 50% from the household plastic waste collection „Yellow bag“

A sensational breakthrough for the circular economy is announced by Werner & Mertz: The Mainz-based manufacturer of detergents, care and cleaning products, together with its cooperation partner ALPLA, has increased the share of recyclates from the household waste collection „Yellow bag“ in its PET bottles to 50%! The PET Recycling Team Wolfen has now achieved what many considered impossible.

Green Care Professional: New recycling bottle standard for professional cleaning detergents

All PET bottles of the Green Care Professional brand will be converted to the new material by the end of the year. This will make Green Care Professional, a brand by Tana-Chemie, which belongs to the Werner & Mertz Group, the first professional cleaning detergent brand with bottles not only made of 100% recycled plastic but even up to 50 % of this recycled material coming from real post-consumer waste.

Advanced Mechanical Recycling thanks to fully automated plant

Back in 2012 Werner & Mertz, ALPLA and other cooperation partners along the entire supply chain brought the Recyclate Initiative to life. In their joint efforts since then, the collected used plastic known as « Post Consumer Recyclate » or « PCR » is reprocessed at high quality, used again and thus kept in a closed loop. In 2014 the Initiative succeeded in converting PET bottles for the well-known Frosch brand to 100 percent PCR, 20 percent of which came from the Yellow Bag. The remaining 80 percent was from the European beverage bottle collection system (Bottle to Bottle). More than 400 million such bottles have since been put on the market.

Werner & Mertz has long worked to raise the share of material obtained from the Yellow Bag. With the technology previously available, it was not possible to achieve the desired transparency with rPET. A decisive step forward was taken in October 2020 when the PET Recycling Team Wolfen GmbH got to work. More than 8 million EUR was invested in this joint venture established by ALPLA and FROMM, the parent company of Team Wolfen.

In the new recycling plant nearly everything is fully automated. The PET, delivered by trucks to Wolfen, comes from the Yellow Bag or Yellow Bin exclusively from German collection systems and plastic processors and goes through presorting in lightweight packaging equipment. At the Wolfen site the transparent PET and colored PET are separated. In this fine sorting, the focus is on PET hollow articles such as non-deposit PET bottles, PET bottles for household cleaners and plastic trays. The residual material is likewise separated. The high-quality fine sorting is an advanced development of Near Infrared (NIR) technology. In the next step Textplast GmbH turns the recovered material into transparent granules, which are then further processed by ALPLA into preforms and bottles. In this way the recyclable material from Germany is recycled in Germany and processed again into bottles for international companies. It is a completely national solution in which transport distances remain low.

« Werner & Mertz is not just a long-term and valued customer for us, but also a catalyst for the entire industry. We hope that this example will motivate other companies to use high-quality recyclate. Everyone is talking about sustainable packaging. Together we are proving that it works, » says Georg Lässer, Head of Corporate Recycling for the ALPLA Group.

Reinhard Schneider, owner of Werner & Mertz, emphasized that the look and feel of the new bottles do not differ from the previous packaging. « The customer won’t notice a difference in the quality. We won’t say which format will be converted first. We did the same with the change to 20 percent from the Yellow Bag in order to see the reaction. Conclusion: none at all. No one noticed. For us that is the best proof that genuine sustainability is possible without giving something up or making half-hearted compromises. »

Demands for statutory incentives for the use of PCR

The example shows that high-quality sorting technologies are available and the quality of the recyclate is high. Why then is Werner & Mertz practically alone in using recyclate from the Yellow Bag?

Schneider says, « The high costs of recyclate compared to virgin plastic still scare away many manufacturers. This problem has been made worse by the declining price of crude oil. If the demand for high-quality recyclate does not grow, there is no reason to invest in better sorting and processing as ALPLA has just done in a big way. And yet, recycling will become more economical as more companies get involved. It’s an enormous opportunity. »

That’s why Werner & Mertz is demanding that lawmakers create financial incentives for the use of PCR, which would effectively counteract the trashing of our planet and achieve the goal of a climate-friendly circular economy for plastic. Werner & Mertz advocates setting up a fund system to which all companies that bring plastic packaging to market would contribute. Those who use Post Consumer Recyclate would then receive a reimbursement.

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